I was out exploring today and went from Ong's Hat toward Mary Ann Forge which I had never looked for before. I got a little sidetracked but met with success I hadn't expected. While looking at an old map I was approached (via a green pick-up with the window coming down) by two men and two children who asked me if I needed help. I told them that I was OK and was just looking for some old historical areas. The man in the driver's seat was younger but the man sitting next to him who was older (65-70 YO) asked if I was looking for Mary Ann Forge. I said I was. He said "I used to live there". I was surprised because I thought there had not been a place to dwell there for over a hundred years. However, I don't know too much about the place and I chose to believe. After expressing my respect and admiration for his former residence I said I would let them go on their way. I turned my car around andf started to think why I didn't ask them to show me the Maty Ann area. About 2 minutes later as I looked up from the map, they had appeared agin and the old man was coming towards my car. I rolled down my window and he asked me if I wanted to see his old house. I said I was just thinking that I wished I had asked him the same. He said thhey had to drop off the kids at home and that "it would take a couple of minutes". I did not have a camera and decided to use the time to see if I could find a store up the road. After driving about 2 miles I got worried and headed back. As I got to the road (dirt) I had met them on,I could see a similar truck going down the road. I sped up to catch them and then I decided I must be following the wrong vehicle. I went back to the origin of where I had met them. After about 10 minutes, the green pick-up pulled out of the woods and I could see them smiling...it was them I was following and realized my mistake! After apologies I followed them down the road and turned off the main road and rode over some big "woop-de-doos" and parked where they stopped. The old man walked over to an old foundation. He told me he used to live here with his grandparents until he was 12. He said his parents were divorced when he was young. He said he didn't know where the old furnace/forge was, but said he remembered foundations across the way fromwhere we were standing. I don't think this was the forge but were associated with the community that dwindled here for obviously some time. If I'm not repeating..he said it ws the LAST house existing in the area. During this time we talked a lot about other areas and we didn't go look at the foundations. He drew several road drawings in the sand to show me the way to other areas (Upton, Rattlesnake Ace's (said he knew himpersonally, and Mt Misery) He also showed me the foundation of an old storehouse that his grandfather used to use. There were the pipes of an old gasoline tank that he used to use to fill his trucks. His grandfather opertaed a sawmill that made slats for cranberry/blueberry boxes. What a great experience for me! I felt like Grandpa Beck talking to the old-timer. And I thought these people had long gone!
Mary Ann Furnace/Forge
- Thread starter jokerman
- Start date
That was a great experience! It is always nice to meet up with an older person who can pass that info on to you. That happened to me once and I will always remember it.
Are you going back for photo? Did you get the man's name?
Guy
Are you going back for photo? Did you get the man's name?
Guy
B
BarryC
Guest
That's really cool. A couple weeks ago a woman joined my group (web address is below), saying that she grew up in Friendship till her father moved the family to Tabernacle when she was 6. She said that he had taken her and the rest of the kids to the grave at Eagle and she remembered rotten wooden tombstones there at the time, just as Father Beck had said there were.
But now I forget here name. :lol:
Anyway, maybe she'll join us on some outings.
Barry
But now I forget here name. :lol:
Anyway, maybe she'll join us on some outings.
Barry
That sounds awesome. I went to Mary Ann Forge last year with Bob. We didn't see too much in the way of cellar holes, but we found a TON of slag and iron fragments. I'm actually looking at one right now on my desk.
I believe that the forge was located down by the water near the bridge pilings.
The forge used to work pig iron brought in from Hanover Furnace. Mary Ann Forge was never that successful, and only operated from the mid 1830s to 1877. The main products were bar iron and later wagon wheels and axles.
I believe that the forge was located down by the water near the bridge pilings.
The forge used to work pig iron brought in from Hanover Furnace. Mary Ann Forge was never that successful, and only operated from the mid 1830s to 1877. The main products were bar iron and later wagon wheels and axles.
