Recreation Area

[Teegate]

All,

I took off from work today to do some research on a few things I have been working on, and to do a few other things, and I traveled down 539 from the Lacey township municipal building to the Chatsworth municipal building. I passed the painted rock and noticed that it has been painted a plain beige color all except the bottom few inches which still shows the blue from the American flag. I am assuming that there must have been some sort of action by those in charge to stop the escalation of the events that were going on there. Anyone hear anything?

Also, I have forgotten to mention that while looking over some 1940ish topo maps I noticed that just along route 72 about a mile west of the Jersey Central RR bridge, there was a recreation area that was set up for travelers along route 72 going or coming from the shore to stop and picnic or rest before heading on. That is the one area of route 72 that the Lebanon forest at the time crossed over 72 to the south side and met up with Garfield DeMarco's property if he owned that area by then.

Anyway, Jessica and I visited the area a few weekends ago and there is no evidence of anything there that we could find that would make you think there was even a recreation area there. We only spent a few minutes walking because the sun was setting and I had to get home.

Notice the map shows what appears to be a dwelling or building just to the right of the words "recreation area". At least it appears that way.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/866-1/rec.jpg

If anyone visits there you can enter off of 72 by driving through a few trees along the road and drive right up the path shown on the map. The next time I am in the area and have a few minutes I will walk around more.

39°51.262
74°30.471

BTW, they also mention the same at Bear Swamp Hill in other maps I have viewed. So the building shown on the map may have been a bathroom such as there was at Bear Swamp Hill.

Guy

 

[onehand]

the recreation area seems real close to buttlers place. i remember picnic tables being there and lots of people using them, and a sign "buttler place" and i think a road into the woods there or close by. this was in the 60's

also on the other side of rt 72 in that area there was a stone monument with a bronze plack in it. last time is saw it the bronze plack was gone, this was also in the 60's

also in near the area you describe there was "woodland lakes" i used to ride a school bus out of chatsworth towards rt 72 and about half way directly accross from two piney shacks there was a dirt road to the right. the bus driver used to go into woodland lakes (there was i think 3 houses) and two kids to drop off. this was the back way in. last time i looked at the road it looked not drivable

there used to be a big sign on rt 72 for woodland lakes i don't think it is still there, LOL, i have not ventured into that area in years

i'll take your coords and look around

 

[Teegate]

the recreation area seems real close to buttlers place. i remember picnic tables being there and lots of people using them, and a sign "buttler place" and i think a road into the woods there or close by. this was in the 60's

also on the other side of rt 72 in that area there was a stone monument with a bronze plack in it. last time is saw it the bronze plack was gone, this was also in the 60's

also in near the area you describe there was "woodland lakes" i used to ride a school bus out of chatsworth towards rt 72 and about half way directly accross from two piney shacks there was a dirt road to the right. the bus driver used to go into woodland lakes (there was i think 3 houses) and two kids to drop off. this was the back way in. last time i looked at the road it looked not drivable

there used to be a big sign on rt 72 for woodland lakes i don't think it is still there, LOL, i have not ventured into that area in years

i'll take your coords and look around

Thanks for the great input! Try to look for that bronze plaque remains if you can. And where was the entrance to Woodland Lakes that is now not drivable?

Guy

 

[Teegate]

I would have to say you are correct with Butler Place. The question is what was the name of the recreation area? Was it Butler Place?

Here is the Butler Place wells, and they are right near there.

http://nj.usgs.gov/gw-cgi/hydrographs.pl?UID=050684

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

That's a neat water level chart. They inverted the scale to show feet below the surface so low means low water level. It clearly indicates the 2002 drought.

 

[onehand]

I would have to say you are correct with Butler Place. The question is what was the name of the recreation area? Was it Butler Place?

Here is the Butler Place wells, and they are right near there.

http://nj.usgs.gov/gw-cgi/hydrographs.pl?UID=050684

Guy

there was two ways into woodland lakes one on rt 72 the other was on rt 563 towards rt 72 from chatsworth, there were two old piney shacks on the left. directly accross there is a dirt road that leads through the woods to what used to be woodland lakes. it should be easly seen

n 39 50.121 w 74 32.434 SHOULD put you close i will go out there and mark it better

the name of the recreation area ? i have no clue, i do not remember anything but some picnic tables, a parking area and trash cans at buttlers place. i never stopped there, maybe it extended further into the woods

the bronze plack was in a large granet stone, i stopped to read it one day, but that was over 35 years ago and can't remember what is said

i will try to locate it, it was very close to buttlers place

 

[woodjin]

That is very interesting. I Think I know where woodland lakes are. I did not know that it was ever called that but from your description, One hand, I am thinking of a lake with a few houses around it which is accessable now by way of rt72, and it is back a bit. If you were to access it by rt. 563 you would have to cross over land now owned by the nature conservancy or nature conservatory I can never keep them straight. I did go through that way to the lake recently but it was a worn out jeep trail. I don't know if this is woodland lakes but it sounds like it is in the right spot. Very secluded, neat area for people to be living.

One hand, did you grow up in Chatsworth then?

Jeff

 

[woodjin]

Just wanted to add...I think there are about four houses on the lake and one more on the other side of the lake. I know one house has a sign in the driveway that says "redneck parking only". Also, I only recall one lake, not lakes. but the lake might extend in one direction I couldn't see.

Jeff

 

[bobpbx]

Here?

http://terraserver-usa.org/image.aspx?T=1&S=12&Z=18&X=675&Y=5514&W=3

 

[Teegate]

Here?

http://terraserver-usa.org/image.aspx?T=1&S=12&Z=18&X=675&Y=5514&W=3

That must not be it because you can drive right to there which I have done. The roads leading to it are public roads and was not owned by DeMarco.

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

That must not be it because you can drive right to there which I have done. The roads leading to it are public roads and was not owned by DeMarco.

Guy

No, I mean Woodland Lakes Guy. That must be it. Regarding Butler Place, I do vaguely remember boy scouts camping there in the 60's. Not a lot, but some troop probably just stumbled on it.......

 

[Teegate]

the bronze plack was in a large granet stone, i stopped to read it one day, but that was over 35 years ago and can't remember what is said

i will try to locate it, it was very close to buttlers place

I drove down 72 early this morning and looked for it but did not see it. I did not stop and walk, we just slowed down and looked since there was very few cars at 8AM.

Guy

 

[onehand]

i drove out to do a hike in th forest today and on the way i marked the road that was the back way into "woodland lakes" in the 60's....well just like i remember seeing it several mounths ago, not much of road left, but here are the coords. the previous i posted are not even close

use these, n 39 50.715 w074 32.629 between chatsworth and rt 72 on rt 563

yesterday while on a kayak/canoe trip i was talking to a person (a 30 year resident in the area) who also knew of the monument and plack on rt 72 just about opposite of "buttler place"

i knew that the plack was gone, i was in formed not to look for the monument stone either for that is now gone also

since i had once read the plack i tried to pick my menory, the only thing i could come up with is it was deadicated to the forest fire service, but that is most likly wrong...but somebody must know

 

[Teegate]

Thanks for the info. I drove by again today and looked..obviously not finding it.

Bob may have been right on the location of the development.

Guy

 

[Gerania]

I looked at a couple of different maps and came to the same conclusion that Bob did. There's not much else in the area that qualifies as a lake. What about the gridwork of sand roads north and south of Sooy Place Rd? Was that supposed to be a development that fell through like Chatsworth Woods?

Gillian - who resembles a guy in print ;-)

 

[bobpbx]

Gillian - who resembles a guy in print ;-)

But who definitely has female attributes........