Creek Falls Info..

[notmYJ]

So I was rifle'in around the archives and found a few old threads about the history of the falls.

Was wondering if anyone had ANY info on the area. It seems there is TONS of history tied to that place. Not looking for anything in particular just general info or history or first hand stories on teh property, the falls, etc.

Rumor has it that the falls ar 100ft or so deep. I might bring a long rope with a wieght on it this sun just to check....

[TimMichaels]

I've heard tons of stories about that place but don't know any exact history. I do know that it was once the site of a mill of some sort which I believe had a waterwheel under the falls. There's parts of the foundation nearby if you look hard enough.

I know it is absurdly deep. I couldn't give you an actual depth, but I've jumped from every spot there and never managed to hit anything. A few of my friends have even tried diving down and couldn't hit anything. One old legend says there's an old steam engine below the falls. Apparently it derailed and rolled down the hill. Some say it can be seen if there's a lot of storms as the swifter currents wash off the dirt from it... I tried going there after some heavy storms once but the current was so swift and so high you could see less than when its calm, so who knows.

The surounding area is full of history and was once much more civilized than it is now. Amongst the different mines and other industries, the oldest and most prominent remnants in that area is the nearby Alliance Furnace. It was an old blast iron furnace built along the banks of Jacob's Creek in the 1700's. Supposedly this was the first or one of the first iron furnaces built west of the Appalacians and almost singlehandedly supplied iron to the frontier for quite some time. I had once been told that they supplied a lot of the ammunition for muskets during the Revolutionary War, but I'm not sure if there's any truth to that... I think I may have read once that it did not go into operation until after that. Today it's almost just a pile of ruble and is supposedly haunted.

I'll post more if anything else comes to mind. Hope this helps.

[gonecheenin]

History rocks

[Wrecker]

That is what got me into offroading in the first place. See old stuff that you cant see just going down the raod.

[stesul411]

The local VFD does some diving training at the falls, one of the divers told me he was down 80' and still had no sign of the bottom.

[Muzikman]

I read something some where that the falls area was part of the town "Chaintown" There were a few grist mills, saw mill, and two cemeteries.

[DMG]

The local VFD does some diving training at the falls, one of the divers told me he was down 80' and still had no sign of the bottom.

If someone does find the bottom there will be a lot of old cars there.

[scrambled]

That is what got me into offroading in the first place. See old stuff that you cant see just going down the raod.

Yah, I know what you mean wrecker, old houses, garage doors, small trees. I notice you said offroading, not four wheeling, I dont think old Ford LTD's have a transfer case......

[scrambled]

Where is Creek Falls? it sounds like a really cool place...

[mudforblood]

Yah, I know what you mean wrecker, old houses, garage doors, small trees. I notice you said offroading, not four wheeling, I dont think old Ford LTD's have a transfer case......

No way!!! I "offroaded" a LTD with the spare engine in the trunk. The extra weight in the rear made it go pretty good. Plus the trunk lid shut all of the way with a V8 in there. Do that with a honda.

The only more capable rig was a 73' galaxie 500 with snow tires. It's like boat mud racing. Made good use of the rockers.

Off topic: WTF is up with this smilie? Seems a little gay.

[ComChewy]

Hey notmYJ: Here are some the things that I found American Whitewater Jacobs Creek, Pa Chaintown to Youghiogheny River.
Or the search Creek Falls Chaintown PA
Geocaching

Jason: Now you have to explain what a Grist Mill was……


Later

Mark

[scrambled]

[quote=mudforblood]No way!!! I "offroaded" a LTD with the spare engine in the trunk. The extra weight in the rear made it go pretty good. Plus the trunk lid shut all of the way with a V8 in there. Do that with a honda.

The only more capable rig was a 73' galaxie 500 with snow tires. It's like boat mud racing. Made good use of the rockers.

Tell you what, that old LTD went some places I couldnt believe. Its amazing how good something can do offroad when you dont give a shit what happens to it!!!!!

[stesul411]

Where is Creek Falls? it sounds like a really cool place...

There is a ride there on Sunday.

Please see the post in the rides section.

[stesul411]

[quote=scrambled]

No way!!! I "offroaded" a LTD with the spare engine in the trunk. The extra weight in the rear made it go pretty good. Plus the trunk lid shut all of the way with a V8 in there. Do that with a honda.

The only more capable rig was a 73' galaxie 500 with snow tires. It's like boat mud racing. Made good use of the rockers.

