Jay Gaulard Blog

By k. on Mar 17, 2007 | Reply

Did you happen to see the nifty “root cellar” just past the bridge after you make a right from Lower Mine Road onto Reservoir Road?

Hiya. I just stumbled upon your blog. Funny when you said no one from Brewster is probably reading this. Well, I’m not technically from Brewster, but I did spend my middle school years there. Only about a half mile or so from the Croton Falls Reservoir.

In any case, following a renewed interest in the Reservoir Road area, I took a trip up there only about a month or so after you wrote this blog. When I was a kid, we went fishing in the reservoir, and I would play on that root cellar. I also remember seeing fireworks over the reservoir on the Fourth of July. And that single lane underpass! (When we went back up, we forgot to honk. But luckily, the truck coming the other direction didn’t forget!) Fun times. I had no idea at the time that the root cellar apparently predates colonial times. Likewise, I had no idea that that area comprised of very large magnetite mines. Silly me.

So I researched and revisited and discovered so much interesting folklore surrounding that area of my former home! Like the entrance to the Satan Caves, the root cellar has been completely filled in. Unlike the Satan Caves, I’m not sure why. Got some great photos though.

In any case, would love to compare notes about this place! Feel free to email me!

PS Been enjoying your blog in general. I remember Z Cavariccis were considered fabulous in the Eighth Grade. I never bought a pair though, because I thought they were silly. haha.

By Michael Maruzzella on Apr 14, 2007 | Reply

The Satan Caves are really the Croton Magnetic Iron-Ore Mines or more specifically, the Theall & McCollum Mines ( 1880-1889). These mines are commonly called the Satan Caves because in the late 70″s State Troopers were called the site by the nearby tenant ( now deceased and his house razed). On the eve of Halloween 1978, a trooper approached the audit of the mine ( it was a large steel door used to secure a mushroom growing operation in the early 60″s) and found a dead rat at the entrance. Upon exploring further into the mine tunnel, he found lit candles on each railroad ties in the mine as far as he could see. He called out but no one answered, so he eventually left. This story was told to me by a Brewster State Trooper (and Vietnam Veteran) in the late 70’s

The graffiti is really how the mine complex got its name. the owners of the land bulldozed the waste rock up against the steel doors (entrance) because they are afraid of kids getting hurt in the 1,300′ long connecting tunnel. This tunnel connects the Theall Mine to the McCullom shaft ( now collapsed). There is a ventilation shaft behind the mine which is no longer fenced in. There is also a small cave ( mine) on the pond which is now on private property behind the mine. Look for a small peninsula on the right side of the pond as you hike down from the back of the mine. This is called the Hatfield Audit, a mine 130′ long and very shallow water-filled pit. A Girl Scout Camp used to own this property, and behind the fence they placed a flat bottom boat to explore the mine.

If you bushwack back to the entrance ot the Theall & McCullom mine, look to the left or across the the (silver) storage shed, and you will notice a trail leading around the left side of the hill. Follow the trail and look to your left. On the summit of Simewog Hill you will notice four attached cement concentrating bins about 30′ high ( only visible before the tree leaves obscure your view). These are the remnants of Thomas Edison’s ore separating storage ( concentrating works) built around the turn of the century ( 1902). You will find a 19th c. steam engine, an ore crusher, and the terminus of the tramway ( a large pit and cement foundations) that carried the iron ore over the hill to the Harlem Railroad below.

There is some historical reference to an additional ore processing area near Magnetic Mine Road but I have not found any evidence of this. There is a foundation and another storage shed in the opposite direction of the mine along the entrance road. Material on Putnam County mining operations and historical records remain sketchy at best. Additional sources for information on the mines:

The Southeast Museum
The CT Iron Miners @ mikehetman.com
Iron Mine Trails by Edward J. Lenik ( hiker’s guide to mines in NY & NJ)
Minedat.org locates all mines by name and a brief account of mining

I hope this reply has given you additional insights and helped explain
the area in its historical context. Too bad the local schools, the Putnam Historical Society, or the Town of Southeast have not made attempts to preserve the history or make an interpretive site instead of offer the land for sale to private owners.

thanks for reading,
Mike Maz

By Michael Maruzzella on Apr 14, 2007 | Reply

Reply to the mystery tunnels in Ellenville, NY

According to Journal of Silver & Lead Mining Operations
Vol. 1 1853, pages 92-93.
Captain’s Rickard own diary account
Dated 6/1853 - 10/1853

The old Ellenville mine was first abandoned before 1712, and this probably is a reference to the Dutch mining operations. The Wutsboro and Roosa Gap area is on the 100 mile old mine road from the Kingston mines to Port Jervis (old Route 209). According to this Stanford university document, the Ellenville mines are actually two mines, The Old Ellenville Mine, and The Ulster Mine. The lead ore vein varied in thickness from 4″
to 6′ thick. These mines belong to a group of mines referred to as the Shawagunk and Rossie Mining District. Mining periodicals show that the Ellenville mines were worked in 1820 and sporadically till 1853. Statistics exist for four months in 1853 and show that galena or lead ore was mined as follows:
June 48,835 lbs.
July 54,779 lbs.
Aug. 75,860 lbs.
Sept. 132,228 lbs

The vein had been mined at a length of 173 ‘and with an exception of 37′ the entire vein had contained pure lead ore.

According to the Rocks & Minerals report of 1926:
A nearby mine was worked at Redbridge. The principal vein was Coal Hill and mines to a length of 450′ in 1837. The companies that mined in this area were called:

The Great Northern Lead Co.
Mineral Point Lead Mining Co.
The Erie Lead Co.

