"OLD ABANDONED HOUSES" MAY NOT BE.............

[BHC]

lots of history 

[1957Buck]

Fantastic story I can defiantly relate to that whole area from Rt 206 to the Gap. Over the 66 years, my father and I hunted there Walpack was like a required stop at the Inn for Supper before heading home to Union at the time. There were a small bar pool table Shuffle  Board  6 tables for diners. As you said there were many Farms and Homes spread around the mountains, Came across some above Walpack  & Layton abandoned with no access by any roads.  Along Came the government condemning and confiscating properties. Only a few held out most got out when squatters took over many of the Buildings. took an army to evict them. Most of those buildings were removed with some still hidden in the Deep Woods. My Father knew a lot of the people in the valley since he hunted there with my grandfather many years before me. We Stayed in the house across from the Walpack Postoffice the Lady worked as a waitress at the Inn and even made us breakfast. My fathers 49 Chevy with full chains got us to our Stands many times in a foot and more of snow 10 degrees where we were completely alone and never even heard a shot or seen another hunter till supper at the Inn.  As someone posted about areas Stocked with Pheasants there were a few kept with a Tight lip. as even today areas of Flatbrook with Trout have secret honey holes.  One time we climbed above Walpack to come to Houses being built ( Blue mountain Estates ) they bulldozed out a swamp to form a Lake 9 That was F-U Tocks Island came along and the houses were torn down and the roads blocked. You want some Grouse hunting there you will find the best walking back to the lake The deer are thinned out the Bears many. be prepared for a long walk. IMO The Walpack- Worthington- Stocks - Kittatinny has the most History and memories for generations of hunters. And when so many times I say there is plenty of lands to hunt many just ignore it.           LPJR we must have crossed paths many times over the years. Between your memories and mine what a Novel, it would be.  

[Lphunsjr]

Great read and an unforgettable memory for you and your buddy to say the least

[LPJR]

9 hours ago, toxo said:

I LOVE the Walpack area!  My friend and I thought we saw a UFO there in the dark one morning going Deer hunting.It was a large white light that flew silently over our heads.My buddy said "what should we do!!!??",I said to him,"if they are smart enough to fly all the way to Earth,there is nothing we can do!" lol

Smart man! 

[nmc02]

Too long to read. Ill buy the Cliff notes version....

[hunterbob1]

 

Sparkeys.where good friends meet.

[hunterbob1]

Coventry hunting club, any members,want to share ??

[1957Buck]

13 hours ago, hunterbob1 said:

Coventry hunting club, any members,want to share ??

My Grandfather was a long time Member & Father for a few years until they lost the lands to Tocks Island. I hunted the land with my father after the loss. And I believe even today it does not get the hunting pressure that surrounding lands get, Most have no idea of the location, There was some original land along RT 80 but I never hunted it think it was the last stronghold.   Never deer hunted there just Grouse and Woodcock.  

[ESetter]

That is always a fear of mine when I am hunting / hiking off the grid there. 

It is a shame what has become of a once proud place. Squatters, looters, vandals, and arsons ruined it for everyone. I would have loved to see the place when it was in tact prior to the government intervention.

Right, wrong, or indifferent - they say Tock's Island is the only thing that prevented that area from becoming developed like the rest of NJ. 

[kcohunter]

Does anyone remember Donald Von Hagen at the

Old Copper  Mine Inn?

Edited October 15, 2018 by kcohunter

[230jhp]

On 10/14/2018 at 11:02 AM, toxo said:

I LOVE the Walpack area!   Years ago we found an old farm on top of a mountain in Walpack.The only thing left was the chimney. The state was growing crops up there and stocking it heavily with pheasants.No state signs anywhere.The guys that knew about the place would come up the Mountain from the other side where no one could see where they parked. It was a little fishy! My friend and I thought we saw a UFO there in the dark one morning going Deer hunting.It was a large white light that flew silently over our heads.My buddy said "what should we do!!!??",I said to him,"if they are smart enough to fly all the way to Earth,there is nothing we can do!" lol

Sounds like you are talking about Pompey Mountian AKA Walpack Knob. I have been hunting since the 1960's, but I have never seen the remaining chimney from an old house.

Edited October 15, 2018 by 230jhp

[1957Buck]

2 hours ago, ESetter said:

That is always a fear of mine when I am hunting / hiking off the grid there. 

It is a shame what has become of a once proud place. Squatters, looters, vandals, and arsons ruined it for everyone. I would have loved to see the place when it was in tact prior to the government intervention.

Right, wrong, or indifferent - they say Tock's Island is the only thing that prevented that area from becoming developed like the rest of NJ. 

Sorry, you did not see it Before. As I had the pleasure of.  The Dam was proposed many years after the Big Flood that killed so many downstream.  The Idea was to use the Dammed waters for Hydroelectric. and Water for Philidelphia & New York.  It lost funding and became a Land Grab by the Federal Gov.  By Eminent Domain & condemnation. When it went down it was Turned Over to The National Parks who to this days has done little for use. The Horror stories are many. If you want just search ( Tocks Island ) Google - Wikipedia- Youtube is full of Facts and Storys from single Photos and Videos.  Interviews with those displaced some by Marshal Force. My Family was friendly with people in Dingmans- Wallpack - Layton- Bevans for many years all have Passed on. A few allowed to live out living there till their deaths no passing on. Chado Farms was one and most of the builds remain.  The worst part IMO was no Maintenance on any back roads the idea is to revert back to the wilderness.  while some like Butter Milk Falls road kept for Fire access, and the falls to Wallpack.  Yes, it kept the area from development as a good point since a land Preservation program was not in place at the time, not that would have helped either. It was FU Plan from the beginning that had a lot of hardships and displaced generations of Families.    As soon as I get back on my feet I want to travel back there may be a meetup will come about to share our memories.  Might even miss the Trout Winter stocking this year.  

[bwd172]

My dad's friend lost his cabin due to Tocks. Last name was Frickie, he was the owner if Frickie's Old Hook Inn in Westwood, Beegen County. His cabin was along the Flatbrook, just upstream of Buttermilk Falls. He told my dad to hunt anywhere up on the hillside. Well, one 6 day, a mountain man who lived on the hill came upon my dad and shived his shotgun in my dads dad's face.  "You're on my land." My father explained that Frickie said it was ok, the mountain man said its not. Afterward, my dad told Frickie this, and Frickie said "Yeah, that guy's crazy, dont hunt there." My dad was a little pissed on him not telling about the crazy guy. 

If any of you are on Facebook, search for the Walpack Historical Society. They do open houses, presentations, and preserve as much of the town as possible. 

[toxo]

4 hours ago, 230jhp said:

Sounds like you are talking about Pompey Mountian AKA Walpack Knob. I have been hunting since the 1960's, but I have never seen the remaining chimney from an old house.

There was an old dirt road on the right across from the black top on the big bend in the flatbrook where the state stocked,just past where the black top road splits.The chimney was at the top of the road. There was a working farm a little further down the blacktop road also on the mountain to the right.Its a beautiful area! We used to camp at  Mrs.B's campground one of the only families that fought and kept their land.

Edited October 16, 2018 by Dinger

[68Ioweu1]

My safe word is pineapple....