Opus 40

Opus 40 is an environmental sculpture in Saugerties, United States, covering roughly 2.4 hectares (6 acres) and built entirely from local bluestone quarried in the Catskills. The work consists of linked terraces, ramps, and platforms fitted together without mortar or binding agents, arranged around a central stone pedestal.

Harvey Fite acquired an abandoned quarry in 1938 and began building the following year, inspired by his work restoring Mayan ruins in Honduras. He worked by hand and without assistants until his death in 1976, leaving the piece unfinished.

The name refers to the fact that Harvey Fite expected to complete the project in 40 years, though it remained unfinished at his death in 1976. Today his family maintains the site and opens it for visitors who walk the stone paths he spent nearly four decades shaping.

The site opens from April through November, allowing visitors to walk the stone pathways and join guided tours. Sturdy footwear is recommended, as surfaces can be uneven and there are no railings.

The central monolith weighs roughly 9.5 tons (8.6 metric tons) and was found in a nearby stream before Fite installed it in 1964 as a focal point. The entire work was built without mechanical hoists, as Fite used only hand tools and simple levers.

Location: Saugerties

Inception: 1939

Creator: Harvey Fite

Website: https://opus40.org

GPS coordinates: 42.05020,-74.03150

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:30