HARTLEYHENGE FAST FACTS
LOCATION: 259 John’s Woods Rd, Calvander, North Carolina, USA
HOURS: Daylight only
COST: Free
TIME TO COMPLETE: 30 minutes
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: Anytime
PARKING: Along the street (please be respectful)
Is Hartleyhenge a mystery, a North Carolina roadside attraction, a piece of art or simply a place of meditation and solace? No one really knows the motivation of John Hartley when he created Hartleyhenge at Stone Knoll, the so-called “Stonehenge of North Carolina”. Hartley, a Carrboro architect and builder had a history of creating outdoor spaces where people could gather together to commune or experience their own peaceful solitude. Hartleyhenge has so many elements that one could spend a lifetime trying to interpret its meaning.
John Hartley was a well-known architect in the Chapel Hill area focused primarily on sub-divisions. As a young man he spent time in Africa working for the Peace Corps. During this time, he developed a great respect for African, and later Native American, spirituality that heavily influenced the remainder of his life. All of his professional work included some space or reference intended for personal reflection and spiritual awareness. These additions were always done on his own time and at his own expense. Some of his more notable works, aside from Hartleyhenge, include Labyrinth at Starfield, Dharma Hall at Won Buddhism Meditation Temple and Oxbow Crossing.
Hartleyhenge consists of (4) 12’ (3.7 m) large stone slabs outside a circle of smaller stones surrounding a set of even smaller stones in the middle. The (4) large slabs each represent east, west, north and south, contain animal prints (coyote paws, buffalo hooves, bear claws, eagle talons) and poetry from Carl Sandberg, Wendell Berry and Maya Angelou. In many Native American cultures these animals serve as spirit keepers and protectors of the seasons. A center slab brings it all together at a centered place of peace and contemplation.
At its heart Hartleyhenge is a place to simply relax and reflect on whatever you like. Hartley likely had some deeper personal intent symbolized by the four primary monoliths. The eastern pillar is where the sun rises representing birth and the transition from winter into spring. South is summer, boundless youth and endless hope. West represents the transition into adulthood and its responsibilities and is perfectly encapsulated in the contemplative tone of Wendell Berry’s “Go Among Trees and Sit Still”. Finally North is midnight and signals the declining years full of wise counsel and wisdom. The circle then renews itself and repeats the cycle of life.
While some artists choose canvas or celluloid to express their art, Hartleyhenge uses nature as an expression of life. Hartley chose a “bone pile” of otherwise abandoned stones as his instrument of expression. On his own time he drove his flatbed truck back and forth between Calvander and Tennessee to transport the hand-picked rocks for his vision. The venue couldn’t be better chosen. Atop a slopping knoll surrounded by a beautiful towering oak and hickory trees.
While Hartleyhenge could certainly be considered a North Carolina roadside attraction, it is so much more. The passion and commitment involved in constructing this ode to nature and the cycle of life elevates it to genuine art. If you have never visited, it is worth your time. Hartleyhenge may speak to you, or not, but it is certainly a unique experience.
