History of pond at Nature Conservacy's Owsego River Preserve

[GermanG]

I visited this pond on the Plains Branch of the Oswego River for the first time yesterday. I'm surprised I never stumbled upon it before. It's quite a neat, peaceful place. A few very open wet spots seemed like a great site for interesting plants as well. I didn't look for any since I had my wife and lab pup with me. I was wondering about the history of the site though. The pond doesn't appear to be an old cranberry reservoir. Maybe just a pond created for recreational purposes, by a sportsmen's club? The cabin mentioned on the Conservancy's website is gone, with only a bit of wooden foundation and scattered bricks remaining. Anyone know anytthing about this site?

 

[Boyd]

Hey German. I believe Guy has some photos of the cabin before it was torn down.

I can't help with any history, but that's one of my favorite spots. Tried to go there a couple weeks ago but was confronted with a puddle too big for my car. Were you in a car, 4WD or on foot? Which way did you go and how were the roads?

Some sunset photos I took there a few years ago:

Behind the cabin site is a spectacular cedar swamp with the densest peat moss I've ever seen. It may be somewhat overgrown, but there's a trail that starts in the clearing near the cabin. Follow it over the "log road" into the swamp (less than a mile IIRC).

More photos here: http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/showgallery.php/cat/395

 

[Teegate]

German,

I believe Bobpbx, Behr655, or Onehand knows some of the history of the place. I learned of the place from Kendawg through Steve a few years back.



Steve at the back door.

View from the lake area of the house.

The back of the house

In January of 2006 a member of this site went there and found it demolished. I visited it the first weekend of 2/2006 and took some photos. Someone had written notes on a tree and on a brick complaining about ruining the place.

Guy

 

[james ungehajer]

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newjersey/work/art16402.html



Jim

 

[GermanG]

Boyd, I came in with my 2x4 pickup from Warren Grove and Sim's Place bogs. I drove through what were obviously deeper puddles in wetter times but had no trouble yesterday. I take that route to Oswego Lake from Wells Mills alot when we canoe there and have noticed a few puddles getting worse over the years. Nothing we haven't been able to get through with our 2x4 vans yet, knock on cedar. Thanks for the pics. When I read about the cabin on the Conservancy's website, I envisioned a small tarpaper shack, not something that nice. Too bad it wasn't saved. It might have made a nice place for overnight environmental gettaways once the NC got the property, similar to the way the state has used the old club on Sedge Island.

 

[Boyd]

Boyd, I came in with my 2x4 pickup from Warren Grove and Sim's Place bogs.

OK, that's the way I tried when the puddle was too deep. Will have to try again one of these days. We had a big rain here last night... if it also hit that area then I imagine the puddles are re-filled.

 

[BEHR655]

Sorry, I don't know anything about it either. I assume they tore it down to avoid the liability of having a vacant building in such a remote place.

Steve

 

[james ungehajer]

OK, that's the way I tried when the puddle was too deep. Will have to try again one of these days. We had a big rain here last night... if it also hit that area then I imagine the puddles are re-filled.

I use beaver dam road alot, on saturday going from oswego lake to warren grove the puddles were almost dried up, in the swampy area on beaver dam road there is one little section that has about a 100 yard long double rut,it was no problem,of course with the recent rains it is alot messier,there is always the option of going to rt.72 west from rt.539 and making a left at the wreckers place on stevenson road as you know. I never had a problem on stevenson, but i did have to turn around on beaver dam rd. once during the past winter at the rut area.

 

[Teegate]

Thanks for the pics. When I read about the cabin on the Conservancy's website, I envisioned a small tarpaper shack, not something that nice. Too bad it wasn't saved. It might have made a nice place for overnight environmental gettaways once the NC got the property, similar to the way the state has used the old club on Sedge Island.

German,

Talk to Bobpbx about it the next time you see him. Just looking in the window it did not look very nice. Maybe when it was first built, or maybe after a little work it would have been nicer. Bob was in the place when they did the flower survey after it was purchased.


Guy