Tell you what, that old LTD went some places I couldnt believe. Its amazing how good something can do offroad when you dont give a shit what happens to it!!!!!

Sounds like my dads old 69 Buick LeSabre, that bitch would go about anywhere

[mudforblood]

[quote=scrambled]

No way!!! I "offroaded" a LTD with the spare engine in the trunk. The extra weight in the rear made it go pretty good. Plus the trunk lid shut all of the way with a V8 in there. Do that with a honda.

The only more capable rig was a 73' galaxie 500 with snow tires. It's like boat mud racing. Made good use of the rockers.

Tell you what, that old LTD went some places I couldnt believe. Its amazing how good something can do offroad when you dont give a shit what happens to it!!!!!

That was the LTD's last ride before the junkyard so it was definitely fun.

As for the Galaxie, I drove that for awhile. I know from experience it sleeps four easily, another four could prolly fit in the trunk. That thing was huge, IIRC it was 25 feet long. 3 feet longer than a 75 caddy eldorado. Ohhh!!! brings back memories.

[Muzikman]

Jason: Now you have to explain what a Grist Mill was……

A grist mill used large stone wheels to grind grain. One of the best local examples of a grist mill is at McConnells Mill up off 422.

[HeepH8erTy]

holy crap! sounds like some pretty awesome stuff up there...im even more excited to go now. Looks like i will have to be bringing the film SLR on sunday so i can pics for photo class I kno wer splitting up in groups...so when we do, can u guys make sure the kid in the hardbody and the kid in the toyota get paired up with people that know the area good and like sightseeing thanks! hahaha


-ty

[Wrecker]

It was a 75 LTD. Speed can carry you far. It was the backup car for the 70 Monte 396. The ltd dash was bigger than my desk.

[bigfoot5806]

Stesul411
The local VFD does some diving training at the falls, one of the divers told me he was down 80' and still had no sign of the bottom.

Steve is right. We have been back there diving. I have been straight down about 65' and still haven't touched bottom. There is a slight undertow back under the rocks from the falls. I haven't run into any cars or railcars. Lots of junk, rocks, and sediment. If you ever swim there PLEASE becareful becasue I don't want to have to drag anybody's butts out of there on the ambulance or for fire dept.

[TimMichaels]

holy crap! sounds like some pretty awesome stuff up there...im even more excited to go now. Looks like i will have to be bringing the film SLR on sunday so i can pics for photo class I kno wer splitting up in groups...so when we do, can u guys make sure the kid in the hardbody and the kid in the toyota get paired up with people that know the area good and like sightseeing thanks! hahaha


-ty

Don't get too excited... the area is horribly trashed. The falls look like crap because some assholes go and spraypaint all over the cliffs, and partiers leave trash everywhere. Not to mention all the burnt out cars. Take some trash bags along.

[bookfiend]

Tons of history there:

http://www.oldindustry.org/PA_HTML/Pa_Alliance.html

http://paironworks.rootsweb.com/fayalliance.html

Here is one of the cemeteries (only one I've found there), which seems to be taken care of by someone, you can see it's not overgrown. And it is in BFE on game lands:



An 1809 grave there, mostly illegible:



The Alliance Furnace. If you read the history pages about the original investors, the 'supposed haunting' involves Peter Marmie. He was said to have gone broke running it and pushed his hounds into the furnace when he couldn't feed them. Supposedly you may hear hounds baying in the moonlight, but I've never heard them. Some retellings say he jumped in after them:



More ruins near the furnace. I have pictures of the mill ruins near the falls (not processed yet), but they are just foundation remnants anyway.



And even though the falls are 'trashed' (not when me and my crew are around), you can still get some nice pictures there.



Years ago, when I started going there, a group of regular quadders used to get together with the gun club and clean up and actually sandblasted the falls a few times I understand. Come down in the summer and you'll see why it's so hard to keep clean, the teenagers absolutely flock there, like in the hundreds sometimes. Go through various older picture albums of trips to the falls, most of those hulked cars are gone (thank you Sam if you're reading this), and most of what is there is newer. I see how it could be hard to tell one hulk from the other though.

[Bill]

it is gorgeous there...

[jeepxj3]

I know I have jumped off those rocks on the left back in the day.

[notmYJ]

I was jumping off those rocks last summer, tons of fun...


That is the kind of history I was looking for. Oddly, I have never seen any of the ruins before....

[cityslicker]

I heard George Washington used to own that land, which isn't all that surprising since he owned tons of land around. here.

Nick told be the Furnace was for making cannon balls during the civil war.