tocks island

Jun 10, 2009 19:59






Tocks Island, located upstream from Delaware Water Gap in the Delaware River was the controversial site of a dam, proposed in the 1950s, which would have created a 37 mile long lake between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with depths of up to 140 feet. Although the dam was never built, 72,000 acres of land were acquired, which became the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.



The Tocks Island Dam Project was under consideration prior to the 1955 flood, which caused several deaths and immeasurable damage to the Delaware River basin. The need for flood control brought the issue to the national level, and in 1965 a proposal was made to Congress for the construction of the dam. The Tocks Island National Recreation Area was to be established around the lake, which would offer recreation activities such as hunting, hiking, fishing, and boating. In addition to flood control and recreation, the dam could be used to generate hydroelectric power, and, more significantly, the water stored in the lake would be pumped to supply water to the cities of New York and Philadelphia.

The United States government began seizing land from residents that lay within the boundaries approved for this unprecedented recreation area. Residents were offered a fraction of the price their land was worth and, if they refused the monetary compensation, their property was condemned. Today, there are few existing structures from the original town of Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania, and there are few remaining from Bushkill, Pennsylvania and other surrounding areas.

On the New Jersey side, much of the area of Pahaquarry Township was taken over, leaving the community with no more than a few dozen residents. On July 2, 1997, Pahaquarry Township, whose population had dwindled to fewer than a dozen people, was dissolved and incorporated into Hardwick Township.

The project eventually collapsed after protesters whose land had been acquired raised the issue of unfair acquisition of land to the American people.

Financial problems also contributed to the demise of the project. With the United States funding the Vietnam War, the allocation of $60 million-$70 million needed to fund such a large scale project was not feasible. Finally, the geology of the area to build the earthen dam was too unstable. The bedrock could not support what would be the largest dam project east of the Mississippi River.

In 1992, the project was reviewed again and rejected with the provision that it would be revisited ten years later. In 2002, after extensive research, the Tocks Island Dam Project was officially de-authorized.

Today, the land is preserved by the National Park Service as the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

(Taken from Wikipedia)




Basement




Stairs to the second floor...those shoes were nailed there.







I was so very scared of hobos and you know, a girl can't go to these kind of places alone. My travel buddy for the day.




Ceiling







Attic




Stairs to the attic




Bathroom




Uncomfortably narrow hallway




Back to the bathroom











































We went in every building except for this one










At first, we were all, "no way are we going in this one, it's all collapsing and sorts!" But when we looked in the front door and saw a certain picture of certain deer, I NEEDED TO GET IN THERE. It was actually a very scary obstacle to get in.




But totally worth it




It was also THE CANDY CANE HOUSE!!!!!NDWJKASBDGASKB










These pictures were not just one building, which I'm sure you could all tell, but I believe they are of six or seven of them!
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