View Full Version : Abandoned Boys Camp history (NC)
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
http://steelgod.smugmug.com/photos/102829474_uoqpL-M.jpg
http://steelgod.smugmug.com/photos/102829435_7xUdd-M.jpg
The bunk houses
http://steelgod.smugmug.com/photos/102829448_zdwGP-M.jpg
http://steelgod.smugmug.com/photos/102829465_QpiP4-M.jpg
And the view near Sam's Gap
http://steelgod.smugmug.com/photos/102829409_PGEDc-M.jpg
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
05-01-2008, 00:35
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
05-01-2008, 08:42
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
05-01-2008, 09:01
HI
What an excellent find, I love it when you just happen across things while out hiking.
I hope you get an answer.
Gunn
No ghosts . . . . but this was definitely creepy.
http://steelgod.smugmug.com/photos/102829426_k5dBy-L.jpg
Here's the Google satellite image of the camp (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=35.952376,-82.568328&spn=0.002957,0.005021&t=h&z=18)
No Belay
05-02-2008, 21:24
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
05-02-2008, 22:00
how far off the trail is this? I remember passing something similar somewhere within 20 or 30 miles of daleville?
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.
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.
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 (http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?lat=35.952376&lon=-82.568328&w=2&s=12&t=2)
SGT Rock
05-04-2008, 18:43
I wonder if it is for sale - it would be a good place to put in a hostel.
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
05-04-2008, 19:14
I wished I would have known about this place - I would have holed up there that night I got frost bite.
generoll
05-04-2008, 21:58
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
05-04-2008, 22:15
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
05-04-2008, 22:24
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
05-05-2008, 01:18
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
05-05-2008, 02:51
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
05-05-2008, 09:00
Upon further review (and a bit of sleep) it looks like
9842
984203.tif and 984204.tif
30, 31, 40 and 41
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.
generoll
05-05-2008, 09:49
If so then that parcel is listed as about 8 or 9 acres and is under private ownership. Does that sound about right?
The parcel I'm looking at comes back with US gov't/Forest Service ownership and is approx. 23 acres.
generoll
05-05-2008, 10:04
well then, that settles that.
SGT Rock
05-05-2008, 10:08
As I understand it talking to FS people, they sometimes work out a land swap if you have a parcle they would like.
Miss Janet
05-05-2008, 19:47
This area is "land locked". My friend owns a small parcel of land that is adjacent to this and his is also"land locked". Meaning there is NO ROAD ACCESS. It kind of stinks that they can build a highway and close up a persons access to thier own property. We have visited the old boys camp a few times. I think some of the lumber there has been, uh, ... recycled for some buildings located nearby. Great pictures!
Yep, last time I was there, some lumber had been "harvested."
My confusion came as I wondered how the harvester was getting the lumber out. :confused:
Which parcel does your friend own?
SGT Rock
05-05-2008, 19:53
Contact Mowgli. At the ruck he talked about past precedence where private land that is land locked by the FS. This precedence requires the FS to provide the road for access.
Miss Janet
05-05-2008, 20:03
I don't know the parcel numbers but I think it is to the left of the boys camp property, opposite from Sams Gap side. He used to own the 50 acres on the other side of the interstate but sold that a few years ago.
Two Speed
05-05-2008, 20:05
Any idea what the price was?
Gray Blazer
05-05-2008, 20:20
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. .
They have several portapotties there.
Miss Janet
05-05-2008, 21:22
Thom sold his 50 acres for 150,000 ish. Several Whiteblaze members looked at it. At the time I wasn't thinking about a new place for Miss Janet's House or I might have looked at it differently!
Two Speed
05-05-2008, 21:33
Okey doke, thanks.
i went up there last week. i saw one set of tracks from an atv and one set of tracks from a horse. it looks like somebody has some tin stacked up to remove from the property. when i was leaving the parking area under the interstate, i noticed the house just south of there is vacant. i wonder if miss janet has checked into this.
generoll
05-13-2008, 19:06
Ms Janet knows about it. The house is a ruin and under new NC zoning laws the lot is too small to build on.