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The sandstone deposit found along the Wallace River in Wallace, Nova Scotia, is a very old deposit having been laid down approximately 300 to 320 million years ago during the late carboniferous period.

Earth geology tells us, millions of years ago, during the formation of continents, huge land mass upheavals formed ancient mountains, along what is now the eastern seaboard of North America. From these mountains now call the Appalachian Mountains, flowed great rivers, some traveling thousands of miles to the sea.

One such river, a great fast flowing river, flowed through Nova Scotia depositing sand along its river bottom. Millions of years of sand settling to the bottom, mixed with silicates and being compressed by its own weight created the sandstone of Wallace, Nova Scotia.

The river must have been particularly fast flowing through the Wallace area because there are few fossil branches or trees found in the quarried stone.

This is one of its great attractions, a beautiful grey green sandstone with few impurities or imperfections to make quarrying difficult or creating blemishes in the stone, making it less appealing.

Over the millions of years, further changes to the topography have come about. Sections of this great river are evident in various parts of Nova Scotia, Joggins and Port Hood. With realitively easy access and high quality stone the sandstone formation at Wallace has survived over two hundred years of quarrying.

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Map of earth 300 million BC
22 May 2004

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An artist's impression of the earth during the Carboniferous Period three hundred million years ago.

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Part of an A.F. Church map showing Wallace in relation to Nova Scotia.
1869

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Nova Scotia as it appeared in an 1869 map by A.F. Church.

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1870 A.F. Church map of Wallace area showing village quarry sites
10 June 2004
Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Wallace River, viewing south, up stream
15 August 2003
Wallace River, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Beautiful Wallace River, near the site of several quarries.

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Wallace River, site of first quarries in 1811.
15 August 2003
Wallace River, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Layers sandstone deposit
7 May 2004
Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada

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The layered formation of sandstone is visible in
some areas of the river quarry.

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Sandstone bowls
15 April 2004
Wallace River, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Bowls are natural creations caused by a chemical reaction during the formation of the stone.
Sometimes locally called "God's Tears", they are discouraging for quarry men because they can turn up anywhere in what would appear to be a perfectly good piece of stone.

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Two small sandstone bowls
15 April 2004
Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada