I know some one who says that he remembers houses and people there in the 1950's. I have heard elsewhere that it was burned out in the late 1800's.
when was hampton furnace last inhabited
- Thread starter virginiapiney
- Start date
There were people there as recently as the 1910's. The state bought the Wharton Tract sometime in the 50s. It's entirely possible that cranberrying was going on there up until the 50s, and people may have lived there then.
bruset said:
Read the Tuckerton Road chapter in Forgotten Towns and Beck mentions leaving Tuckerton Road and driving to Hampton Furnace and visiting the home of David Kell there. He was in charge of the bogs there during Beck's visits in the mid 30's.
On a related note, I have photo's of those bogs from the 70's there, and they have really changed from the view I took them from. You could tell that they had much more recently been in operation than they look today. Say 25 years instead of 55. I will post them if I get a minute. Some of the older members here may remember them from before; however, the newer members may enjoy them.
Guy
This is for the newer members and the old fogies who don't remember 
I can't seem to find all of the photo's, but here are a few that newer members may enjoy.
If you come in from 206 and round the curve just before the warehouse ruins at Hampton, you cross the bridge near where the furnace was located. From that bridge this is the view in 1/79. I don't think you can see anything now and I will try to get a shot from the same location maybe tomorrow and make a "Then & Now".
Here is another view of the warehouse ruins that you have not viewed before. This was taken by a friend of mine when we were there in late 1975 or early 1976. It was developed in 1/76. Notice how high the ruins were compared to today.
If you continue on past the ruins to the bridge over the Skit Branch of the Batsto river and look over the edge of the bridge you will see the cement ruins of a former bridge and what I assume was also a lock for the bogs. This was one of the "Modern Concrete Contrivances" that Beck mentions in the "The Tuckerton Road" chapter of "Forgotten Towns" on page 74. You may have viewed it in my "Then & Now" gallery.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=238&pos=19
To be more exact as you come to the bridge from the warehouse, there was a road that traveled around the current bridge to the right that crossed a small wooden bridge. Where the bridge is now and the concrete contrivance was had been washed out. This photo in my "Then & Now" gallery shows the bridge viewed from the other side.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=238&pos=21
This photo was taken standing on the concrete contrivance where the bridge is now. It shows me in 1975 looking over my maps looking like I was lost. It was a much prettier place then.
These views are from the small bridge.
This view is the best view of the concrete contrivance. This was taken from the far side. You can see how much lower that area was then. They filled it all in when constructing the present bridge.
We would drop our drinks off in the water next to the cement and return at lunch to lay on the top of the cement and eat. Very rarely did a vehicle come by; however, on one occasion a convoy of military vehicles from a collectors club drove over that small wooden bridge. One was a halftrack like this.
http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/vehicles/armored_personnel_carriers/m3/m3.html
And if you did not know, when the new bridge was constructed in the late 80's and all of the larger cement pieces were removed, they left one or more of them hidden along the side of the road near the new bridge. Look for it the next time you are there.
Guy
I can't seem to find all of the photo's, but here are a few that newer members may enjoy.
If you come in from 206 and round the curve just before the warehouse ruins at Hampton, you cross the bridge near where the furnace was located. From that bridge this is the view in 1/79. I don't think you can see anything now and I will try to get a shot from the same location maybe tomorrow and make a "Then & Now".
Here is another view of the warehouse ruins that you have not viewed before. This was taken by a friend of mine when we were there in late 1975 or early 1976. It was developed in 1/76. Notice how high the ruins were compared to today.
If you continue on past the ruins to the bridge over the Skit Branch of the Batsto river and look over the edge of the bridge you will see the cement ruins of a former bridge and what I assume was also a lock for the bogs. This was one of the "Modern Concrete Contrivances" that Beck mentions in the "The Tuckerton Road" chapter of "Forgotten Towns" on page 74. You may have viewed it in my "Then & Now" gallery.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=238&pos=19
To be more exact as you come to the bridge from the warehouse, there was a road that traveled around the current bridge to the right that crossed a small wooden bridge. Where the bridge is now and the concrete contrivance was had been washed out. This photo in my "Then & Now" gallery shows the bridge viewed from the other side.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=238&pos=21
This photo was taken standing on the concrete contrivance where the bridge is now. It shows me in 1975 looking over my maps looking like I was lost. It was a much prettier place then.
These views are from the small bridge.
This view is the best view of the concrete contrivance. This was taken from the far side. You can see how much lower that area was then. They filled it all in when constructing the present bridge.
We would drop our drinks off in the water next to the cement and return at lunch to lay on the top of the cement and eat. Very rarely did a vehicle come by; however, on one occasion a convoy of military vehicles from a collectors club drove over that small wooden bridge. One was a halftrack like this.
http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/vehicles/armored_personnel_carriers/m3/m3.html
And if you did not know, when the new bridge was constructed in the late 80's and all of the larger cement pieces were removed, they left one or more of them hidden along the side of the road near the new bridge. Look for it the next time you are there.
