Ha-Ha Wall

The design of Ha-ha walls like this one (which dates back to the Jay era -- 1822 or earlier) is of European origin. These stone fences were meant to keep animals in place on their grazing land while simultaneously allowing for unobstructed views of the landscape. The builders used no mortar in the construction of this wall -- or any others on the property. When one saw a wall like this and the illusion it created, they'd usually express surprise, thus the name, "ha-ha." The effect is similar to an infinity pool.

Just below the ha-ha wall, there is the East Stream fed by underground springs, a crucial source of fresh water for the animals who grazed -- and lived -- there and yet another biodiverse habitat. The overgrowth of invasive species like Japanese knotweed, mugwort and Japanese stiltgrass have obstructed it for many years, but the goal is to restore it eventually through a process known as daylighting.

In their time, the Weckquaesgeek tribe of Native Americans might have used this stream. Click here to learn more about their past on the Jay Estate grounds.