Martha Furnace; advice requested

britheflyersguy

britheflyersguy

Scout
Oct 5, 2007
31
0
Gibbsboro
Hey all, I'm planning my first trip to Martha's Furnace in mid-June. Ever since I got my Bronco, I've been addicted to the pines. I've traveled in a few places (check out my albums, some need uploading, had problems with it last night) with different kinds of people and of course want to add a few more albums. Batsto is by far my favorite place to visit. Been fascinated with history my entire life (only good grades in school). Now that I know more about the history of this awesome region I want to see it.
Also I'm trying to track down a grave by the name of Rockwell. If I remember right it is just a square stone marker somewhere out there. I got more names I want to find and have found some pretty important ones (J. Richards for one). Main reason for going is to fill up my memory card with plants, birds, reptiles and historic crap. Any routes anyone has taken that provided the scenery I expect of the Pine Barrens will help me greatly. I'm not opposed to going with a group either, more stops, more pictures!!
Thanks Brian
 
Ben Ruset

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,619
1,878
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
Hi Brian:

Martha's Furnace is here. You can easily get to it from Rt. 679. Don't go up Martha Furnace Road - go up Martha Road over by Harrisville.

While you're at it, visit Harrisville. There are some very impressive ruins there.

As for Rockwell -- I've never heard of it. Do you mean Rockwood? Guy (Teegate on the forums) wrote an excellent article on Rockwood. You can read about it here.

Welcome to the site!
 
MarkBNJ

MarkBNJ

Piney
Jun 17, 2007
1,875
73
Long Valley, NJ
www.markbetz.net
I think you'll have a hard time finding a road that doesn't give you a lot of what you want :).

The Martha area is interesting, even though the ruins are fenced in and buried. You'll see a lot of slag thereabouts on the road, and along the river. A little east of there is the site of Calico, though there isn't much to mark it as such. Stay on the main roads if you don't want to scratch the Bronco.

Welcome aboard.
 
Teegate

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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8,779
You could be right Mark. He may have viewed my photo of the Rockwood stone.

Guy
 
britheflyersguy

britheflyersguy

Scout
Oct 5, 2007
31
0
Gibbsboro
MarkBNJ said:
Stay on the main roads if you don't want to scratch the Bronco.

Welcome aboard.
Click to expand...

Thanks to both. I don't know why it took me so long to post but now you're stuck with me!! :ninja: That truck has it's own paint job, courtesy of the blues and pitch out there. That beast is just a beater anyway. It'll get me back as long as I don't get stuck.
Yep Rockwood, Read the story but too lazy to read it again!:rolleyes:
Harrisville is now on the agenda! Thanks again all. When I know what weekend I'm going (going with my ole' best friend I grew up with, he loves history too.) I'll post it. But I'll check back often & see if anyone else wants to come along.
 
RednekF350

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,075
3,371
Pestletown, N.J.
Welcome, I see you are from Gibbsboro.
I spent exactly 50% of my life there and the other 50% here in Pestletown.

GB was a great place to grow up and it has a lot of permanently preserved Pine Barrens type ecosystems off of US Ave and Berlin Road that a lot of people fail to recognize.
GB occupies the divide of the Atlantic and Delaware basins and is the along the westernmost boundary of the NJ coastal plain.
The soils are predominantly pinelands type Lakewood sands on the eastern side of town and the Kirkwood geologic formation is at the surface in the area.

The US Ave bikeway provides a snapshot of the pines with the pitch pine/ chestnut oak/mountain laurel cover.
When you can't get down to these parts, enjoy what you have right under your nose.
I spent all of my free time in the woods around Gibbsboro when I was kid and I still walk the US Ave woods once a week when I go to Square Circle.
Scott
 
britheflyersguy

britheflyersguy

Scout
Oct 5, 2007
31
0
Gibbsboro
RednekF350 said:
The US Ave bikeway provides a snapshot of the pines with the pitch pine/ chestnut oak/mountain laurel cover.
When you can't get down to these parts, enjoy what you have right under your nose.
I spent all of my free time in the woods around Gibbsboro when I was kid and I still walk the US Ave woods once a week when I go to Square Circle.
Scott
Click to expand...

