parks

As a preliminary to a geology section in our developing online nature trail guide, Jonathan Alvarez, a geologist from EA Engineering in Warwick, kindly shared his knowledge of features found at Salter Grove.

It is truly a shame that so many of the exposed rocks have been defaced by juvenile grafﬁti that obscures a fascinating geological history. Even birds know better than to foul their own nest! Please help us to realize our park’s potential as an outdoor classroom by leaving no trace of your visits.

Jonathan explains how conglomerates, sometimes referred to as puddingstone, are metamorphosed sedimentary rocks. These are part of the Rhode Island Formation and are Pennsylvanian in age (298-323 million years old). These conglomerates formed in a turbulent environment similar to a river bottom where the rounded cobbles and sandy matrix eventually were compressed through burial. During the Pennsylvanian Period, Rocky Mountain-sized ranges occurred east and west of the present Narragansett Bay, and their erosion produced enormous quantities of sediment that ﬁlled the space between, including wide river basins similar to the San Joaquin or Sonoma Valleys.

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Grand Opening 10-26-19-14

The new playground at George B. Salter Grove was officially opened on Saturday, October 26th, 2019 by Mayor Joseph J. Solomon, joined at the ribbon cutting by (left to right, above) Sen. Michael J. McCaffrey, Councilman Anthony Sinapi, Councilwoman Donna Travis, (Mayor), FoSG Coordinator Peter Becker, Rep. Joseph McNamara, and Councilman Rick Corley.

Grand Opening 10-26-19-7_lynnSalter

Lynn Salter McCauley was FoSG’s delightful special guest for this neighborhood celebration, providing a link to the park’s naming after her grandfather. The photo below is from a sign unveiling event in May 1967 with (L-to-R) Warren L. Salter (Lynn’s father), Olive Salter (Lynn’s grandmother), and RI Governor John Chafee.

L-to-R: Warren L. Salter, Olive Salter, RI Gov. John Chafee