This graphic combines Mike Resnak's photo of today's Isaac Watson House, along with a view from Tom Glover's collection showing the home as it looked 100 years ago.
Fifty-five years ago, the Watson House was always "there", on a dirt road leading down to the swamps south of White City Lake. The road was behind Vic Rice's driving range - just follow the high tension wires and there was the house sitting there vacant. The place was old, but not displayed as a treasure like the Trent House, and it didn't seem to be haunted either, like Bow Hill Mansion.
In my 5th or 6th grade years at Harrison School, word got out that a lot of Indian artifacts were being unearthed at a contruction site for mew homes at nearby Abott's Farm, at the extension of Wescott Drive into the wooded area on the other side of the high tension wire clearing.
The local Boy Scout troops were on the case, and shared some of the findings - amazing projectile points, mortars, flint flakes, pottery shards, and charcoal from ancient fires. Using a pointing trowel and a whisk broom, we were able to dig up a few items, but the site had been pretty well picked over.
We took our findings over to a State of NJ building, on Lalor St. next to Atlantic Mills. A State Archaeologist, Dr. Dorothy Cross, who was gracious in helping us classify our findings.
To kids in the Burg, the White City Lake and Delaware River area was our wilderness to do all sorts of exploring.
This graphic combines Mike Resnak's photo of today's Isaac Watson House, along with a view from Tom Glover's collection showing the home as it looked 100 years ago. 
1 comment:
Fifty-five years ago, the Watson House was always "there", on a dirt road leading down to the swamps south of White City Lake. The road was behind Vic Rice's driving range - just follow the high tension wires and there was the house sitting there vacant. The place was old, but not displayed as a treasure like the Trent House, and it didn't seem to be haunted either, like Bow Hill Mansion.
In my 5th or 6th grade years at Harrison School, word got out that a lot of Indian artifacts were being unearthed at a contruction site for mew homes at nearby Abott's Farm, at the extension of Wescott Drive into the wooded area on the other side of the high tension wire clearing.
The local Boy Scout troops were on the case, and shared some of the findings - amazing projectile points, mortars, flint flakes, pottery shards, and charcoal from ancient fires. Using a pointing trowel and a whisk broom, we were able to dig up a few items, but the site had been pretty well picked over.
We took our findings over to a State of NJ building, on Lalor St. next to Atlantic Mills. A State Archaeologist, Dr. Dorothy Cross, who was gracious in helping us classify our findings.
To kids in the Burg, the White City Lake and Delaware River area was our wilderness to do all sorts of exploring.
Post a Comment