Might be the thing I posted a pic of is sandstone and not ore. How different is bog ore and sandstone? From the descriptions I've read of how the ore forms, it is basically the same process as sandstone, but with a lot of dissolved iron accreting in the mix.
Since you live in Tabernacle, the next time you go down Carranza Road to get to the tracks, stop and park right at the sign that welcomes you to Wharton. There is a high hill on the right side with a path up it that you need to visit. Walk up the hill and there is sandstone everywhere. If you know the right locations, there are massive stones up there unlike any you have seen around here. See if that is what you are referring to.
Guy
The hills Guy speaks of are very old. They are actually sand and gravel deposits from the ancient Hudson River. The age of sandstone boulders that cap the hills are in the millions of years old. South Jersey is oh so cool.
T
TabernacleNative
Guest
Folks:
South Jersey sandstone, a.k.a. ironstone, provided early settlers with a ready building material for foundations and whole houses such as the Walker Forge House and many others. The “quarries” for this stone consisted of simply removing the overburden of soil from a stone-bearing hilltop until the the quarryman exposed the stone formation. Then it was just a matter of chipping out managable pieces for use in such construction projects. Many lasting examples of early ironstone construction remain throughout South (West) Jersey.
Best regards,
Jerseyman
Being more of a plant guy, I was always a bit fuzzy on the distinctions between bog iron and sandstone myself. We talked about this a bit at Wells Mills when we gathered here. What I've always understood was that those distinctions were more related to the use of the piece of rock in question than to its composition. The iron ore dug out of stream banks might have been formed more recently but was formed in esentially the same way as the older deposits mined in dry areas for building purposes. Anyone have information to the contrary?
So we have now determined that it is at Atsion. Ben, did the photo you posted actually say it was from Batsto?
Guy
TeaGate The Railroad houses, And the Old Atsion hotel do not go back to the iron era. The sheathed building on that side might be that old. The old part the village was on Quaker Brigde Road, A lot the worker's house are gone. One the worker's house is still standing. There is two remains of worker's house of the Iron era. The house behind the Gun Club is not like the other house in that area. This house had a full basement about 5'6" deep. There are bars over the windows in the basement. There is a well on what was the back porch. They had lean-to- Kitchen on the back. My uncle found an old fireplace footing dating to about 1760's in the one wall of the lean-to-Kitchen area.
