Living in Arizona Boulders -- Where did they come from?
When most people think of building a secluded home, they think
of tall trees and large bushes. But what about boulders?
Granite Park, located in Prescott, Arizona, which is in the
north central part of the state, is one such place filled with
1.4 billion-year-old towering granite rock formations.
Rock formations of this type are rare in the United States.
Northern Arizona to southern California are the most common
locations for these statuesque boulders.
Formed in the Precambrian age, 1.4 billion years ago, these
rocks started life under the earth's surface as large masses of
molten rock, according to Dr. Archie M. Dickey, professor of
environmental science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
The rocks then cool before reaching the surface.
"This procedure is referred to as an intrusive igneous rock
formation," said Dr. Dickey. "The molten rocks cool slowly and
in the process form large, course-grained rocks."
After the granite was exposed at the surface, it was then at the
mercy of the elements. Wind, rain, snow all started eroding the
rocks. However, in the case of these particular formations, they
produced their unique shapes and vistas because the granite
first weathered in blocky, rectangular joints. You can actually
see this throughout Granite Park ? the blocky reddish-brown
linear lines on the boulders.
Dr. Dickey explains that as the weathering continued, the
granite turned into its now round distinctive shape. This type
of weathering is called spheroidal weathering.
Residents of the new Granite Park community will be not just be
able to enjoy living in privacy with these massive, statuesque
boulders, but be able to stroll down trails featuring these
two-hundred-foot high rock cliffs and four-foot-wide passages.
About the author:
Robert Norman is vice president of Sun Pine Homes, a custom home
builder and developer in Prescott, Arizona. His current project
is developing Granite Park, a residential community first
founded in1905 and filled with 1.4 billion-year boulders. For
photos and more information, please visit
http://www.sunpinehomes.com
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