A FITTING END

   Art Jester, Herald-Leader Staff Writer

Ed Grady capped off a success story yesterday: one of the biggest jobs in recent memory of restoring a drystone wall in Central Kentucky.

Grady, an award-winning stonemason from Owen County, finished work on a 600-yard-long dry-stone wall on Ky. 52, east of Danville. "It's the longest one done in Kentucky in a long time," Grady said.

The restoration project, involved 27 stonemasons and trainees and was a partnership of the Dry Stone Conservancy, based in Lexington, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the city of Danville and the Kentucky Heritage Council.

Grady, 45, has been on a roll lately. Last month, he won second place in an eight-hour international dry-stone walling competition in Charlottesville, Va. It was conducted by the Stone Foundation Symposium.

Grady, a New Hampshire native who grew up in Lexington, is a guitar player who did construction work for years before focusing on dry stone work about five years ago. He now has his own company.

"I get a lot more out of this than playing at clubs," he said. "You sing a song and it's over with. Build these walls and they're there for a long time."

PHOTOS BY DAVID STEPHENSON/STAFF

[caption] Ed Grady of Owen County put the finishing touches on a 600-yard section of stone fence yesterday. It was one of the biggest stone-wall restorations in recent memory.

Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)

2001-09-19

Section: City & Region

Edition: Final

Page: B1