All,
On December 6, 2012 Ted Gordon and myself met up with Edward Batten at the Pioneer Sportsman's Club off of Eagle Road, meeting Ed for the first time and asking questions. Ed's father was one of the original members of the club, and Ed attends each December to visit with the rest of the members during hunting week. The conversation went on for quite a while covering more subject matter than I can remember. In the days and months following we had a flurry of email correspondence and it was decided to meet again at the Sandy Ridge ruins on Carranza road on Sunday February 17, 2013. It was one of the coldest days of the year and we froze while walking around discussing the area.
If you did not know the original building that the Pioneers owned was located at Sandy Ridge. This was the exact location.
https://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.76007593979608&lng=-74.59395903747557&z=17&type=nj1995&gpx=
Without going into detail, the club purchased the property but the land was owned by the Wharton Estate. Over the years the club purchased smaller structures and connected them to the main building adding to it's size. However, as we all know the state purchased the Wharton property and as you might expect the state told them to vacate. Since the club owned the building the state gave them the option to have it moved or it would be razed.
The decision was made to purchase the current property from Mark Alloway and his wife Francis and they did just that on January 16, 1958. Soon they themselves constructed a cinder block building to use as their club. In later years an arsonist took the building from them and the current structure was then eventually built.
I have covered the basics so you get a general idea what occurred. While meeting with Ed Batten at the club on one occasion he brought along his family photos and graciously allowed me to scan them with my portable scanner while there. I have held onto them for ten years without posting until now. What you are about to see below are photos that very few have viewed before. I recently gave these photos to Richard Franzen of the Tabernacle Historical Society who in a few days will be adding them to their website. I will pass along the link when that occurs. If we need answers I have saved all of the emails between Ed and myself and can also contact him if need be.
Remember, all photos are from the private collection of Edward Batten.
This photo from 1947 shows the back of the Pioneer Sportsman's Club with the camera facing Carranza Road. The photographer is standing about where the road is just south of the pointer at my link above. Basically, at the sandy area just below the pointer at my link above. Even through the truck says "Bud" on it, you would be wrong if you thought it was beer. It is the name of the person who owned it. Take notice the club is just one building with an extension on the back.
Notice in this photo taken from the same location they have added two smaller structures to the building. It is believed the additions were from Sandy Ridge but that is not certain. They may have been brought there from another location. It appears you can see the cranberry bog in the background on the other side of Carranza Road.
This view is the opposite (Front) side of the building taken from Carranza Road. Notice how high the sides of the road are.
This is another view showing the front along Carranza. The photographer was right along the edges of Carranza.
And all good things must come to an end. This view shows a man on the left walking along Carranza Road toward the razed Pioneer Sportsman's Club.
More photos to come. Then I will go through my emails and add info that I acquired. Stay tuned
On December 6, 2012 Ted Gordon and myself met up with Edward Batten at the Pioneer Sportsman's Club off of Eagle Road, meeting Ed for the first time and asking questions. Ed's father was one of the original members of the club, and Ed attends each December to visit with the rest of the members during hunting week. The conversation went on for quite a while covering more subject matter than I can remember. In the days and months following we had a flurry of email correspondence and it was decided to meet again at the Sandy Ridge ruins on Carranza road on Sunday February 17, 2013. It was one of the coldest days of the year and we froze while walking around discussing the area.
If you did not know the original building that the Pioneers owned was located at Sandy Ridge. This was the exact location.
https://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.76007593979608&lng=-74.59395903747557&z=17&type=nj1995&gpx=
Without going into detail, the club purchased the property but the land was owned by the Wharton Estate. Over the years the club purchased smaller structures and connected them to the main building adding to it's size. However, as we all know the state purchased the Wharton property and as you might expect the state told them to vacate. Since the club owned the building the state gave them the option to have it moved or it would be razed.
The decision was made to purchase the current property from Mark Alloway and his wife Francis and they did just that on January 16, 1958. Soon they themselves constructed a cinder block building to use as their club. In later years an arsonist took the building from them and the current structure was then eventually built.
I have covered the basics so you get a general idea what occurred. While meeting with Ed Batten at the club on one occasion he brought along his family photos and graciously allowed me to scan them with my portable scanner while there. I have held onto them for ten years without posting until now. What you are about to see below are photos that very few have viewed before. I recently gave these photos to Richard Franzen of the Tabernacle Historical Society who in a few days will be adding them to their website. I will pass along the link when that occurs. If we need answers I have saved all of the emails between Ed and myself and can also contact him if need be.
Remember, all photos are from the private collection of Edward Batten.
This photo from 1947 shows the back of the Pioneer Sportsman's Club with the camera facing Carranza Road. The photographer is standing about where the road is just south of the pointer at my link above. Basically, at the sandy area just below the pointer at my link above. Even through the truck says "Bud" on it, you would be wrong if you thought it was beer. It is the name of the person who owned it. Take notice the club is just one building with an extension on the back.
Notice in this photo taken from the same location they have added two smaller structures to the building. It is believed the additions were from Sandy Ridge but that is not certain. They may have been brought there from another location. It appears you can see the cranberry bog in the background on the other side of Carranza Road.
This view is the opposite (Front) side of the building taken from Carranza Road. Notice how high the sides of the road are.
This is another view showing the front along Carranza. The photographer was right along the edges of Carranza.
And all good things must come to an end. This view shows a man on the left walking along Carranza Road toward the razed Pioneer Sportsman's Club.
More photos to come. Then I will go through my emails and add info that I acquired. Stay tuned
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