The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Fences

AN EARLY snake fence made out of rails, with the ends resting on each other, and braced at each angle, or bay, by two upright stakes, one on either side of the fence, driven well into the ground, and tightly wired together at the top to support the upper rails, as well as to keep the tops of the stakes in steady position. The bottom rail, in alternative bays, rested upon the ground, thus being soon rotted out through continual dampness. One of Canada's most picturesque institutions, the snake fence was, and still is, widely known in the United States as well. It has been suggested that it originated in Virginia, but no definite evidence supports this theory.

THESE are two further prime examples of the snake type split rail and rail fences. Both were six rails high. They were fairly vulnerable to those more travel-minded cattle. For small boys they were a sheer joy, they came apart so easily, and tumbled in such a nice jumble.

IT WOULDN'T be difficult to picture this as Abe Lincoln as a young man, splitting a log into rails for rail fencing.

Usually the logs being split were, roughly, twelve feet long, by two and a half feet in diameter. Steel wedges were driven into them with what was known as a heavy, iron-bound beetle, as shown. The logs were preferably straight, and each one would make three, four, six or even eight rails. Good rails would be of approximately the same thickness throughout their length. The split was started at the small end, then a wedge would be inserted, of steel, or of some hard wood such as white oak or hickory.