Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-02-11
THE RINGING ROCKS.
A GEOLOGICAL CURIOSITY WITHIN AN
HOURS RIDE OF PHILADELPHIA.
Reading Times and Dispatch. !

Reading Times and Dispatch.
A few days ago a representative OF
the Times and Dispatch paid visit
to the geological wonder known as the
Ringing Rocks, in Montgomery
county. Ringing Hill, as the people
there call the eminence on which the
celebrated rocks are found, is on the
farm of Abraham Mensch, 10 Potts
grove township, three miles northeast
of Pottstown The ringing rocks
cover space of about three-quarters
of an acre. In this tract boulders are
piled upon boulders of all shapes and
forms, and so promiscuously arranged
that considerable agility is required to
walk over them without falling. As
one steps from rock to rock, ringing
sound, produced by the nails in the
boot-heels,is is plainly heard. On tap
ping the stones with a hammer quite
remarkable acoustic properties are re-
vealed. Some of them give forth a
rich, full tone which would probably
vie with the best bell metal if the
stones were fashioned into bells. One
of them in particular, from its depth
of tone, is known as the State House
bell. This was at one time among the
largest of the rocks. 1t has been
broken off, however, but still has pre-
served its strong, full tone. The
general sound produced by striking
the smaller stones resembles that of a
blacksmith's anvil, some having a
little clearer ring than others and no
two sounding just alike. In passing
from one to another of the larger rocks
one is reminded of tapping of car
wheels by the traininspectors. Thous-
ands of people visit this natural phe-
nomenon every summer. The rocks
themselves bear evidence of this, the
edges being battered off by hammer
strokes, and the sides cf many having
names carved upon them. Some par
ties, who were unwilling to take The
time or trouble to chisel their names
upon the rocks, have resorted to paint
and considerable daubing has been
done in various colors The adver-
tising fiend has not failed to put in an
appearance and we are made aware of
the merits of patent medicines, of the
place to buy carpet, and the like, upon
every hand We have not heard any
satisfactory explanation of the cause
of the ringing or the bell-like sound of
these rocks. Some say it is owing to
there being a cavern under them
This, however, can have nothing TO
do with it, as when the rocks are re-
moved they still have the same sound.
One large and sonorous boulder was
taken to the Centennial and attracted
great deal of attention there. An
other was sent to England year or
two ago. There is probably a me-
tallic substance in this group of bould-
ers to which the ringing sound may
be attributed. We have not heard.
however, of any geological analysis
being made. Half mile east of the
Ringing Rocks and in the same range
of hills, there is another group of
boulders which are much visited
Here lofty pile of rocks surmounts a
cavity of considerable depth. the whole
being known as the "Stone House" "
Near by the stone house is huge
boulder, some fifteen or twenty feet
high, which, from it's peculiar contour,
is called the Hay Stack" Besides
their acoustic qualities there is an
other singular circumstance about the
Ringing Rocks which visitors rarely
fail to notice Many of them have
very strange marks or indentations.
At some points these resemble the
track of horses hoof Others are
like the track of wagon. Some of
the larger indentations are said to re-
semble an elephants foot, and fac-sim-
lies of the human foot are claimed to
be found among the smaller ones.