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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
One of the most outstanding scenic places in New England. The word "monadnock" originally comes from the Abnacki Indian language meaning "mountain that stands alone." Because Monadnock "stands alone", views from the treeless summit stretch far into the distance into surrounding states like Vermont and Massachusetts. Boston and the White Mountains are visible on a clear day.
Ancient earthquakes on the Eastern Border Fault tilted all the sedimentary layers as well as the basalt so they dip down toward the east at about a 25 degree angle. Keep this in mind as were look at events of the Cenozoic, our last (and continuing) Era of geologic time. Finally, by the end of the Mesozoic Era, 65 million years ago, the region had eroded to a flat plain called a peneplain. The only feature of great topographic interest at this time was Mt. Monadnock, which is notorious for withstanding the forces of erosion and remaining high (a "monadnock") while the surrounding region eroded to boring flatness.
The name "monadnock" has become geneeric for similar structure elsewhere. Another term is"
inselberg n., pl. 3bergs or 3berge a monadnock of an arid or semiarid region
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510 Likes: 1
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510 Likes: 1 |
Aha! Now I see the reason the village designed by Howard Roark in Ayn Rand's Fountainhead was called "Monadnock".
Thanks, Bill :-)
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Dear wofahulicodoc: I have to confess I haven't read any of Ayn Rand's books, and so cannot guess why she used "Monadnock".
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