Hints of Places Here and There

[MarkBNJ]

In "Landscape Narratives: Design Practices for Telling Stories" by Matthew Potteiger, 1998, he mentions "Washington's nineteenth century iron forge" and says it is located "on a paper road, surrounded by a chain-link fence." He distinguishes it from Martha, so I know he means some different place.

In the same book he mentions "the Clark's Graves" as lying deep in the woods beside Clark's Landing Rd., bearing a date of 1752.

Also in that book, he mentions the "old Eslow House" where old timers still go and see hand-hewn beams and a fireplace mantle.

He later mentions that the last time he visited the "house still stood" on Oak Island, though the roof was partially missing. Oak Island has held some fascination for me for quite some time now. I keep meaning to get down there and have a look around, assuming that's allowed. For those who aren't familiar with it, it was the chunk of land on which John Mathis (Great John, I think they called him) built his farm.

 

[GermanG]

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint) Oak Island is a part of the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge that is closed to the public. It's not easy to get to in any case, with the lone bridge across a marsh creek (that's "crick" if you live in the 609 area code.) being long gone. I've been out there a half dozen times or so leading tours we are able to do by virtue of a special use permit from the feds. Most of the refuge staff have not even ever been to the island. I'm supposed to take several of them out there this spring by boat. A PBX trip to the island might be possible as well, although I'd have to check with the feds and boat space would be limited to about 10 people.

 

[MarkBNJ]

Thanks for the info, German. I can see the pluses and minuses of that. It definitely doesn't look like an easy trek out, but it would be worth it. You can see where the bridge used to be, and it clearly ain't there anymore . Let me know if you guys ever do a tour.

 

[Teegate]

A PBX trip to the island might be possible as well, although I'd have to check with the feds and boat space would be limited to about 10 people.

Bob!

Guy

 

[Jerseyman]

In "Landscape Narratives: Design Practices for Telling Stories" by Matthew Potteiger, 1998, he mentions "Washington's nineteenth century iron forge" and says it is located "on a paper road, surrounded by a chain-link fence." He distinguishes it from Martha, so I know he means some different place.

Mark:

I suspect that Mr. Potteiger is dabbling in prosaical juxtapositioning here. In carefully reading his text, I find no proximate geographical link between Washington Forge and Martha Furnace. Rather, I think he is attempting to discuss two locationally diverse New Jersey iron production centers that have disappeared from the cultural landscape, but not from the history books and vintage cartographic sources. A quick check of Charles S. Boyer's New Jersey Forges and Furnaces indicates only one Washington Forge is known in the state--at least in 1937. It was located in Rockaway Township, Morris County and it operated from 1795 to 1816.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[MarkBNJ]

Mark:

I suspect that Mr. Potteiger is dabbling in prosaical juxtapositioning here. In carefully reading his text, I find no proximate geographical link between Washington Forge and Martha Furnace. Rather, I think he is attempting to discuss two locationally diverse New Jersey iron production centers that have disappeared from the cultural landscape, but not from the history books and vintage cartographic sources. A quick check of Charles S. Boyer's New Jersey Forges and Furnaces indicates only one Washington Forge is known in the state--at least in 1937. It was located in Rockaway Township, Morris County and it operated from 1795 to 1816.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

I actually thought he was referring to a forge near Washington in the pines. I had never heard of such, so was intrigued. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[TrailOtter]

Arthur Pierce states in Iron in the Pines, there was a Washington Forge along the Batsto River, north of Quaker Bridge. I think this may have been another name for Lower Forge. Perhaps that is what he was referring to...

 

[Jerseyman]

Arthur Pierce states in Iron in the Pines, there was a Washington Forge along the Batsto River, north of Quaker Bridge. I think this may have been another name for Lower Forge. Perhaps that is what he was referring to...

TrailOtter:

I considered Lower Forge, but then I did some background research on Washington Forge in Morris County and it seemed to fit better. I think the only way to know for sure is to contact the author of the book! I will do so today and report back.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[MarkBNJ]

He actually referred to "Washington Forge" as in a town surrounding a works, i.e. "Martha Furnace." It doesn't really seem to fit with anything in the area east of Quaker Bridge. But one fact that is a little dissonant with the Morris County hypothesis is that he described it as being on a "paper road." We don't have many paper roads up here. There are a few (if anyone can tell me about Harry Cole Road near Stockholme I would be grateful), but nothing like down in the barrens, which makes sense because nothing up here has been left behind by a declining population.

 

[Teegate]

Also in that book, he mentions the "old Eslow House" where old timers still go and see hand-hewn beams and a fireplace mantle.

I am assuming he was referring to the Estlow house at Wells Mill Park. If you had come a few weeks back you would have viewed the location it was at.

Guy

 

[MarkBNJ]

I am assuming he was referring to the Estlow house at Wells Mill Park. If you had come a few weeks back you would have viewed the location it was at.

Guy

Well let's get back to first causes. It really all comes from getting married, having children, and then moving to an area where people think that if your kids aren't in sneakers and sweating by 7:45 AM on Saturday you're a slob.

