Mystery Line in the Pines

[manumuskin]

I recently noticed a straight line that cuts through the pines from nw to se like a ruler.It appears to be some type of survey line and is visible for 5.5 miles,one heck of a survey line for south Jersey.This line is first visible on the historical aerials in 1970 and this is the best shot.It gradually gets fainter but is visible even on the newest aerials from 2007 though there are some gaps it is impossible to distinguish now.Here are the coords for both ends.Does anyone know anything about this line?
se end
39.76753° N
74.57517° W

nw end
39.80451° N
74.65979° W

 

[RednekF350]

I don't know Al, I am not seeing anything unusual at either end using those numbers on Google Earth.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Al,

Can you show us the location on Ben's live maps? Much easier that way.

 

[46er]

Al, I can vaguely see it near the NW end near Moorestown Rd. It looks like it may be the SW boundary of Woodland Twnshp?

 

[Boyd]

I don't really see anything myself... the blue line connects your coordinates. This is the NJ 1995 infrared orthophotography, which is as close as I can get to 1970. Are you sure about those coordinates?

 

[pinelandpaddler]

I don't see anything either.

 

[Boyd]

He's right.... it's a mystery!

 

[MarkBNJ]

These things are often imaging artifacts. Al, that could have been the boundary where two sets of data overlapped.

 

[piker56]

I didn't see it either. Guess I'll explore somewhere else in the woods this weekend.

 

[46er]

If you go into GE and draw a line between the 2 coords and zoom in, you can see it in places. Midway thru the line where it crosses the sand road it is visible and along the line to the NW mark. Maybe a firebreak, as others can be seen.

A closer look;

 

[manumuskin]

it is very visible in the 1970 historical aerials but i can see it in spots in all the google earth images,NJGIN and a little here and there in birds eye so it is no photographic mirage.as 46er shows you can see it in google earth.the newer the image the less it seems to appear visible as would be expected.I was exploring the area near the ne end last week and noticed it on the aerials and followed it out of curiosity.both ends are as far as i could see it.
Al

 

[manumuskin]

I don't really see anything myself... the blue line connects your coordinates. This is the NJ 1995 infrared orthophotography, which is as close as I can get to 1970. Are you sure about those coordinates?

Boyd
do you ever check out historicalaerials.com?
they go all the way back to 1931 depending on the area your viewing

 

[Boyd]

Boyd
do you ever check out historicalaerials.com?

Actually I believe I was the first to post about that site --> http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/general-discussion/5233-historic-aerial-photos.html

These days, I mostly only use data that I can download and process myself though. The state makes it easy to use the 1931. 1995, 2002 and 2007 data. Should probably take a closer look at the historic aerials site again one of these days though. I think you can download data from there, but it isn't free.

 

[MarkBNJ]

it is very visible in the 1970 historical aerials but i can see it in spots in all the google earth images,NJGIN and a little here and there in birds eye so it is no photographic mirage.as 46er shows you can see it in google earth.the newer the image the less it seems to appear visible as would be expected.I was exploring the area near the ne end last week and noticed it on the aerials and followed it out of curiosity.both ends are as far as i could see it.
Al

Well then maybe a cable route? The equipment they use to bury them might disrupt the vegetation enough to leave a visible scar.

 

[Teegate]

Al,

I have looked that over and it does not align with any survey line that I know of. The closest line it comes to is the old Woodland Twp line but it is not in the correct place. That line ended near Steve Lees house and your line does not go there. It almost meets that stone near Eagle I told you about but it is not close enough to be associated with it unless the line turned sharply.

Guy

 

[manumuskin]

Actually I believe I was the first to post about that site --> http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/general-discussion/5233-historic-aerial-photos.html

These days, I mostly only use data that I can download and process myself though. The state makes it easy to use the 1931. 1995, 2002 and 2007 data. Should probably take a closer look at the historic aerials site again one of these days though. I think you can download data from there, but it isn't free.

I learned about it from Guy but if it originally came from you,many thanks.It is very useful.
Al

 

[manumuskin]

Al,

I have looked that over and it does not align with any survey line that I know of. The closest line it comes to is the old Woodland Twp line but it is not in the correct place. That line ended near Steve Lees house and your line does not go there. It almost meets that stone near Eagle I told you about but it is not close enough to be associated with it unless the line turned sharply.

Guy

yes i noticed it just missed that stone.At least you see it now.I was beginning to think i was crazy.That is one long line and a mystery to me.Mybe Mark has a point.Might be a cable line but it should be marked by signs occasioanally so someone don't dig through it.
Al
PS
but then where would it go and why are both ends hanging in space?

 

[MarkBNJ]

yes i noticed it just missed that stone.At least you see it now.I was beginning to think i was crazy.That is one long line and a mystery to me.Mybe Mark has a point.Might be a cable line but it should be marked by signs occasioanally so someone don't dig through it.
Al
PS
but then where would it go and why are both ends hanging in space?

Depending on the kind of cable there are sometimes access points, or some sort of structure along the way. I extended the line out in both directions a bit looking for such but didn't see anything. It could just be one of those fiber jobs where they just bury a bundle of plastic cables a couple feet deep at a mile a day.

 

[Boyd]

It could just be one of those fiber jobs where they just bury a bundle of plastic cables a couple feet deep at a mile a day.

Fiber in the Pines in 1970?

 

[MarkBNJ]

Fiber in the Pines in 1970?

Ah yeah, probably not.