When my daughter is old enough I plan on riding that path with her and my wife. Actually an entrance to one of the paths (Blueberry Hill Path) is about 300 feet from my driveway. Trust me I can smell what's under my nose and sometimes it comes from Lindenwold.
Anyway, I got the date planned: June 21 (3rd Sat.). Now I got my copy of 'Heart of the Pines" and learning more each day. I do welcome any Piney's to join me so I can learn even more!! I'll put more places of interest up soon (this week).
As a ex-SeaBee, I want to extend MY thanks and gratitude to the families of those lost in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as every war (or conflict) since we all became Americans!!
 
britheflyersguy

britheflyersguy

Scout
Oct 5, 2007
31
0
Gibbsboro
OK I got some places for the trip and here they are, in some order. I could use your help in filling in some holes. I'm gonna start by nosing around Atsion (around the fence of the S. Richards mansion, Wharton-era barn, Cotton Mill site, then to the Richards church & cementery) then head down Quaker Bridge to Batsto (took that route before check out that album, it's the pics in the rain). Then I originally planned to go back north to Martha, Harrisville, Calico, Hampton, etc. but now that I'm reading 'Heart of the Pines' I've decided to keep heading down 542 to Bulltown, Crowleytown, Herman(n), Lower Bank and Green Bank(Church & cementery). THEN I was going to head back up to Martha (hopefully) but I really want to at Apple Pie Hill by sunset. Being that I plan on going at the start of summer I gots plenty o' time to get there.
Now I'm asking you guys how to fill the time between Green or Lower Bank and Apple Pie Hill. I was thinking about Tylertown or Mount but I've never been that way before (which is why I'd like a group or AT LEAST another vehicle) and ANY help would be great help! Thanks again in advance!!
Brian
 
Teegate

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
26,011
8,779
britheflyersguy

britheflyersguy

Scout
Oct 5, 2007
31
0
Gibbsboro
I just got done reading about Harrisville, McCarthyville, Atlantic City YMCA, the Broomes, the fire of 1914 and all that jazz (did I just use a friggin Neil Diamond song?) and every section I read in that is absolutly amazing!! The state NJ is has really f-ed up on preserving the history in this state! But I'll stop before I start. It seems that H-ville (like that?) has the most ruins of all the places listed in "Heart of the Pines". Could it be that it was used into the 20th century? How long can I expect to spend at H-ville? Longer or shorter than Deep Woods OFF can protect me?
I think now I'll leave the reason for starting this thread off my list for now. Martha is gonna have to wait for another day. If ANYONE in that area of the pines (Sweetwater, Green and Lower Bank) wants to join me please let me know. I'd rather not go on trails the first time alone and be out with someone who knows.
I got the 5 dollar topos from Atsion, so I got maps of where I want to go and the links you guys are putting up for me are being transferred to paper. Pencil for now and I hope some of the fluids on those maps don't screw me up. But I do cover a fair amount (Atsion, Chatsworth, Green Bank, Hammonton, Indian Mills, Jenkins, Medford Lakes, & New Gretna Quadrangles) of the pines and I was told that some trail info is old. I haven't been on one yet.
To sound like a broken record: Thanks for all your help and I hope I get to meet some of you out there soon!! Brian
 
tugwake

tugwake

Scout
Sep 15, 2008
62
0
Sounds fun, Bri. I'll tell my husband about it and maybe we'll meet up with you. Don't depend on us knowing where we are going though. :rofl: We do have a GPS, a big truck and the ice chest. I don't think we'd need much more than that. :D
 
britheflyersguy

britheflyersguy

Scout
Oct 5, 2007
31
0
Gibbsboro
I'm movin' on up (another '70's reference?). I got me a CB & and antenna for ziltch!!! Small Uniden radio and 'new' Radio Shack antenna. I heard about 'tuning' a CB but WTH? I don't have a SWR and if I did do invite it to dinner? All I pick up is hick truck drivers from AL, FL, and GA! Has everyone gone GPS on my ass? The static now soothes my ride to and from work (no AM/FM radio). Someone help!
 
britheflyersguy

britheflyersguy

Scout
Oct 5, 2007
31
0
Gibbsboro
Ok here's the plan, AGAIN. Atsion at 8. Batsto via Quaker Bridge Rd. Then route 542 to Herman City ruins. Next is Green Bank for cementery and scenic pictures. 'The Island' may be next, depends how I'm doing. Then more of the same at Lower Bank. After Lower Bank, Harrisville, Mount, Then a LONG trek through the woods (if you will) to Hampton Furnace. Apple Pie Hill will be last, hopefully at sunset or sometime around then. Then time to GO HOME and put all the pictures in the CPU.
 
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