Guy
Those are some great photos! Wow, that place really has changed; looks like there used to be a very scenic vista looking up the river back then.
Boyd said:
I ate lunch there for many years because of the view except when raining. Then we went to the cranberry pump house above Martha. It was really nice there in the summer on the cement and we always had cold drinks. We would at times leave them there for the next week and they always were there. It was great times!
Guy
Much of the history of Hampton seems very sketchy to me. One account suggests that the furnace was built in one month during 1795. Kinda hard to believe. After Richards bought the place, it was supposedly disassembled and hauled to Dover. Then Richards is supposed to have had the place in blast again as it worked in conjunction with Atsion. A lot of things don't make sense.
What's interesting is that the site has a longer history of cranberry growing than iron making. AJ Rider (Rider University fame) and partner Charles Wilkinson may have started growing berries there as early as 1875. They were most certainly in full swing by the turn of the century. After Rider's death in 1929 the bogs were managed by the Wilkingson estate who eventually bought out the Rider interests. Articles from the early 40's talk about Ralph Clayberger, Wilkinsons son-in-law, and his children trying to bring some of the bogs back to their former glory after disease ravaged the plants. At that time the place was known as Hampton Park and even hosted the American Cranberry Growers' Assosiation annual summer convention in the late 40's. By that time nothing probably remained of the iron works besides the slag piles. The Packing House or Screen House as they called them was supposed to be one of the finest in South Jersey. Much of the wood is said to have come from buildings That were erected in Philadelphia for the centennial celebration. In the last 40's there were only supposed to have been two other dwelling structures there; one for the overseer of the bogs and one for the owners who frequented to place on weekends.
I don't believe that Hampton was part of the Wharton estate when the State made their purchase. In fact, I recall hearing the Clayberger was furious when the State forced him to sell the parcel. The packing house burned to the ground shortly after the State took ownership.
What's interesting is that the site has a longer history of cranberry growing than iron making. AJ Rider (Rider University fame) and partner Charles Wilkinson may have started growing berries there as early as 1875. They were most certainly in full swing by the turn of the century. After Rider's death in 1929 the bogs were managed by the Wilkingson estate who eventually bought out the Rider interests. Articles from the early 40's talk about Ralph Clayberger, Wilkinsons son-in-law, and his children trying to bring some of the bogs back to their former glory after disease ravaged the plants. At that time the place was known as Hampton Park and even hosted the American Cranberry Growers' Assosiation annual summer convention in the late 40's. By that time nothing probably remained of the iron works besides the slag piles. The Packing House or Screen House as they called them was supposed to be one of the finest in South Jersey. Much of the wood is said to have come from buildings That were erected in Philadelphia for the centennial celebration. In the last 40's there were only supposed to have been two other dwelling structures there; one for the overseer of the bogs and one for the owners who frequented to place on weekends.
I don't believe that Hampton was part of the Wharton estate when the State made their purchase. In fact, I recall hearing the Clayberger was furious when the State forced him to sell the parcel. The packing house burned to the ground shortly after the State took ownership.
We used to camp on around those bogs when we were kids because of the open views, they have really grown up since.
All,
Today we visited Union Clay Works and did some exploring and what you could call research for an hour or so, and then explored the county line again. From there we headed over to Hampton Furnace by driving down Moores Meadow Road and noticed they are building a new home or building not far from the bogs along the road.
At Hampton Furnace I put on my waders and from the middle of the Skit Branch I took a photo to create another "Then & Now" photo of that spot. Because the wooden bridge is there now, and the water close by it is too deep, I had to take today's photo about 20 feet upstream from the cement shown in the top photo at this link. But you are seeing the exact same view in both photo's except for a slight discrepancy. A big change in 30 years I would say.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=238&pos=28
Guy
Today we visited Union Clay Works and did some exploring and what you could call research for an hour or so, and then explored the county line again. From there we headed over to Hampton Furnace by driving down Moores Meadow Road and noticed they are building a new home or building not far from the bogs along the road.
At Hampton Furnace I put on my waders and from the middle of the Skit Branch I took a photo to create another "Then & Now" photo of that spot. Because the wooden bridge is there now, and the water close by it is too deep, I had to take today's photo about 20 feet upstream from the cement shown in the top photo at this link. But you are seeing the exact same view in both photo's except for a slight discrepancy. A big change in 30 years I would say.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=238&pos=28
Guy
In Solem's book it mentions a furnace wheel was found in the raceway near the packing house. Apparently when it was found attempts were made to lift it out of the muddy waters of the raceway but it was too heavy so the workers gave up. I wonder if it is still down there.
TeeGate said:
I understand the cranberry farmer out there is building a house for one of his children. A guy who knows him said the project was held up for a year. He may have said there was an existing house/foundation on the site but when they were excavating or re-excavating the foundation they came across a groundhog (woodchuck) hole. Someone claimed it was a snake den and the project was held up until the issue was resolved. Apparently the farmer said "if they got snakes that big in the pines, I'm moving out." I got a chuckle from his quote.
