Closing West Mill Road

Muksketo

New Member
Jul 26, 2017
2
3
pine barrens
Hi Everyone! I'm new to this forum, but not to West Mill Rd. I have been hunting out there with my father for 29 years. Also when my sister was married at Pleasant Mills Church, we took West Mill Rd to the wedding reception (before the bridge was out of course). I still frequent the road year round hunting, hiking and photography. And I, like all of you, have run into a road block. I also expressed my concerns to the Atsion Ranger Station and I was told I WAS allowed to drive back there. So I did. Last week I got a ticket in the mail from Hammonton Municipal Court for "driving on a closed roadway". The complaining witness was Scott Miller. The maximum fine is $100 and no points. But after reviewing all of the information and how this gate is WRONG on so many levels I decided to fight it. I hired an attorney and met with him yesterday morning. I presented to him a large file of all the information I collected, maps, tax maps, the resolution, photos, etc. My attorney believes that my case is strong and that what Scott Miller is doing is wrong. Currently my court date is 8/8/17 at 9:30 a.m. in Hammonton. My attorney advised me to rally everyone who is concerned with this gate and who uses the road to attend.

#FreeWestMillRd.
 

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
1,517
1,046
Atco, NJ
Hi Everyone! I'm new to this forum, but not to West Mill Rd. I have been hunting out there with my father for 29 years. Also when my sister was married at Pleasant Mills Church, we took West Mill Rd to the wedding reception (before the bridge was out of course). I still frequent the road year round hunting, hiking and photography. And I, like all of you, have run into a road block. I also expressed my concerns to the Atsion Ranger Station and I was told I WAS allowed to drive back there. So I did. Last week I got a ticket in the mail from Hammonton Municipal Court for "driving on a closed roadway". The complaining witness was Scott Miller. The maximum fine is $100 and no points. But after reviewing all of the information and how this gate is WRONG on so many levels I decided to fight it. I hired an attorney and met with him yesterday morning. I presented to him a large file of all the information I collected, maps, tax maps, the resolution, photos, etc. My attorney believes that my case is strong and that what Scott Miller is doing is wrong. Currently my court date is 8/8/17 at 9:30 a.m. in Hammonton. My attorney advised me to rally everyone who is concerned with this gate and who uses the road to attend.

#FreeWestMillRd.
Just curious. What was the date you drove on West Mill.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
Hi Everyone! I'm new to this forum, but not to West Mill Rd. I have been hunting out there with my father for 29 years. Also when my sister was married at Pleasant Mills Church, we took West Mill Rd to the wedding reception (before the bridge was out of course). I still frequent the road year round hunting, hiking and photography. And I, like all of you, have run into a road block. I also expressed my concerns to the Atsion Ranger Station and I was told I WAS allowed to drive back there. So I did. Last week I got a ticket in the mail from Hammonton Municipal Court for "driving on a closed roadway". The complaining witness was Scott Miller. The maximum fine is $100 and no points. But after reviewing all of the information and how this gate is WRONG on so many levels I decided to fight it. I hired an attorney and met with him yesterday morning. I presented to him a large file of all the information I collected, maps, tax maps, the resolution, photos, etc. My attorney believes that my case is strong and that what Scott Miller is doing is wrong. Currently my court date is 8/8/17 at 9:30 a.m. in Hammonton. My attorney advised me to rally everyone who is concerned with this gate and who uses the road to attend.

#FreeWestMillRd.


Sorry to hear about your unfortunate position. I wish you well with this. That is a weekday so I can't make it.
 

92 Blazer Jeff

Explorer
Aug 24, 2015
259
100
GLASSBORO,NJ
The agreement with Hammonton says unpaved road known as Paradise DR, on the map the closed road is listed as W Mill Road.
Isn't Paradise DR the main road to the campground? If it is the agreement should be for that road not West Mill.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
A little tidbit of info.

I have a map made by the Wharton survey team that shows a portion of West Mill Road going though his property. Sometime between 1970 and 1995 that road was altered to the present road keeping the traffic off of the private West Mill Tract (Paradise Lake). You can see this using HistoricAerials.


westmill.JPG
 
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92 Blazer Jeff

Explorer
Aug 24, 2015
259
100
GLASSBORO,NJ
I see my confusion, the road is W Mill Rd on the topo map and Paradise Dr on Google Maps and Sycamore Rd at the point of the gate.
So how do you know what is the official name of that road? :confused:
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
Sycamore Road is a paper road. I have a map from the Wharton Survey team showing that and I also have maps from the state archives showing that. West Mill Road is not Sycamore Road. I will get that all together later tonight and show all of you the exact location of Sycamore Road.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
All,

This map is congested so let me explain. The bottom map was hand drawn in the Green Bank Maintenance Building on Lovers Lane in the 1950s when the Wharton Survey team surveyed Wharton. The team was under the supervision of surveyor Joseph Truncer. Mr. Truncer was born in Williamstown NJ, attended Haddonfield High School, and graduated from Syracuse University with a B.S. in forestry in 1929. While surveying for the state of NJ he became Superentendent of Parvin State Park when the state acquired it, and served from 1932 to 1947. In 1947 he went to Trenton working for the Department of Conservation as the principal forester, and during his tenure there Wharton State Forest was acquired. He became enamored with Batsto village and because of him the village was restored.

Anyway, the information on this map coincides with other information I have collected over the years. Sycamore Road actually goes right down the center of the southern border of the large blueberry property along 206 just north of West Mill Road and south of Rockwood Road. Google Earth and Google INCORRECTLY shows West Mill Road as Sycamore Road.


The exact location of Sycamore Road is at the below link. And as you will see it is not a road at all but a property line. Follow the property line to the right and through the woods and you are on the road. There are two survey monuments out there that I have been to and it is hell on earth in briers. I hacked away for an hour at both locations and have not found them. One day I will and we will have photo's of them on Sycamore Ave. :)

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.702833614821174&lng=-74.75000593464853&z=16&type=hybrid&gpx=



Click to make larger or download.
Sycamore Road.JPG
 
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