1950's campground

J

janwor

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Apr 17, 2005
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You could check with the former superintendent of Wharton as to what he really said or really meant. He is David Donnelly and left Wharton to become superintendent at Washington Crossing State Park also part of the NJ Park system. I think he is still there. He was a landscaper from Lakewood area. The athlete's name would be interesting.

The sale of Paradise Lakes to Rider would indicate that he and Wharton (or Wharton's agent) were friends at least. Wasn't Wharton buying land at that point?
 
Teegate

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janwor said:
The sale of Paradise Lakes to Rider would indicate that he and Wharton (or Wharton's agent) were friends at least. Wasn't Wharton buying land at that point?
Click to expand...

Yes he was. The map shows quite a few land purchases by him, and then the sale to Rider. If I get a minute I will post them.

Guy
 
Teegate

Teegate

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What is interesting is that Wharton bought property from individuals or companies and a few years later sold different pieces of property back to them. Either there was some sort of land swapping going on, they owed taxes and he capitalized on it, or some other odd occurrences were happening.

This map shows property in the Rockwood area on both sides of 206 which was then called "Old Middle Road".

Guy

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Pineman32

Pineman32

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I believe the Olympic athlete that your speaking of is Don Bragg who won the gold medel for pole vaulting in the 1960 Olympics in Rome. Mr. Bragg purchased land on the Wading River in Wharton State Forest from the estate of Lewis B. Stong who was from Philadelphia and who had built a small cabin on the land that he used as a summer place/getaway. Mr. Bragg built a campground/boys camp and named it Kamp Olympic. Mr. Bragg sold the land around 25-30 years ago and it's now Wading Pines Campground.

Hope this information was helpful.
 
Teegate

Teegate

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It appears he is the correct person. So he never did sell it to the state.

Guy
 
Teegate

Teegate

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Well, if he bought all of the estate he had quite a bit of property.

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Guy
 
Pineman32

Pineman32

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1950's Campground - Continued

There was quite a bit of property involved, although I'm not sure of the acreage. Mr. Stong had given approximately 8 acres of the adjoining property to my father upon his return from Europe after WWII sp that he could start a blueberry farm. After his retirement in the 1980's my father sold the land to Wading Pines Campground.
 
Teegate

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Well..given that your profile says you are the 4th generation from that area, and it appears all of the property directly surrounding the campground is state owned, the only other name I can come up with is Joel Mick who's family had been around there for a long time.

Just a guess :)

Guy
 
Pineman32

Pineman32

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Good guess. Joel Mick is cousin of mine. My father (George Mick) owned Micks' Canoe Rental. He retired and sold the business back in 1988. While the rental still goes under the Mick name, it is no longer in the Mick family. As you state, the family has lived in this area for many generations.

George Jr.
 
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LARGO

LARGO

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A great thread King. Brought on some nice side topics and seems to have reeled in two new friends. Welcome Bluetick1 and Pineman32 !! Enjoy !
It seems as the mystery is solved and your fellow recanted a tale that was true but his geography was a bit off, well, more than a bit.
I am a little sad to find this was not back this-a-way but it opened some doors for me all the same. Isn't it funny how muddy people's recollections can be? Makes the mystique of the Pine Barrens all the more interesting I think.
Joe Mulliner, I will guess that I can safely tell you he probably didn't grace Pestletown with any of his Booty.
Here's a thought, now that there is some good solid info on this campground in the thread for all the world to see... Wouldn't it be cool to pick up a lurker or someone who spent time there that could share tales of their youthful experience in the Pines & the Campground? Now that would be a nice reward for the posts. Just my thoughts.

g.
 
Pineman32

Pineman32

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Coming off of Rt. 563 Maxwell Rd. does pass thru some private property as the map shows. The road, to the best of my knowledge, is public as it does wind thru Wharton Forest. It's been quite a few years since the last time I traveled this road so I'm unsure about it's passability by vehicle. If you plan to hike on the road you could probably park along Rt. 563. Many hikers and canoeists do this as vandelism of vehicles is certainly not the norm in this area.
 
woodjin

woodjin

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Nov 8, 2004
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Welcome aboard Pineman! When I was a kid in the early 80's my family/church/boy scouts would always use Micks canoe rental for our Pine barrens excursions. Micks canoe rental is a pine barren staple in my opinion. Many of us here are aware of the significance of the Mick family in the area. It is good to have some native blood on the forum!

Jeff
 
RednekF350

RednekF350

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Feb 20, 2004
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RednekF350 said:
We talked a little about the cemetary and he told me that he has a picture at home of his great-grand mother holding his mother in front of a "hotel" that once stood in front of the cemetary along Chew Road
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Well last Sunday my friend Nelson said he can't find the picture. Dooooh!!!!
I am going to keep bugging him for any other pictures of Chewtown where his mother's family was from and Dutchtown where his father's family was from.
Scott
 
Teegate

Teegate

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The Simpsons fit well again with that news :) Oh well!

Guy
 
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Since some of the posts in this thread and others are gone because of the database change, what was the name of the documentary on the pines that was on TV last week? It was posted that it would be on again on 12/25 at 1AM, but I can't seem to find if it is on at that time and date.

Can anyone post again the time and date and the name of the show?

Guy
 
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