There's a lot of history in the Pine Barrens. For example, the Batona Trail used to go right through Batona Camp and across Skit Branch (what locals call a creek). I guess the bridge probably fell apart back in the 1970s or 1980s, but you can still see the pilings, and the old trail is still there on the other side of Skit Branch.

One time we took a hike to Hampton Furnace. There's not much there but a foundation (the furnace opened in roughly 1795 and was in operation until around 1850), but it's still fun to see and remember those bygone days when bog iron was big. Hampton Furnace may have produced cannonballs and shot for the War of 1812.

hamptonfurnace.jpg

http://www.sitesofnj.com/Hampton_Fur...nace_Main.html

There's other stuff that some of us find fascinating, like the bridge (called Unbridge, for some reason) crossing the Batsto River at Lower Forge. The bridge has been gone for 40 years. However, I was once hiking on the other side of the Batsto and encountered these two cyclists wandering around looking lost. They had this ancient map and I asked what they were looking for. I looked at the map and laughed my butt off when I realized they were looking for Unbridge. They were disappointed they had to go all the way down to Quaker Bridge to cross the Batsto and get to Lower Forge.