Martha Area

[Teegate]

All.

Ben and visited the Martha area today, and we stopped in at what I will call the former cranberry control area above Martha. So below are photo's from 1979 and today.

In this photo compare the tree growth over the years.

http://njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/martha/11_79_12_02.jpg

These photo's were taken in almost the exact spot. Notice the Oswego river in the back of the first photo, but in the bottom one you can only see the water leading up to the apparatus.

http://njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/martha/11_79__12_02.jpg

If you want to view other photos of the area from the 70's and one from the 80's, use this link. Some I have posted before. You can see me when I was thin. If you have ever been to the bridge at Martha, you will be able to see some of the islands that were there years ago and were washed out by storms in the 70's. In one of the photo's on the bridge you can see my wife before we tied the knot. I have posted that before.

http://njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/martha/

Guy

 

[JeffD]

I've been curious about Martha. There's a large picture of Martha's Bog in the state museum in Trenton in a room dedicated to the Pine Barrens. I wouldn't rush to see it, as they are working on the roof in the museum, and much of it is closed off, including the science section where the Pine Barrens display is found.

 

[Teegate]

Jeff,

When that work is completed, you should mention it here, and maybe we could all meet there and check the place out. Thanks for bringing that to our attention.

Guy

 

[Ben Ruset]

All.

In one of the photo's on the bridge you can see my wife before we tied the knot. Guy

:shock:

Hopefully I won't have to deal with any headbanging!

 

[JeffD]

Sure, Guy. I'll keep all of you posted about when the work at the state museum in Trenton is finished. It would be a good place to meet, especially in the winter or during inclement weather. There is even a place inside the museum to get something to eat. I think it has more than just coffee, hot chocolate and snacks. I think the prices are a little higher than fast food but I don't remember the prices being extremely high. There's a free parking garage where there usually is sufficient visitor parking, especially on weekends, unless perhaps there is some special event going on. You just have to show a picture ID to the guard, who gives you a card to display in your windshield. You then take an elevator to the appropriate floor (it's listed in the elevator), get out, and go through a lobby where there's another guard and follow the sidewalk to the museum. If we arrange a meeting there, I'll give directions. I've been there several times over the years, and getting to the parking garage even if I'm right outside it is a little trickly, as you have to wind around a bit. I don't like winding around but rather just turn places that I can see.

 

[flash]

i have been doing some research lately and i came to and article about martha furnace and its ignot.. I have read it a couple of times but now i am actually wanting to dig up more info on its existence.

 

[Teegate]

i have been doing some research lately and i came to and article about martha furnace and its ignot.. I have read it a couple of times but now i am actually wanting to dig up more info on its existence.

Gordon,

Quite an old thread Anyway, did you spell that word correctly? I am confused.


Guy

 

[mudboy dave]

I have a book that is a day by day journal of Marthas Furnace

Its name is MARTHA The Complete Furnace Diary & Journal 1808-1815 by Henery Bisbee & Rebecca Bisbee Colesar. (1976)

This book could definately help you out if you find a copy.

 

[flash]

Yeah it is called an ignot.. At least that is what one of the articles i am using to research it states.
It says that it has been dug from moss grown bricks, and its is a 500+ pound ignot of jersey bog iron. It also states that it has been slightly moved a few times as if intruders where preparing to take it away. I cant judge to great by the pictures included but it looks to be somewhere between 5-6 feet long and about a foot and a half wide.. It is laying in the ground so i am not sure on how thick it may be.. Up towards the top of the face it says "martha" on a slant. The last known location of the slag, was just beside the raceway. I wonder if someone just dumped it in there.

ps i just used this thread because it was called martha area and didnt what to use up space creating another martha thread

 

[Teegate]

Yeah it is called an ignot.. At least that is what one of the articles i am using to research it states.
It says that it has been dug from moss grown bricks, and its is a 500+ pound ignot of jersey bog iron. It also states that it has been slightly moved a few times as if intruders where preparing to take it away. I cant judge to great by the pictures included but it looks to be somewhere between 5-6 feet long and about a foot and a half wide.. It is laying in the ground so i am not sure on how thick it may be.. Up towards the top of the face it says "martha" on a slant. The last known location of the slag, was just beside the raceway. I wonder if someone just dumped it in there.

ps i just used this thread because it was called martha area and didnt what to use up space creating another martha thread

The person to ask is Budd Wilson. If it was there in 1968 he would have found it. I suspect it wasn't but I may be wrong. If he failed to find it the chance of it being around are slim. And if he did find it, it is well taken care of I can assure you


Guy

 

[pinelandpaddler]

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/288101/ingot

 

[Teegate]

I did not realize he was referring to metal. I though he had just spelled the word wrong. Gabe...do you know of an ingot?

Guy

 

[flash]

just hoping it was not stolen years ago. would be an awsome find if it was still there.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Gabe...do you know of an ingot?

Maybe.

 

[GermanG]

Ingot = pig?

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Yes, GermanG.

 

[flash]

so does anyone have any information on this piece of slag?
Guy you mention that Budd Wilson may have some info.. Do you know my best way of contacting Mr. Wilson?
thanks

 

[MarkBNJ]

You may have to just leave this at the stage of "unconfirmed but widely repeated legend." There has been so much vandalism of historic sites that I doubt anyone will even go so far as to confirm whether it exists.

 

[flash]

Well that is not the problem. I know that it does exist. Have a writing about along with 3-4 pictures. The question is was it stolen or does it still peacefully lay at martha

 

[jokerman]

The ingot was the "tap" on the furnace. It was made of iron and would become clogged with impurities over time and would then be replace, usually with the hearth. These were laying around at many sites at earlier dates. There isn't a large ingot laying around at Martha as far as I've seen. All the millstones, forge hammers and these other large items seemed to have found a route off the sites. It would be buried or has been stolen along with everything else. It is also very probable that it was collected during the WWilson excavations and either re-buried or put away somewhere.