Written in Stone
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photo by Talia Hodge
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photo by Talia Hodge
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photo by Talia Hodge
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photo by Talia Hodge
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photo by Talia Hodge
Hikers find themselves in the center of an emerald at South Chagrin Reservation in Bentleyville. Surrounded by hemlock trees, the Chagrin River flows down a gentle waterfall across a shale-bottomed pool, creating a waterside paradise for walkers and waders.
From cold-water creeks to natural trails, the area is one of Cleveland Metroparks’ best-kept secrets — and harbors one of its most intriguing mythologies. Just a short walk from the waterfall lies something surprising: A huge, sheer-faced rock, textured with the gentle slopes of a weathered carving.
“It had a flat side. It cries out for some artwork,” says Judy MacKeigan, a historian for Cleveland Metroparks.
It was there where artist Henry Church Jr. found his inspiration. Born in Chagrin Falls in 1836, the enigmatic creative and spiritualist carved striking statues, including those depicting animals. An 1896 newspaper article praises those works as realistic, stating: The delicate tracery of hairs, claws and fangs is perfect, and even that portion which is not perfect in its entirety is perfect in its detail. He also painted — one of his works, a scene with fruits and mischievous monkeys, is part of the collection at Colonial Williamsburg’s Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum.
“He might have also been a romantic,” MacKeigan says. “Henry Church Jr. rock fits right into that 19th-century romanticism of the outdoors.”
Church was also the village’s blacksmith, and his father was its first in that trade. Following his work at the forge, Church would often make the precarious journey to the rock, carving until the light became too dim.
Though his etchings have faded under the duress of weather and time, one can make out several shapes — including a female figure, a quiver of arrows, a snake-like being, a bird, a papoose and a shield.
“You can still see a woman in the center of the rock,” MacKeigan describes. “It almost looks like there’s something behind her, holding her up. It has been interpreted as a seashell.”
Church did not explain the carvings, and several theories exist about their meanings. It’s chiefly thought, however, that they may have been in reference to settlers’ mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. That interpretation is consistent with the Church family’s ideals.
“They were very opposed to slavery, and there is some evidence that he was opposed to the way that Native Americans had been treated by Europeans,” MacKeigan notes.
Interest in the rock’s cryptic images has been constant since its creation. Vintage postcards show crowds posing next to it. Now, snapshots of its image, juxtaposed with nature, appear on social media.
“That fascinates people — anytime there’s something that doesn’t belong, but yet it fits,” MacKeigan says. “People want to make their mark.”
There are no barriers around the rock. Over the years, moss and lichens have become ingrained in it, making moving it or cleaning its surface risky. According to MacKeigan, however, those limitations may be exactly what the piece needs to retain its integrity.
“History is very place-based,” she says. “So, the fact that this was done here, in this spot, by this man who had to work his way to come here … this is where it belongs.” // CG
Bentleyville,
clevelandmetroparks.com