I actually have a coach negotiating with me to amend my anniversary weekend plans with my wife so that my daughter can make a soccer tournament that wasn't planned, and that we haven't even been accepted to play in, three weeks before the season starts.

Help me.

 

[Teegate]

n moving to an area where people think that if your kids aren't in sneakers and sweating by 7:45 AM on Saturday you're a slob.

Wow! There is a place in this country that thinks like that? If more places felt that way the kids of today would be in better shape.

Guy

 

[BEHR655]

I actually have a coach negotiating with me to amend my anniversary weekend plans with my wife so that my daughter can make a soccer tournament that wasn't planned, and that we haven't even been accepted to play in, three weeks before the season starts.

Help me.

Well, I think if the coach would agree to pay for your weekend, maybe you could work something out.

Steve

 

[MarkBNJ]

Wow! There is a place in this country that thinks like that? If more places felt that way the kids of today would be in better shape.

Guy

Haha, yeah, but the parents will all be dead. No, it's not about fitness per se. It's about organized activity, and trying to fill their days up now that we don't let them do anything on their own anymore. The facilities are way overcrowded, and they schedule games from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

 

[GermanG]

I tend to agree with Mark on this one, I've often debated with my wife on how much time our kids spend in organized activities. It seems like they are growing up without me having spent much real time with them, especially the very types of activities discussed on this very forum. Daylight hours after school are taken up by games and practices. Much of the weekend goes to the same. They then want to spend some of what's left with their friends, which is only natural. I really haven't had a chance to pass on my love of the outdoors to them. One of my sons shows a spark of interest in hunting and fishing, but his game and practice schedule has kept him from going out with me most days. He lamented several times to me this season that he wished he could go duck hunting with me Saturday mornings, but missing football practice wouldn't fly well with his coach. Granted, all these activities are better than laying around doing nothing, or worse, living in a virtual world getting callouses on their nintendo controller fingers. But I really feel that having too much of their time and activity planned for them stifles their creativity and curiousity.

 

[MarkBNJ]

It's something that bothers me very much. Most kids, mine included, aren't allowed to walk a neighborhood alone, daylight or not. Most kids, mine included, aren't allowed to ride a bike to a friend's house. They could never, ever, God in his Heaven forbid, walk the mile to Schooley Mt. Park and play on a Saturday afternoon. I would allow it, but my wife shares the risk aversion of parents everywhere these days, so it doesn't happen. They could get kidnapped; they could get hit by a car; a small asteroid could impact the spot they're standing on. They don't do anything that isn't chaperoned unless they are inside the house, or it is tightly controlled.

By contrast, in the sixties, we were out the door every summer day right after breakfast, and not seen until a meal was due to be served. We were outdoors all the time. Of course, we didn't have Internet, or air conditioning (until the seventies and then my dad wouldn't run it), so it was always cooler and more interesting outside than in. I can't get my kids out of the house unless I take them outside to do something.

I don't think this is good for us all long-term, but I'm probably wrong. We're probably just making a whole new type of human that I don't recognize. You think evolution will do away with legs eventually?

 

[BEHR655]

I don't think this is good for us all long-term, but I'm probably wrong.

I don't think you're wrong at all.

 

[bobpbx]

We're probably just making a whole new type of human that I don't recognize.

Good one Mark! I Agree.

 

[RednekF350]

We have a 22 year old CAD operator at work who spends his weekend indoors playing video games. The outside world to him is either too cold, too warm, too windy or too something to be enjoyable.
He is into a game now called World of Warcraft. It consumes him.
It scares the sh$t out of me that a game can pull someone that far away from the real world and worse, keep him there.

 

[LARGO]

We have a 22 year old CAD operator at work who spends his weekend indoors playing video games. The outside world to him is either too cold, too warm, too windy or too something to be enjoyable. He is into a game now called World of Warcraft. It consumes him.
It scares the sh$t out of me that a game can pull someone that far away from the real world and worse, keep him there.

Go ya one better. I have a cousin, 29 in Voorhees, holds crappy jobs, frumpy, fat and clueless, absorbed in video games. Now has a little freezer fridge thing in his room. No longer visits the kitchen, takes out trash, does his own clothes. Goes to work, to the bathroom & to the video or ballgame on the tube. Takes in taco bell or orders pizza. Not done... My Aunt enables all this S**t by allowing it, and him to live at home. Yes indeed!
Oh, she has to be driven to a doctor, he can't be bothered, but he needs a ride with mommy to a job interview..... AT 29!!!
He never set a solid foot on a trail or even a park walk for it was too much effort. Doesn't get the outside world and the "strangeness" of it all, nature included. But the nice safe world of virtual gaming and such is so much better. Scared, hell yeah that scares me because of the many out there like him. That and I think he's a piece of S**t. We don't do well at family get togethers. Could be something I said. I'll sometimes offend an idiot I guess.
Times changed, oh yes.

g.