Construction of this cairn was a long-time ambition of Ewen S. L. MacPherson, the current Convenor of the Museum Trustees who undertook the responsibility of raising the funds needed for its construction and urging the contribution of the special stones that were incorporated into it. These stones came from all over the world -- Australia, Canada, England and Wales, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States. Each stone has a special significance and its details are recorded in the Book of Gold which you will find in another part of the Museum along with the names of the contributors of time and money.
The cairn was designed by Robert J. Macpherson who saw the task as a manifestation of the need for collective effort to achieve goals. He designed the cairn to be "a focal point created by individual pieces. The spiral nature of the design is one where each piece has an equal part to play in creating the form. Each piece focuses on the central axis and each is relevant to the form of the other. The form also indicates the growth that is a manifestation of our world-wide association and our annual return to the homeland. "The column structure signifies and respects the traditional cairn design" . . . but it has other layers of meaning that come from the special stones from which it is built.
The photo shown to the left was taken shortly after the unveiling ceremony on 4th August 1996 in connection with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Clan Macpherson Association. The photo below it is of the plaque that tells something of what we know of the nature Ewan Macpherson of Cluny. The plaque was built by Jim McPherson of Eastbourne, England. The cairn site is surrounded by a wire fence except for the beautiful wrought-iron gate emblazoned with the Clan Macpherson clansman's badge constructed by John Macpherson of Montrose. Construction of the cairn was accomplished by Grampian Builders under the leadership of Ken Smith.