Union Clay Gun Club

[Teegate]

All,

I thought I would pass along this info for those of us who have explored the Union Clay Area in the past, so that we may have a clearer picture of the history in the recent past of that area. Plus some new info!

The "dot" on the topo map of the area was indeed a gun club. The club was formed and built in the 50's and was called "The Short Horn Buck Club". You may remember seeing the steel pipes sticking out of the ground on the small road that leads into the woods just at the location the topo map shows the "dot".

It was destroyed by fire in the 70's, and the members decided to move the location of their club. They purchased a piece of property right behind the Barnegat Wreckers on 72 and placed a mobile-home there. After about a year they purchased a "day room" building from Fort Dix and had it moved to the location mentioned.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/396-1/IMG_5380.jpg

I am in the process of getting more info, and if it is pertinent I will pass it along. Such as:

Did the state buy the property after the fire.

Who owned it before them.

Etc.

Guy

 

[BEHR655]

Interesting info Guy. I wonder why they moved and not just re-built.

Steve

 

[Teegate]

I will find that out, but I think I know why and will take a guess.

In many area's of the pines once your building is destroyed the state will not let you rebuild. Then you have no choice but to just sit on the land or sell to them. This must not always be true because there is a gun club on the "red road" as Bob calls it, that I hear is being rebuilt after a fire.

Guy

 

[Gerania]

I was wondering what that was. Most gun clubs have a sign.

Further up the road, other side there is a lightly wooded area with maybe a couple of cellar holes and part of a foundation wall maybe 30 yards back. What was that?

I emailed someone and found out that one of the places that I came across last week was Red Oak Grove. Yippee. I didn't think that I'd find that one.

I was a bit further north than I thought I was today and came up on the southern side of Half Way. I was saving that area for the next trip.

I have spent 5 or 6 hours in two trips driving and some walking around that area and I'm still not sure where Union Clay is.

I think that it's kind of funny when I decide to turn on the GPS for a while and turn down a road that it doesn't recognize and doesn't list a name. I haven't had the unit for very long, I guess that sort of thing happens in the Pines.

If you're ever out exploring and you wonder why there's a middle aged woman in a white Subaru wagon out in the woods by herself, she's not *really* lost, honk and wave, it's me.

Gillian

 

[Teegate]

s.

If you're ever out exploring and you wonder why there's a middle aged woman in a white Subaru wagon out in the woods by herself, she's not *really* lost, honk and wave, it's me.

Gillian

It is good to see you do this. I applaud you! More woman should be interested in exploring the pines.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

Well, the info has come back to me very quickly, so lets get to it.

It actually was a 10X30 cabin built before the 40's and the owner of the property abandoned it. The owner was contacted in the 40's to get permission to use it and it was granted. He owned about 400 acres. So the members basically became squatters and used it each year. They made improvements such as Homasote siding, tarring the roof, and a small sleeping area. They used an army generator for electric, and a barrel stove for heat.

Very few if any hunters hunted in that area, until the state started planting rye strips and fixing the roads, and then it became crowded.

Those of us who have been there may remember seeing the cement mound just off the small road heading into the woods. That was the location of the cabin and the cement held the barrel stove.

The members of that club never knew the historical significance of the area until many years later.

Guy

 

[Ben Ruset]

I have spent 5 or 6 hours in two trips driving and some walking around that area and I'm still not sure where Union Clay is.

(Link removed)

I put the wrong spot in. I'll have a correct link in a few...

 

[woodjin]

Thanks for sharing this information Guy, it is very interesting.

 

[woodjin]

Guy, I did not locate the dot on the topo in the area of Union Clay works. Is it NSE or W of Union Clay works proper?

 

[BEHR655]

Guy, I did not locate the dot on the topo in the area of Union Clay works. Is it NSE or W of Union Clay works proper?

It's under the red x
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&n=4410632&e=550058&s=50&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

Steve

 

[bobpbx]

Ahh yes. The disputed roads area......

 

[Gerania]

I'm willing to cheat! I wanted to reply before I did though. If I can drive all or most of the way to something that I want to see or have good directions for a moderate walk, I feel much safer.

