Recent Vandalism at Brooksbrae

[Ben Ruset]

I took Dana out to visit Brooksbrae today. The place is covered in spray paint. It seems fairly recent, too - the vandals left their empty spray paint cans behind.

It's really, really sad.

 

[bobpbx]

That is sad. Why can't people leave things (and each other) alone?

 

[Gibby]

Two weeks ago, there were signs of someone doing metal detecting along the back and side of the ruins. There are at least fifteen spots where someone was digging. Some holes unearthed large pieces of iron that couldn't be removed, so what was buried was left exposed.

 

[geezerfinneran]

Oh-oh-oh ! Didn't you artistically-challenged Piney Persons know ?

The Art Establishment has told these intrepid young explorers their graffiti is actually ART !!

Moreover, instead of kicking their butts into the next century, we should hold ceremonies, and give them accolades, and grants, an' stuff............

 

[Boyd]

That is so sad. And unfortunately, it's a reason to stop and think before we post the location of interesting places that we find out in the woods.

 

[46er]

Just about any place mentioned in Weird NJ suffers the same fate. Whomever publishes that rag needs a talkin too about what is weird and what isn't.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Well, I'm not so sure that this is because of WNJ. The Brooksbrae location has been well known for years before WNJ came out.

 

[dogg57]

There have always been areas that have been over used by Party time folks not saying its right.Apple pie Hill,Hidden lakes off Rt72 and many others.Little Mill road in Pine hill was a Zoo for years.So big at night the Police did not bother.Not sure what can be done.I do my own trash removal when I see it.I guess time will tell

 

[Ben Ruset]

Big thanks to the State of NJ for their excellent historical preservation/protection efforts.

Of course, when I was back there with a six pack a cop showed up. Someone actually tags up the place and the police are nowhere to be found.

 

[this_is_nascar]

I agree. WNJ does contribute to a bunch of newbies learning of locations to destroy them, but this place was on the map for various grafity and paintball activities long before that rag of a mag.

 

[Ben Ruset]

WNJ - at least in the older magazines I have - never gave out directions to places. Places get ruined because someone who knows where something is tells someone else, who either goes and destroys it or tells someone else who goes and destroys it.

At the end of the day it's easy to blame a magazine, but really the blame goes to the crappy people who think it's okay to ruin historical sites like this, and the state for their lack of desire to patrol and protect these sites.

 

[Boyd]

"Ghost Towns and Other Quirky Places in the New Jersey Pine Barrens" by Barbara Solem-Stull (2005) gives explicit directions to Brooksbrae. Ben, you may recall a private "conversation" several of us had about some interesting ruins that I found. Jerseyman was very critical of that book, blaming it for a "dramatic" increase in the ruination of Brooksbrae.

I took extensive photos of that place about 12 years ago - will dig out the old hard drive and post a few later. The difference is pretty shocking. After seeing your photo's, I am not going to return there myself. I'm just glad that I had the opportunity to see and photograph it before it went so far downhill.

 

[Teegate]

Long time members will remember this.

I learned of the location from my mom. She drove a school bus for Cherry Hill schools back in the 70's and each year one of the teachers had a class trip there. I had just learned of Beck in 1973 and was searching the places out, and my mom saw the photo in the book and surprised me with the location. So large groups of individuals have been going there for many years, but it has only been in the last 10 or so where things have intensified. I don't go there anymore.

 

[Teegate]

BTW, thanks for the photo's Ben!

Here are a few from the late 70's. I have a few from 1973 but would have to scan them up. The quality of these are somewhat poor so I had to alter them so we could view them. That is not me on the top of the building.

And this one is from the darker days. Ben and I were quite popular with a few individuals.

Guy

 

[Boyd]

We've had this discussion before... http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/brooksbrae-getting-worse.1369/

I couldn't find my older pictures after a quick look, but here are a few shots from August 2004.

 

[Ben Ruset]

So actually, I have directions to the place on this site. I'll be taking them down now.

Photos from 2001: http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/showgallery.php/cat/103
November, 2002: http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/showgallery.php/cat/104

Look, not a lot of graffiti:

I have a few that I took at night. Looks like I never uploaded them to Flickr. I'll post them later.

 

[Gibby]

Wow! Thanks Teegate and Boyd for the pictures. It is nice to see the place without litter. What a difference a few years makes, Boyd!

I filled a contractor's garbage bag when I was there. I only had one stashed in my truck, but I could have filled three or four. It is sad.

 

[oji]

Gibby, Did you see anything else in the area?

 

[Gibby]

Gibby, Did you see anything else in the area?

Oji, that was why I stopped. I didn't get a chance to search around because a group of people showed up.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Here's the night photos from Brooksbrae: http://www.flickr.com/photos/benruset/sets/72157630720958260/