Last week I ventured around an area that I have been to many times in the past. I wasn't looking for anything really just wanted to walk around and enjoy the fresh air. I drove to the end of Goshen House road and looked for a way to cross over the Mullica. Many ATV's and dirt bikes have been driving through but I wanted to see if there was a way to cross over on foot. While walking around I noticed some high ground which seemed to be very man made. I followed it until it ended near what looked to be a canal. Now I have been to this area many times in the past but never noticed what looked to be a canal. The road that runs along the canal is called Swamp Road.
I slid down the embankment and caught a glimpse of some timber holding up the soil. It sure looked like part of a bridge so I then looked into the water in the canal and discovered some planks laying on the bottom. This must be part of an old road? Well I had to leave because it was getting dark but I wanted to come back and look around again.
When I went back I drove to the bridge where old Atsion Road crosses over the Mullica and I combed over that area. It looks as though there is another old bridge underwater near the modern day structure. The beginning of the canal can also be seen.
I then walk around to the west side of the Mullica where there are a few trails. I discovered another raised section which I thought looked very familiar to what is seen at cranberry bogs. I walked all the way around to where Goshen House road comes out and discovered that the "man made" berm is quite long.
Of course the next step was to look at all the maps and aerials. In the 1930 aerials it looks as if a road did cross over the Mullica and continue to Goshen House road. On one of the maps the area looks to be shaded in by pen which I guess could represent a cranberry bog.
My question is what was in this area? I presume cranberry bogs but could it be anything else? Who owned it and who built the canal? How long ago was it in use? Where would I go to find such things?
I want to go back in the near future and take a camera. It's a pretty cool area to walk around. If anybody else would like to go with me just say when.
It might not be the most exciting discovery but the canal and old bridges are pretty cool!
I marked the area on the map:
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.75792947901019&lng=-74.77691888809204&z=16&type=m&gpx=
I slid down the embankment and caught a glimpse of some timber holding up the soil. It sure looked like part of a bridge so I then looked into the water in the canal and discovered some planks laying on the bottom. This must be part of an old road? Well I had to leave because it was getting dark but I wanted to come back and look around again.
When I went back I drove to the bridge where old Atsion Road crosses over the Mullica and I combed over that area. It looks as though there is another old bridge underwater near the modern day structure. The beginning of the canal can also be seen.
I then walk around to the west side of the Mullica where there are a few trails. I discovered another raised section which I thought looked very familiar to what is seen at cranberry bogs. I walked all the way around to where Goshen House road comes out and discovered that the "man made" berm is quite long.
Of course the next step was to look at all the maps and aerials. In the 1930 aerials it looks as if a road did cross over the Mullica and continue to Goshen House road. On one of the maps the area looks to be shaded in by pen which I guess could represent a cranberry bog.
My question is what was in this area? I presume cranberry bogs but could it be anything else? Who owned it and who built the canal? How long ago was it in use? Where would I go to find such things?
I want to go back in the near future and take a camera. It's a pretty cool area to walk around. If anybody else would like to go with me just say when.
It might not be the most exciting discovery but the canal and old bridges are pretty cool!
I marked the area on the map:
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.75792947901019&lng=-74.77691888809204&z=16&type=m&gpx=
