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Image:
Fences in New Brunswick, New Jersey., showing post and rail [left] pale
[center] and post and board [right] (“General White's, Brunswick” by Archibald Robertson, 1799, Monmouth County Historical
Association - General White's, Brunswick – Works – Landmarks,
Landscapes & Seascapes –
Collections – MCHA eMuseum)
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The morning mist
clings to weathered split rails as a farmer walks his property line, checking
the fence that separates his wheat field from his neighbor's pasture. This
daily ritual, repeated across colonial America, embodied a fundamental truth
captured in an old farming expression: a good fence must be "cow high and
pig tight"—tall enough that cattle cannot leap over and secure enough that
even the craftiest pig cannot squeeze through or burrow under.
This simple phrase
encapsulated both practical wisdom and legal necessity in eighteenth-century
America, where the difference between a well-fenced farm and a poorly protected
one could mean the difference between prosperity and ruin, between neighborly peace
and costly litigation.
The Weight of Wooden Boundaries
In the colonial
period, fences served purposes far beyond their modern role as mere property
markers. They were the backbone of agricultural success, the foundation of
community harmony, and often the subject of heated legal disputes. Eric Olsen's
comprehensive study "Cow High and Pig Tight: Fences in Eighteenth Century
America" reveals how these humble structures shaped the very fabric of
early American rural life.
The legal importance
of proper fencing cannot be overstated. Colonial fence laws placed the burden
of crop protection squarely on the farmer's shoulders. If a neighbor's
livestock wandered onto unfenced land and destroyed crops, the property owner
had little legal recourse. But if that same farmer had erected a fence that met
local standards—one that was truly "cow high and pig tight"—the law
would hold the livestock owner responsible for any damages.
This legal framework
created a patchwork of wooden barriers across the American landscape, each
fence telling a story of available materials, local customs, and individual
ingenuity.
The Art of Agricultural Architecture
The variety of
fencing solutions developed by early American farmers reflected both the
diverse environments they inhabited and the material's nature provided. In the
dense forests of New England and the Mid-Atlantic, farmers had access to
abundant timber. The rolling hills of Pennsylvania offered both wood and stone.
The fertile plains of Virginia presented different challenges and opportunities
entirely.
The Mighty Worm Fence
Perhaps no fence
type better exemplifies the resourcefulness of colonial farmers than the worm
fence, also known as the Virginia rail fence. This distinctive zigzag
structure, built without nails or posts, could be constructed quickly using
nothing but split rails and gravity. The interlocking pattern created
surprising stability while allowing the fence to flex with changing weather
conditions.
The worm fence's
serpentine path across the landscape served multiple purposes. Its wide base
provided excellent stability, while the zigzag pattern naturally shed snow and
rain. Farmers could easily dismantle and relocate sections as needed, making it
ideal for the flexible agricultural practices of the era.
Stone Walls: Monuments to Persistence
In rocky New
England, farmers transformed the burden of stone-filled fields into lasting
boundary markers. The process of building stone fences began with clearing
fields for cultivation—a backbreaking task that filled countless sledges with
rocks of every size. Rather than viewing these stones as waste, industrious
farmers saw raw materials for permanent fencing.
Stone walls required
no maintenance against rot or insect damage, lasting for generations with
minimal care. Robert Frost's famous observation about spring fence-mending
captured this enduring quality, noting how "something there is that
doesn't love a wall"—referring to the frost heaves that would shift stones
but never destroy the fundamental structure.
Post and Rail: The Aristocrat of Fences
For farmers with
more resources and time, the post and rail fence represented the pinnacle of
fencing craftsmanship. These structures required careful planning, precise
measurements, and considerable skill to construct properly. Posts had to be set
at exact intervals, rails carefully fitted, and the entire structure built to
withstand decades of weather and livestock pressure.
The investment in
post and rail fencing often indicated a farmer's prosperity and long-term
commitment to a particular piece of land. Unlike the temporary worm fence or
the utilitarian brush fence, post and rail construction suggested stability and
success.
Gardens and Dooryards: Fencing for Civilization
While field fences
kept livestock contained and crops protected, a different category of fencing
surrounded the domestic sphere of colonial homes. Garden and dooryard fences
served multiple purposes: they kept chickens and pigs away from kitchen
gardens, created defined spaces around dwellings, and demonstrated the
inhabitants' commitment to civilized living.
The wattle fence,
constructed by weaving flexible branches between upright stakes, provided an
economical solution for protecting vegetable gardens. These living barriers
could be constructed quickly from readily available materials and repaired
easily when damaged.
For more permanent
and prestigious applications, the paled fence—constructed from split or sawn
vertical boards—created crisp boundaries around formal gardens and front yards.
The uniform appearance of a well-built paled fence conveyed prosperity and attention
to detail, marking the transition from wilderness to civilization.
The Economics of Enclosure
The choice of
fencing material often reflected local economics as much as available
resources. In timber-rich regions, farmers might favor wood fencing despite the
ongoing maintenance requirements. In areas where stone was plentiful but labor
expensive, families might invest considerable time in wall-building to create
permanent boundaries.
Brush fences,
constructed from cleared undergrowth and fallen branches, represented the most
economical solution for cash-poor farmers. While these structures required
frequent maintenance and offered limited durability, they could be built
entirely from waste materials that would otherwise be burned or discarded.
The labor
requirements for different fence types also influenced farmer choices. A single
farmer might construct a brush fence in a few days, while a stone wall or post
and rail fence might require weeks of concentrated effort or cooperative labor
from neighbors.
Legacy of the Fence Line
The fencing
decisions made by eighteenth-century American farmers continue to shape our
landscape today. Ancient stone walls still mark property boundaries in New
England forests, their original purpose long forgotten but their physical
presence enduring. The straight lines of modern fencing often follow the
serpentine paths of old worm fences, preserving settlement patterns established
centuries ago.
Perhaps most
importantly, these early fences established patterns of property ownership and
community cooperation that became fundamental to American rural culture. The
tradition of neighbors helping to build and maintain boundary fences created
bonds that extended far beyond mere property lines.
As Robert Frost
observed while walking with his neighbor to mend their shared stone wall,
fences paradoxically brought people together even as they marked divisions. The
spring ritual of fence repair became an opportunity for neighbors to renew
relationships, discuss community concerns, and maintain the social fabric that
held rural communities together.
The old farmer's
wisdom embedded in "cow high and pig tight" encompassed more than
agricultural technique—it represented a commitment to responsible stewardship,
community cooperation, and the practical wisdom that built a nation from the
ground up, one fence post at a time.
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| Emigrants: Fence Building./Nemigrants Building A Fence At A Settlement In The American West. Wood Engraving, 1874, By Charles Maurand, After A Sketch By Paul Frenzeny And Jules Tavernier |
