From days long gone by...

[ebinmaine 67,549]

While exploring the woods in Bear Brook State Park we found...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[8ntruck 7,012]

Possible that was a narrow gage logging railroad?  That could place as early as the mid 1800's.

[ebinmaine 67,549]

7 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

Possible that was a narrow gage logging railroad?  That could place as early as the mid 1800's.

Absolutely possible. 

A comment was made on the YouTube video saying similar.  

I wonder if the Park Staff might know. There's some history known to them.  

 

 

[lynnmor 7,307]

Any chance that could have been a dam for a small mill?  Is there area for a mill pond?

[ebinmaine 67,549]

2 hours ago, lynnmor said:

Any chance that could have been a dam for a small mill?  Is there area for a mill pond?

 

 

That was my first thought.

Those water driven mills were extremely popular in this area.

Because of the damage from past flooding it's impossible to know but I leaned away from being a mill site because there's no flat area near the dam opening that would have held a building.

Most of the mill sites in New England had the building sitting pretty much right on top of the stream. It wasn't super common that I'm aware of, to have the drive system in the water and remote from what is being driven.

 

 

[lynnmor 7,307]

13 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

That was my first thought.

Those water driven mills were extremely popular in this area.

Because of the damage from past flooding it's impossible to know but I leaned away from being a mill site because there's no flat area near the dam opening that would have held a building.

Most of the mill sites in New England had the building sitting pretty much right on top of the stream. It wasn't super common that I'm aware of, to have the drive system in the water and remote from what is being driven.

 

 

There are a number of mill sites in PA that has a mill race between the dam and the building, some can be 1/4 mile long.