From Sawmills to Union Clay Works

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,956
8,703
All,

Thanks to the explorations of our very own woodjin (Jeff), I was able to visit two of the three Sawmills he has found in the recent past. Jessica and I started our day by visiting one just off of route 70 near Whispering Pines. This one appears to be an older one, most likely from the early part of the last century.


IMG_0365.JPG


From there we went to visit the second Sawmill location near Barnegat Wreckers, and while looking for it my phone rang. It was a man who I have met before that was a member of the gun club formally at Union Clay Works. He actually was at the location where the building was at, and I told him I would be there in a few minutes. During the conversation he mentioned that the road from 72 at Barnegat Wreckers that passes Red Oak Grove, had been cleared along the sides of it almost as if they were going to widen or pave it. This got my attention, and on the way to meet him we checked it out.

Some of these photo’s were taken right at Red Oak Grove. They have made a mess of it. I don’t think they are really going to do anything, maybe more than likely they are just clearing out the woods along the edges. This may alleviate the problem that has occurred quite often there with trees falling across the road. Then again I may be wrong. I will be checking into it with someone I know who should be able to tell me.

The road from 72 to Red Oak Grove.

IMG_0372.JPG




IMG_0373.JPG




IMG_0375.JPG



We arrived to find him waiting for us, and we headed over to the ruins so he could reminisce. He was a member there starting around 1950, along with his father and many others. It was very small, and in later years they expanded it. In the summer months they would sleep outside on cots. The ruins there are of the chimney for the heater, and the rusted springs are not just trash discarded there. They were from the club. The pipe sticking out of the ground has an interesting story on how it was put in. His father had a Model A Ford and would jack up the car, remove one of the wheels, and attached a heavy rope to it. The rope went to a pulley in a tree that had a very heavy weight on it. He would rev the engine and pull the weight up, and align the weight over the pipe. By quickly releasing the weight it would come crashing down on the pipe forcing it into the ground. The end result unfortunately was no water at all. He figures it is about 15 feet into the ground.

Here he is at that very pipe today.

IMG_0369.JPG


He also mentioned that the well along the road nearby was intact back then and deep. They at one time climbed into it and tried to dig it deeper. They apparently tried everything to get water. Today, the well is almost completely filled in. Also, the road past the club that is there now was not there years ago. The road in was closer to the field, and there is no evidence of it today.


From there we all headed back to the area around Barnegat Wreckers and visited the sawmill Jeff found earlier this year.


IMG_0385.JPG



And finally, a little humor to end the post. Does anyone know the significance of this photo and where it is taken at? :)

IMG_0363.JPG



Guy
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,344
330
Near Mt. Misery
Great post Guy. Glad you found those two mills. One to go. This fellow you hooked up with...very cool to look around red oak grove with someone who has a history there! I saw the movie "saw" so I get the last picture on the saw mill:D

Jeff
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
1
74
Excellant pics Guy, thanks for the info on the sawmills and the old gun club.

When i was out at Red Oak Grove a while back, i noticed the road work, i forgot to mention it in my trip report.

Jim
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,956
8,703
I noticed it stopped at an intersection further down the road, and even further down they bulldozed a place for hunters to park. So there is even a possibility they cut it for places to pull off the road for the hunters.

Guy
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
1
74
I noticed it stopped at an intersection further down the road, and even further down they bulldozed a place for hunters to park. So there is even a possibility they cut it for places to pull off the road for the hunters.

Guy

Hopefully that is the extent of it, great for the hunters, i am glad to see that.

Jim
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,956
8,703
All,

This morning we headed to the Martha area to visit the last of the 3 Sawmills that Jeff found. We parked at the site of Martha Furnace and headed off in the direction we were told. We were deep in conversation along the way when I noticed something that I had never noticed before not far from the road we were walking on. It was a large hole in the ground which should be a clue for anyone to look around. Further inspection revealed I had found another Sawmill not far from Martha Furnace itself. This one was different than any I have ever found since it was made of wood. The usual bolts were there but they were at an angle, and pushing on them caused them to move. And holding the wood together were steel dowels that I was able to easily pull out. It stuck up above the ground about 6 inches, but the rotting wood collapsed when I push on it.

A dowel in the wood.

IMG_0386.JPG




Slightly blurry.


IMG_0387.JPG



Removed.

IMG_0394.JPG



IMG_0395.JPG



IMG_0393.JPG



The bolts moved easily when pushed.


IMG_0388.JPG



IMG_0389.JPG



The usual hole.


IMG_0390.JPG



From there we looked for some property stones, but the briers were impenetrable. We then headed on to look for the final Sawmill and found it right along the road after traversing some serious water holes.


IMG_0391.JPG



Guy
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,344
330
Near Mt. Misery
That wooden saw mill is a real good find Guy! That area is a cedar hot bed so I am not surprised by so many mills. I am sure there are many more.

Did you notice that mound on the right, on the road to the last mill? Did you see anything there?


Jeff
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,956
8,703
That wooden saw mill is a real good find Guy! That area is a cedar hot bed so I am not surprised by so many mills. I am sure there are many more.

Did you notice that mound on the right, on the road to the last mill? Did you see anything there?


Jeff

Yes, I noticed it and checked it out briefly. After coming home I felt that considering where the two other Sawmills were that should have been one, but I found nothing. The only other thing I can think of is it is a place where they had dug up dirt to repair the road since it obviously floods often there.

Guy
 
Top