New Category Proposal

[+MNSearchers]

OK I am new to this but was told by a friend to propose my new catagory on these forums because you all are very informative and can be a huge help to me.

I would like to do a category called "Cornerstones". I have searched in the directory and did not come up with a category on these? Just let me know if I am somehow duplicating a category.

IF not, here is some info I found on cornerstones: copy and pasted from http://www.freemason.org/cfo/winter_2002/corner.htm

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The tradition goes back to antiquity - so far that it literally cannot be traced to its origins, and it probably evolved out of the foundation and completion sacrifices which were common with any large building project (and which are echoed in the legend of the Master Mason Degree). In Babylon, clay cylinders, called "timmon" were insciribed with the history of the king and of the building, and buried in the foundations of the structure. Clay tablets describing the building and the history of the king were buried in the floors of the buildings erected by Darius and Cyrus.

 

During the construction of the cathedrals of the Middle Ages, special stones, hollowed to receive offerings, were included in the foundations of the walls.

 

Thus, from the remotest times, the laying of a special stone, usually sealing in a deposit intended for future generations, has been a part of any significant building.

 

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, there are actually three major classifications of such stones.

 

FOUNDATION STONES are the first stones placed as part of the foundation of a building (or, in the case of most of the medieval cathedrals, the high altar). These stones are below the level of the ground. The stone George Washington laid for the nation's capital was actually a foundation stone, as is clearly shown by the newspaper accounts of the time.

 

CORNER STONES are the first stones placed at ground level. They are generally placed in the northeast corner, from which building traditionally commenced. They are part of the structure of the building, and, of necessity, are placed before the building is built. Until the 1950s and 60s, this was the type of stone most commonly placed by the fraternity.

 

COMMEMORATIVE or DEDICATORY STONES are the stones most commonly placed by the fraternity today. They are not part of the structure of the building, but fit into a space left in the stone or brick work. They usually seal a cavity in which a "time capsule" type of deposit is made. Generally, the placement of such a stone is the last act in the building and serves as a dedication of the building and a signal of its completion.

 

The association of Masonry with the placement of corner stones is obvious and comes from the craft guilds. There are records of Masonic Lodges in Ireland placing corner stones, with full parades and ceremonies, dating from the 1500s and records from England from the late l600s. Apparently, the first stones in Washington, D.C. which were placed by Lodges with Masonic ceremonies were not those in federal buildings at all, but those which marked the boundaries of the District of Columbia.

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A category with most any kinds of the above cornerstones would be cool.

This is a category that anyone all over the world can get and is part of our history.

thanks.

Laurie

I do have a picture of a cornerstone if anyone wants to see it.

[+silverquill]

OK I am new to this but was told by a friend to propose my new catagory on these forums because you all are very informative and can be a huge help to me.

I would like to do a category called "Cornerstones". I have searched in the directory and did not come up with a category on these? Just let me know if I am somehow duplicating a category.

 

While there isn't a category that exactly matches this, cornerstones are often included with other categories. It is one of the methods for determining the age of a building in the Old Churches category, for instance, and I have included many cornerstones in waymarks for Historic Register buildings and historic markers as well. So, there would be quite a bit of overlap -- which doesn't mean that this isn't a good category necessarily.

 

And, if you are looking specifically for Masonic cornerstones, there is a category for Masonic temples.

 

Just so you know.

[+The Blue Quasar]

Personally I think it is great! Another way to see history around us.

 

I like the variations you have and you could easily flesh this out that the Waymark Owner could provide historical info about the site, encourage the use of local libraries to gather photos from the past... all that stuff.

 

The only thing I would like to see, and just my opinion, is that the stone must be dated such that it is over 100 years old. Otherwise they might be too commonplace.

 

The Blue Quasar

[+MNSearchers]

Personally I think it is great! Another way to see history around us.

 

I like the variations you have and you could easily flesh this out that the Waymark Owner could provide historical info about the site, encourage the use of local libraries to gather photos from the past... all that stuff.

 

The only thing I would like to see, and just my opinion, is that the stone must be dated such that it is over 100 years old. Otherwise they might be too commonplace.

 

The Blue Quasar

Thats cool, thanks for the opinions. It would really have to be defined as those three catagories above. I would love to add that it must be dated over 100 years old but lots of places in the United States are barely that old. In europe that wouldn't be a problem though. OK on with this idea. Thanks again.

[+WalruZ]

The only advice I'll give is to work at setting your bar a little high, or people will be adding waymarks to your category for any building that has a foundation, if you get my drift. Waymarkers won't automatically restrict themselves to significance - you're going to have to spell it out. Work on that and you'll be getting somewhere.