And, with a few exceptions, notably the restoration of the iron-making village at Batsto, the state has done little to acknowledge the existence of the region's ghost towns and ghost industries, not even erecting signs when an occasional ruin can be glimpsed from the road.
But Solem-Stull firmly believes this should change, that there is another side of the story of the Pine Barrens -- the human side. "It's another aspect, another way for people to value the resource," she said.
There are many problems with her thoughts on this subject, the most disturbing is she does not understand for some odd reason what signs do to people when they are in the woods and nobody is around. Examples of that are, the sign that was at Martha years ago, the numerous signs that were at Apple Pie Hill, the memorial at the Plastic Bridge that is now missing again after the second placing of it, and the destruction of ruins and stealing of history that occurs when people learn the location of many of these places.
It is to all of our advantage to keep these places absent of signs, if not for the reasons mentioned above, then for the enjoyment of finding them on our own without the help of signs, so that newcomers to the pines can find them the same way she and many of us have, by ourselves.
Can you imagine if all the items I have been looking for over the past 32 years since I was 16 had signs on them. First off they would not be there, and second, what fun would that be.
Guy
