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Thread: Ruins?

  1. #1
    Aspiring Thru-Hiker DogPaw's Avatar
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    Default Ruins?

    Are there any ruins on the trail, like cobblestone towers for instance? I love working my way into abandoned structures, and I've been wondering if there are any things like these on the AT or one of the Florida trails.

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    Harriman State Park, NY has some. Not worth a trip from Florida just for that, I would think.
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    There are at least a few spots along the AT in New Egnland where you will go past cellar holes and stone walls. But nothing as elaborate as a tower that I am aware of.

    I am always amazed at some of the hilly forested NE terrain that have stone walls running through them. I try to imagine the land cleared and tilled. It is easy to see why all those early New England farmers moved to the Ohio River Valley.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DogPaw View Post
    Are there any ruins on the trail, like cobblestone towers for instance? I love working my way into abandoned structures, and I've been wondering if there are any things like these on the AT or one of the Florida trails.
    Do you mean other than the shelters?

    The FT begins (or ends, depending upon your perspective) at Gulf Islands National seashore. The first FT sign headed west (south, again depending upon your perspective) is within sight of Fort Pickens, which was built before the Civil War.

    FWIW, from Ocala, you are only 15 minutes closer to Ft Pickens than you are to Springer Mountain.
    Last edited by Buffalo Skipper; 07-26-2012 at 11:49.
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    Aspiring Thru-Hiker DogPaw's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buffalo Skipper View Post
    Do you mean other than the shelters?

    The FT begins (or ends, depending upon your perspective) at Gulf Islands National seashore. The first FT sign headed west (south, again depending upon your perspective) is within sight of Fort Pickens, which was built before the Civil War.

    FWIW, from Ocala, you are only 15 minutes closer to Ft Pickens than you are to Springer Mountain.
    Hah! Springer it is, then. One year to go before I get out of this hole.

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    Registered User theinfamousj's Avatar
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    In the back of my mind, I recall a few stone hearths (not even with chimneys attached) in PA. Though I cannot remember if it was on the AT or one one of the other trails near Gettysburg.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Murphy View Post
    There are at least a few spots along the AT in New Egnland where you will go past cellar holes and stone walls. But nothing as elaborate as a tower that I am aware of.

    I am always amazed at some of the hilly forested NE terrain that have stone walls running through them. I try to imagine the land cleared and tilled. It is easy to see why all those early New England farmers moved to the Ohio River Valley.
    Agreed. You can think you are in the middle of nowhere and run into stone walls and a stone foundation. Whenever I try to dig a hole in my yard I also see why farmers moved westward.

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    It's not ruins, in fact it has been restored. But I highly recommend that as you pass through the Smokeys that you take the side trail to Mt Cammerer. There is a western style fire tower there built on the exposed rock. The style is really unique for the east, but the 360° views are fantastic. Side trail is only 0.6 miles, but doesn't feel like that far. Definately worth seeing.

    100_2884.jpg 100_2890.jpg
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    In the northern section of the AT in SNP about mid way through the north section(near mathews arm) there is a full chimney and stone floor/harth. If I could figuire out how to post a pic I would post it.

  10. #10

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    In Pine Grove Furnace State Park PA, you can see the Furnaces, and in the Brown MT creek area in VA you can see some of the Foundations from where the settler's homesites stood. RED-DOG

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    Default Furnace Hostel

    Not sure if the hostel there is still open. I was the lone hiker there and was given a trip around the place which I think was the Furnace owners mansion. Evidently the area was on the route for slaves on the run to get Canada to freedom (first 2000 milers some of them)and the house had windows at each end and candle would be put in as signal it was okay to move.There is also a false basement to hide folks.

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    In VT, part of the trail follows the old "king's highway" north of Woodstock, it's a pre-revolutionary road with wonderful stonework. As noted, lots of old cellar holes, and the occasional charcoal kiln.

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    Myakka State Park (Sarasota area) has a whole series of trails and there are a few remnants of old buildings there.

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    I have run into a few chimmeys. There is a nice one on Greylock.

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    There are old foundations and few remains of the old Runion logging camp outside of Hot Springs (not on the AT). Take the Laurel River Trail at the US 25/70 bridge before turning down to Hot Springs.

    Then in the Nolichucky Gorge at the base of Flattop Mtn is the old settlement of Lost Cove. Its very hard to access (either by train tracks or bushwhack from the Flattop trails).
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    Default Ruins?

    If memory serves me well from when I lived in the area, Boiling Springs, PA has a furnace or two near the lake/community pool, right off the trail.
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    1700s iron furnaces in CT and NY:
    Most of the forest in CT, MA, VT was cut down for charcoal to fuel industry in the 1700s. There are remnants of the 1700s steel industry:
    Kent, CT, Kent furnace http://www.ericsloane.com/museum.htm
    Salisbury, CT: Mt. Riga blast furnace, http://www.nynjctbotany.org/lgtofc/m...stfurnace.html
    Copake, NY (~10 miles or less from AT and on the south Taconic trail) has an 1845 blast furnace, Copake Iron Works,:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/itinera...n/photostream/
    http://nysparks.com/parks/attachment...ndSchedule.pdf

    If you know what to look for there are many small quarries in New England. I've come across these in Brattleboro VT and Worcester, MA. You'd have to talk to local historical societies to find these.

    In New England there are many, many former factory buildings/mills from across the ages. The museum version would be the Lowell and Lawrence mills. Most of the towns near the AT in CT, MA, VT and NH would have these and most are abandoned or restored/renovated into something else. You could get in trouble (legal or injury) going into abandoned mills.

    There are a lot of little local history museums in the Berkshires that can be interesting.

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    I've hiked from GA to PA now and have passed lots of ruins. Chimneys, foundations, walls, buildings, spring houses, bridges, old roads, equipment and vehicles, canal locks, abandoned farms and orchards, concrete foundations and pads, etc., etc., etc.

    RainMan

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    [I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35

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    Gathland State Park in MD. Use google images, "Gathland state park ruins."

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