All of the places that I visit are areas where you're more than likely to run into other people. Most of the time that's OK, they're there for the same reason more or less - or to drink underage or illegally dump but It's not like I'm going to make a citizens arrest. I have run into 'scary people' in the woods a couple of times. Thats a terrible feeling.

Gillian

 

[Teegate]

I drive my car there all the time. Just go in at the Barnegat Wreckers on 72 and you should not have any problem. Just the beginning has some heavy sand but speed works well. On the way out I always have tons of stones under the car, and they fly out all the way home. Stay away from me!

Guy

 

[Teegate]

Ahh yes. The disputed roads area......

There was no dispute...we were right

Guy

 

[Teegate]

It's under the red x
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&n=4410632&e=550058&s=50&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

Steve

Steve is correct on the location. There is a small mound of dirt on a little road leading into the woods. Walk that road and the cement is on your left.

I moved the red target symbol over so you can see the "dot" to the right of it where the cabin was.

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&n=4410637&e=549997&s=50&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

Guy

 

[Badfish740]

I have run into 'scary people' in the woods a couple of times. Thats a terrible feeling.

Scary people? Do tell. Once I was fourwheeling with a group through Wharton and we came upon some guys who looked like they were cutting firewood and not very happy that we were there. We were certain we were on state land (our guide was very experienced) and I don't really know the rules on harvesting timber from state forests, but they just stared us down the whole time we were moving through.

 

[Gerania]

Scary people? Do tell.

Not long ago I was on Jackson Road driving from Medford to Atco. A guy pulls up beside me and asks for directions to someplace. I told him that I couldn't help him but since he wasn't familiar with the area maybe he should just go back over to Medford and ask directions at the gas station or buy a map.

In the meantime I start giving my son his first driving lesson. I see a vehicle behind in the distance. Tell son to slow down, move over and hit right turn signal. The guy was really moving because the next time I looked up to see where he was all I could see was the grill of his really big truck in the mirror.

I told my son to put on the flashers. Guy's still there. Told son to slow down a little more, we couldn't possibly move any further over to the right. And he's still our bumper. Finally told son to put window down a bit and wave the guy around. He still hung behind us for a few moments before he pulled around and took off throwing dust and gravel up behind him. It was only then I realized that it was the guy who'd asked for directions.

Jackson Road can be kind of busy, but there wasn't anyone around when that happened. It was also my son's first time behind the wheel of a car so there weren't going to be any evasive driving maneuvers.

Gillian

 

[bobpbx]

When I was about 17, I used to drive my old yamaha enduro motorcyle to the clay pits near Union Clay Works. One fine day I drove my cycle right into a camp of the Pagan Motorcyle Club. They were camping at the far end of the first pit. They surrounded me and started admiring my bike. This was in 1970 and trail bikes were just starting to be popular in the pines (other than hardcore enduro enthusiasts). So one big guy asks me if he can ride it, I said sure, and the next thing I know he's screaming up and down the hills and doing donuts with the dirt flying everywhere. Meanwhile, a scraggly guy with a hawk nose brings me over to the center of camp and TELLS me to pickup all the trash lying around (cigarette butts, beer cups, tissues, etc.) and throw it in the fire! I had to do it, no choice. There were biker chicks staring me down the whole time. I felt like a slave. The big man of the Club comes out of a tent, asks what is going on, and says..."Give the kid his bike back". The guy who had it bitched about it a little, said...:"I ain't hurting it"!, but he did give it back. It kind of soured me on the pits for a long time after that. They also used to send narc's back there looking for us campers who sometimes took a toke or two. You never know who you'll meet in the pines.

 

[Rubibee]

the state started planting rye strips

Guy

I've seen this mentioned in posts quite a few times, why does the state do this <whap across the head for asking why THIS state does anything>? And what purpose does this serve? Who benefits, ..... the deer?

 

[Badfish740]

The deer and those of us who hunt them (and pheasants too), which I understand isn't all that popular on this board. Are there any hunters besides myself and RednekF350?