The Yankee Beemers Picture-of-the-Week

New Year's Day Ride into town took me once again past Bristol Rock. Or The Lord's Prayer Rock as we locals refer to it. Living here all my life I have passed it thousands of times trying not to hit it, but I don't recall ever stopping to reflect on it's true meaning before:

A 19th century physician, Joseph C. Greene, of Buffalo, NY, thought of hieroglyphs when planning a way to commemorate his boyhood in the Bristol, Vermont area. He'd grown up in South Starksboro, and one of his jobs had been to deliver logs to the Bristol sawmill. The journey down the mountain, via 9 Bridges Road or the Drake Woods Road was fraught with difficult switchbacks and stream crossings. When Greene reached the big slab of rock and a level byway, he'd always say a silent prayer, knowing the worst of the trek was behind him.

It became known as Bristol Rock. In 1891, Greene paid a carver to engrave the Lord's Prayer (full version, not the Roman Catholic abridged version) on the slab. He had his own name added: Joseph C. Greene M.D.

There is another story -- that Greene was upset by the cursing and swearing of passing logging wagon drivers. So he had the prayer carved to make them think twice before taking the Lord's name in vain.

Happy New Year
Mike Cousino