The Gloucester Furnace site is located within Egg Harbor City. But Egg Harbor is 99% woods, north of the lake. The city limits even include the site of Clark's Landing. But anyway, on Sunday 3/24 I visited the Gloucester Furnace site for the first time, even though I've lived only 5-10 minutes from it for the last 17 years. I followed John Pearce's directions, which he wrote for me in a post in my Yahoo Group. I went down the dirt road (that eventually
becomes Bremen Avenue) off of 624. It's the first right, after you turn onto 624, coming from 563. At the first bend in the road (the bend is to the left), the power lines that run down the road go into the woods. I parked my car right there under the wires. Just around the bend is a house. So anyway I parked and walked into the woods to the right of the car, and down the embankment to the creek. I saw what looked like the remains of a bridge or something, laying in the water. I found a small piece of a wall, with two bolts sticking out of it, which were sleeved with galvanized pipe that had threads on the end (?). I also found some small pieces of slag laying around and a nice big piece too. There were a couple of Buttonwoods on the banks of the creek, but mostly it is all Red Maple. I could not walk along the creek to my right because of all the Green Briars. I could only walk to the left a little. The Greenbriars are unbelievable. In the woods directly across from the house the woods is open with a lot of
exposed sand, some small trees, tons of Reindeer Lichen and some Pine
Barren Heather. I also found quite a bit of Prickly Pear Cactus and
some Yucca plants. The cactus plants were the biggest I've ever seen
in NJ. The pads were at least 4 inches long. I also saw two Turkey Vultures flying (soaring) overhead, but I see them all the time. According to Absegami Yesteryear (on my book list), Gloucester Furnace started up in 1785-86. This furnace was one of the many that were owned by one or more members of the Richards Family. A fine brick ironmaster's mansion overlooked the lake feeding the Landing Creek, built by George Richards. The furnace shut down in 1855. The lands were sold to Stephen Colwell, who in turn sold to Dr. Henry Schmole of Philadelphia, organizer of the Gloucester Land and Town Association, parent settelment of Egg Harbor City.
If you turn LEFT instead of right, off of 624, you go down a one-lane dirt road the dead ends at the Landing Creek. That's the site of Gloucester Landing. According to John Pearce in Heart of the Pines, there was a causeway from there to the Mullica. The main road from Egg Harbor City, when it was brand new, ran through Gloucester Landing. They would've gotten onto that causeway on the other side of the Landing Creek and made their way to the Mullica. Then they would've taken a ferry to Lower Bank. This is before the Lower Bank Bridge was built.
Next I want to find the Ætna Furnace, which was down near the Head-of-the-River Church, and near Tuckahoe. I would also like to find some cellar holes or other remains at Weymouth, besides the paper mill ruins which are out in the open.
Barry
becomes Bremen Avenue) off of 624. It's the first right, after you turn onto 624, coming from 563. At the first bend in the road (the bend is to the left), the power lines that run down the road go into the woods. I parked my car right there under the wires. Just around the bend is a house. So anyway I parked and walked into the woods to the right of the car, and down the embankment to the creek. I saw what looked like the remains of a bridge or something, laying in the water. I found a small piece of a wall, with two bolts sticking out of it, which were sleeved with galvanized pipe that had threads on the end (?). I also found some small pieces of slag laying around and a nice big piece too. There were a couple of Buttonwoods on the banks of the creek, but mostly it is all Red Maple. I could not walk along the creek to my right because of all the Green Briars. I could only walk to the left a little. The Greenbriars are unbelievable. In the woods directly across from the house the woods is open with a lot of
exposed sand, some small trees, tons of Reindeer Lichen and some Pine
Barren Heather. I also found quite a bit of Prickly Pear Cactus and
some Yucca plants. The cactus plants were the biggest I've ever seen
in NJ. The pads were at least 4 inches long. I also saw two Turkey Vultures flying (soaring) overhead, but I see them all the time. According to Absegami Yesteryear (on my book list), Gloucester Furnace started up in 1785-86. This furnace was one of the many that were owned by one or more members of the Richards Family. A fine brick ironmaster's mansion overlooked the lake feeding the Landing Creek, built by George Richards. The furnace shut down in 1855. The lands were sold to Stephen Colwell, who in turn sold to Dr. Henry Schmole of Philadelphia, organizer of the Gloucester Land and Town Association, parent settelment of Egg Harbor City.
If you turn LEFT instead of right, off of 624, you go down a one-lane dirt road the dead ends at the Landing Creek. That's the site of Gloucester Landing. According to John Pearce in Heart of the Pines, there was a causeway from there to the Mullica. The main road from Egg Harbor City, when it was brand new, ran through Gloucester Landing. They would've gotten onto that causeway on the other side of the Landing Creek and made their way to the Mullica. Then they would've taken a ferry to Lower Bank. This is before the Lower Bank Bridge was built.
Next I want to find the Ætna Furnace, which was down near the Head-of-the-River Church, and near Tuckahoe. I would also like to find some cellar holes or other remains at Weymouth, besides the paper mill ruins which are out in the open.
Barry