Early America

I really can't think of anything that totally embodies the United States of America any more than a stone wall. I won't try to hide the fact that I am a rock guy, I love them.
When I see a stone wall built by early settlers and early Americans it takes me back to a time that I truly cannot imagine how hard it must have been.
Here is what I see in a stone wall from old New England:
Incredible hard work and perseverance
A willingness to claim what was theirs and stand up for it
Rocks and stones that came from all over the world and were deposited by the glaciers
A creation they had to figure out, no directions, no pictures, no help button, no FAQ section
No machines - just manpower, animals and ingenuity
Pride
These walls have stood for hundreds of years. They are a testament to the families that built them. They were not put up to last for a few years. They knew it was the start of something great. They had great pride in everything they did.
A Stone wall is so much more to me than a bunch of rocks stacked and lined up. It is a thing of beauty, a creation rooted in pride, just like America.