Abandoned Boys Camp history (NC)

[RAW]

Does anyone know anything about the abandoned boys camp near Sam's Gap on the AT?
I've posted its location on the GoogleEarth community.
No one in the area (that I've talked to) really knows the exact story on the camp's history. Figured I'd try asking here.

The main building




The bunk houses




And the view near Sam's Gap


Anyway, only thing I know is that the camp was shut down a long time ago. Locals used to use the camp as a place to drink and smoke before I-26 came through and cut off the only road access.

Last couple of times I've been there, it has looked as if someone is removing the old, seasoned planks from the buildings. Don't know how they're getting it out or where, but . . . . I should go back up there soon and see what's going on. Those pictures are from late 2006.

[Tennessee Viking]

Did you see a ghost while you were there

I don't...but some friends and I could look into it.

How do you access it?

[generoll]

Very intriguing. I just hiked through there last month and had no idea of its existence. Definitely worth a weekend hike to check it out.

[gunn parker]

HI
What an excellent find, I love it when you just happen across things while out hiking.
I hope you get an answer.
Gunn

[RAW]

No ghosts . . . . but this was definitely creepy.


Here's the Google satellite image of the camp

[No Belay]

Looks like with a weekend of work and cleaning the bunkhouse would make a good trail shelter. Did you find a water source close by?

[RITBlake]

how far off the trail is this? I remember passing something similar somewhere within 20 or 30 miles of daleville?

[RAW]

Looks like with a weekend of work and cleaning the bunkhouse would make a good trail shelter. Did you find a water source close by?

There's a pond nearby (that is visible on the satellite image). And there's a creek. I just can't remember if the creek extends on each side of the pond.

[RAW]

Here's a GoogleEarth screen capture.
The squiggly red line is the Appalachian Trail centerline (that I downloaded from elsewhere . . . and looks a touch off from the satellite pic, IMO). The road in the bottom right corner is I-26.

That should give a better idea of location.

[veteran]

how far off the trail is this? I remember passing something similar somewhere within 20 or 30 miles of daleville?

Terra Server TOPO of the area

[SGT Rock]

I wonder if it is for sale - it would be a good place to put in a hostel.

[RAW]

Sgt.Rock,

I talked to one of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy guys at Trailfest.
He wasn't sure . . . but he thinks that the land is gov't-owned now.

And as far as I know . . . there's no longer any road access.
Next time I'm up there I'm going to check a couple of spots for alternate access though.

[SGT Rock]

I wished I would have known about this place - I would have holed up there that night I got frost bite.

[generoll]

There is a GIS site for Madison County, but I can't quite match up the schematic of the tax parcels with the google earth picture to see who the owner of this is. Maybe someone else would like to take a shot at it?
http://www.landofskygis.org/madisonmaps/viewer.htm

[Tennessee Viking]

I wonder if it is for sale - it would be a good place to put in a hostel.

Definitely be a fixer upper. Then again it would be a steal because Wolf Laurel is just across the interstate.

Sams Gap would seem to be the perfect place to put a hostel. After coming out of Hot Springs and crossing the Bald Mtns after a couple days, and still need make another hard days trek down to Erwin, your just hoping that there is some kind of trail magic going on at the trailhead. A hostel at Sams Gap would be a great business opportunity.

[Tennessee Viking]

And as far as I know . . . there's no longer any road access.
Next time I'm up there I'm going to check a couple of spots for alternate access though.

Raw give me a heads up.

[cavscout]

Not sure how to link to the location but it appears the site is in grids 30, 31, 40 and 41 of the tax map

[d'shadow]

There was a German Prisoner of war camp in the area during World War II. Wonder if the outbuildings are a part of that camp.

[cavscout]

Upon further review (and a bit of sleep) it looks like

9842
984203.tif and 984204.tif
30, 31, 40 and 41

[RAW]

I'm fairly certain that the boys camp falls into the parcel highlighted in blue in the attached picture.

My property is the one labeled as 8739, to the left of the highlighted parcel.