The cement entrance ( Ellenville tunnel) was build by the Ellenville Water Company which operated a water bottling company in 1907. I have mentioned the mining history of the area. Why does this web page:
Think about it / underground / the Ellenville tunnels - states, there are no historical records of who made the tunnels?

Thanks for reading my reply,
Michael Maruzzella

By gaulardcom on Apr 14, 2007 | Reply

Mike,

Lovin’ these comments! I live near the Ellenville mines and plan on making that a trip this summer.

By the way…are you a website designer?

By Michael Maruzzella on Apr 14, 2007 | Reply

The reference to mikehetman is a Internet link to the best source of information on mining in the NY.NJ. & CT areas. This is Mike Hetman’s website, and by far is the best source of recent mine pics and information I have seen in years.

Unfortunately, most of the machinery, tools, and living quarters in and near the mines have been scavenged by the miners and used in other mining areas. This is why the Croton Magnetic Iron-ore Mines are so unique. Some of the mining equipment and the 1960’s mushroom growing boxes still can be identified at the mine site.

In contrast, at The Tilly Foster Mine, the mining equipment was lost in 1897 due to the flooding of the mine by superintendent Brady, not the raising of water levels in 1904 in the Middle Branch Reservoir. All that remains in the Tilly Foster Mine is the base of the crane (along the road), the 730′ ( last recorded depth of the mine) open water-filled pit, and the later installed U.S. Navy diving platform (used to test diving gear under extreme depth conditions).

Near Simon’s auto wrecking you can still see the superintendent’s house and during the summer months ( when the level of the reservoir remains low), you can distinguish the foundations and chimneys of the original miners shacks near the Putnam Railroad Bridge( abandoned R.R. )
off route 6. the mine was closed in 1895 due due a series of mining accidents culminating with a 100 tons of dislodged rock falling from the northern face of the mine which killed 13 miners. It has been said that you could drop a penny from the top of the mine and it would land in a circle of 100′ at the bottom of the 600′ mine ( depth of the mine before it was closed ).
Other stories about the mine is that it is a “Soprano’s” graveyard,
a dumping ground for stolen cars, and a storage facility for prohibition bootleggers during the 1930’s. The amount of waste rock removed from the mine is staggering and can be seen from both sides of Route 6 ( at the fenced R.R. bridge & past the overpass of the green painted railroad bridge. The Tilly Foster Mine in its heyday was one of the most successful minning operations in the country and the deepest man-made pit North America before the mine was closed.

During the 1960’s a mineralogist used to set up his tent along Route 6 for 2 weeks during the summer months and sell rocks and minerals from the mine. A private collection of rare and unusual minerals taken from the Tilly Foster Mine are on display in the NY State Museum in Albany, NY

postscript

I have spent the last 30 years hiking and taking pictures of mines in the tri-state area. I have searched in public libraries. the Internet, and talked with local residents near mines to gain insights about the history of Putnam mines and the related cottage industries.

Thanks for reading my reply,
Michael Maruzzella

By Roger Morris on Apr 25, 2007 | Reply

Great information and thanks for sharing. Ive been exploring and investigating New York’s Iron mine history for about 2 years now and find the history of this industry amazing. So many people in New York are probably not aware of what went on in the 1800’s. thanks for all your info and for sharing. Roger

By Brian on May 2, 2007 | Reply

Hey, again great info!! …Took a look at the Tilly Foster area, not much is accessible without tresspassing but the open pit and navy dive platfrom were very interesting,. Have pictures if anyone wanted, I was interested in seeing what is at the Theall & McCollum Mine sites. Could you possibly give more detailed account of where to begin a hike in the area? Roads leading there etc. thanks in advance.

Brian

By Dan on Jun 7, 2007 | Reply

Hi Mike, the ellenville tunnel was owned by the sunray water company, but the tunnel was exploratory dug perhaps in the early 18th century. There is no record to its origin. it was not drilled by the water company, but refurbished by them. Property deed records indicate a tunnel on this property back in the 1700’s! I have explored it thorougly and you can find pictures on my site here: http://www.abandonedmines.net/goldmine_prospect.htm

P.S. youll probably recognize Mr Hetman in the photo.

References: Steve Krulick (Former Sunray Employee)

By Kathy Wandelmaier on Nov 19, 2007 | Reply

Does anyone know if the waste rock piles are a good place to find flint? My son is into flintknapping and I want to take him to see the mine (what’s left of it) Maybe he’ll absorb a bit of history in the process or think about a career in geology Probably not a very lucrative career, but scores big on the coolness meter, in my opinion, anyway.
Compliments and thanks for the informative website

Kathy W.

By Rich on Jan 10, 2008 | Reply

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY PICTURES? I used to hike up at the “satan caves” with some friends as teenagers back around 1997. I just recently found out about the demolition of the mine. I still went up to take a look for myself. I couldn’t beleive it. The only thing left standing is the dynamite shed. What a shame! I wish I had taken pictures when the mine was still intact, so I could show my kids the history someday. I just assumed it would always be there, like it was for over a century. If anyone has any pictures to share, I would really appreciate it. Especially pictures of the mine entrance (steel doors), cement concentration bins, and the old steam engine and crusher. If you are willing to share your pic’s, please e-mail me at RMURPHY3@COMCAST.NET. Thanks. Really appreciate it if anyone would like to share the history.