Yes, I hope it happens again! That's equally cool about the people met at Friendship. He told me he doesn't believe the area had been thoroughly discovered yet. His name is Don Taylor and his grandparents were Lucy and George. I left him my number and he said he would contact e with pictures if he finds any. I looked in Beck's boks for info on Mary Ann Forge but only found the one picture hich shows an old house and an old foundation. In the photo it says it is the last dwelling at Mary Ann Forge. I'm not sure if it is a pic of the house that is now the foundation I saw or not. Maybe some time we could meet up out there and you could show me where the forge was and I could bring you to the foundations. I know there in the same vicinity but not sure how close they are. I definately plan to go back for photos. I only wished I could have gotten a pic of him looking at the foundation! That would be a good pic!
Can anyone please help me with directions to Mary Ann Forge? I am familiar with Four Mile Rd and Rt 70.
Thank you,
Jim
Thank you,
Jim
Jim,
I see you just joined so I will help you out. In the future you can find this info for yourself by looking through the old maps that Ben has available on this site by clicking on the Maps link at the top left of the website.
You would have to enter Presidential Lakes on Route 70 to get there. That is located here.
http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&am...ize=l&u=6&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
Travel to the back of the development on the far left side to where there is a dirt road with a phone box at the entrance. It is located here.
http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&am...ize=l&u=6&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
You want to get over to the road to the right, so you must go through the sand pit to get there.
http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&am...ize=l&u=6&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
Again, you want to get on this dirt road.
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/maf1.jpg
The remains or what is left of them are here.
http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&am...ize=l&u=6&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
The GPS coordinates in DMS are:
39.56.32.9
74.34.45.3
I would recomend you look over my directions first, and decide if you can find a better way. I was there once and that is how we arrived there. There may be a better way.
Guy
I see you just joined so I will help you out. In the future you can find this info for yourself by looking through the old maps that Ben has available on this site by clicking on the Maps link at the top left of the website.
You would have to enter Presidential Lakes on Route 70 to get there. That is located here.
http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&am...ize=l&u=6&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
Travel to the back of the development on the far left side to where there is a dirt road with a phone box at the entrance. It is located here.
http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&am...ize=l&u=6&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
You want to get over to the road to the right, so you must go through the sand pit to get there.
http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&am...ize=l&u=6&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
Again, you want to get on this dirt road.
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/maf1.jpg
The remains or what is left of them are here.
http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&am...ize=l&u=6&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
The GPS coordinates in DMS are:
39.56.32.9
74.34.45.3
I would recomend you look over my directions first, and decide if you can find a better way. I was there once and that is how we arrived there. There may be a better way.
Guy
If you are looking for maps of the area, here are a few to download. Be warned these are direct downloads and will download as soon as you click on the links.
The Cook Atlas sheet 12 from 1887.
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/UpDownload+index-req-getit-lid-22.phtml
The Pemberton Quad of 1885
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/UpDownload+index-req-getit-lid-390.phtml
And the Pemberton Quad of 1949 which you can use to compare with the 1885 map.
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/UpDownload+index-req-getit-lid-391.phtml
Guy
The Cook Atlas sheet 12 from 1887.
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/UpDownload+index-req-getit-lid-22.phtml
The Pemberton Quad of 1885
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/UpDownload+index-req-getit-lid-390.phtml
And the Pemberton Quad of 1949 which you can use to compare with the 1885 map.
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/UpDownload+index-req-getit-lid-391.phtml
Guy
Guy,
Many thanks for all the help. I know exactly where that pit is so the rest should not be too hard.
Jim
Many thanks for all the help. I know exactly where that pit is so the rest should not be too hard.
Jim
Went back and photodocumented my findings at Mary Ann Furnace/Forge. I posted the pics. Hope this link is the way to direct you'all there:
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/module...ery&file=index&include=view_album.php
I've seen others use better links. Let me know if someone has advice on better using links for this purpose.
Tom
http://www.njpinebarrens.com/module...ery&file=index&include=view_album.php
I've seen others use better links. Let me know if someone has advice on better using links for this purpose.
Tom
you don't need to enclose it in URL tags. just paste the URL in and the board will parse the link and make it shorter.
B