enlarge 115KB, 800x600 1 IMG 0745 The dam at 100 Springs - Back in my youth, this was filled with trout including native brook trout as well as many large lunker browns that were stocked by Butch Snyder (Caretaker of 100 Springs for Westvaco Paper Co.) and his brothers. Butch kept a watchful eye for poachers who would try to catch these beauties.
enlarge 126KB, 600x800 2 IMG 0746 The upper end of the dam. There are still some brook trout in the dam. One of the most exciting times when I was a kid was the annual "moss" cleaning of the dam. They would build a wooden screen below the dam and open the spill gate and net the fish, which were put back into the dam after the "moss" (underwater weeds that looked like moss) was removed. The water roiling out of the spillway, the netting of big fish, and the workers raking up the "moss" was an really something to see.
enlarge 94KB, 800x600 3 IMG 0747 Looking back to the pumphouse. Just above the intake there was a triangular guard that kept branches and logs from being sucked in. Just underneath it lurked a huge brown trout more than 2 feet long. On the other side of the dam you can see a concrete wall that separates the dam from what we called the "little stream", which bypassed the dam and drained directly into the Juniata River. We used to test ourselves by walking along the top of that wall (6-8" wide) with the water on one side and an 8-10' drop on the other side. It was always scary going down a series of steps midway down the dam. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do that on this trip.
enlarge 205KB, 800x600 4 IMG 0748 100 Springs is named for a number of springs which bubble up from underground. This is the stream just above the dam.
enlarge 198KB, 800x600 5 IMG 0749 One of the springs. There are two of these concrete structures about 50 feet apart. When I was a kid, both springs had water flowing from them, but today only this one does, with a lot of water coming up from in front of the concrete pool.
enlarge 196KB, 600x800 6 IMG 0750 Hundred Springs used to be a Park that was the summer destination for hundreds of people. This concrete structure (as well as one about 50 feet to the right of this picture) were built as part of the park amenities. The Railroad would stop nearby and "hacks, carriages, and bicycles carry their quota during the season...There they laugh at the climbing mercury, while they drink nature's own beverage, which needs no ice to cool it." (Tyrone of Today 1897) It still tastes as good today.
enlarge 196KB, 600x800 7 IMG 0751 The "Pipe" - this carries the "little stream" over a marshy area and a larger stream beyond. When I was little I was able to walk inside this pipe to the other end (very exciting). We always liked to walk on top of it. Back in the 40's and 50's, it was a smooth metal pipe, but they've replaced some sections with corrugated pipe, which makes for a more difficult crossing today.
enlarge 179KB, 600x800 8 IMG 0752 Looking at the stream (taken from on top of the "Pipe"). Note the large number of skunk cabbage.
enlarge 197KB, 800x600 9 IMG 0753 A little ways up from the "Pipe", you can see this concrete bridge over the "little stream". Much overgrown now, It is part of the original 100 Springs Park amenities.
enlarge 197KB, 600x800 10 IMG 0755 Another spring - This one is filled with water cress.
enlarge 188KB, 600x800 11 IMG 0754 Looking 180 degrees from the previous photo, the path continues up along the main stream (paralleling the "hollow" road to Warrior's Mark) the path and the stream end at a large spring just below an old overgrown orchard (it was overgrown 60 years ago - now it has disappeared) At the spring is an elegant curved concrete wall, abandoned and forgotten.
enlarge 196KB, 800x600 12 IMG 0756 I headed up the hill towards "Bald Knob" and found these dogwood trees blooming.
enlarge 55KB, 800x600 13 IMG 0757 Dogwood flowers
enlarge 50KB, 800x600 14 IMG 0758 Close up of dogwood flowers.
enlarge 182KB, 800x600 15 IMG 0759 Also these creeping violets.
enlarge 95KB, 800x600 16 IMG 0761 Close up of violet.
enlarge 179KB, 800x600 17 IMG 0760 Heading back down the hill, I hit the old logging road at the headwaters of the "little stream". When we were kids we built a shelter by those trees, and had a lot of fun. One of the things that always amazed me was that I found a crayfish in the stream here.
enlarge 167KB, 600x800 18 IMG 0762 Heading back on the "upper road". We used to shoot "Mark" at about this point as there was an earthen bank where we could put our targets.
enlarge 183KB, 800x600 19 IMG 0763 Looking up into the woods, you can see the lush undergrowth.
enlarge 191KB, 600x800 20 IMG 0764 Looking down from the "upper road" down into what we called the "jungle" - a flat basin filled with rhododendrons that was almost impossible to cross.
enlarge 177KB, 600x800 21 IMG 0765 Heading back on the upper road.
enlarge 176KB, 800x600 22 IMG 0766 A good shot of the rhododendron "jungle".
enlarge 184KB, 600x800 23 IMG 0767 A bend in the road.
enlarge 207KB, 600x800 24 IMG 0768 Looking down on the "lower" road - this is just above the "Pipe".
enlarge 192KB, 800x600 25 IMG 0769 A little further on we can look down and see the "Pipe".
enlarge 187KB, 600x800 26 IMG 0770 Looking down the upper road.
enlarge 207KB, 800x600 27 IMG 0771 You can see the dam through the trees on the right. This was a great sled riding trail, although I once slid off the side of the trail, hitting a tree after which I ended up in the hospital.
enlarge 210KB, 600x800 28 IMG 0772 Looking back to the start of the sled riding trail.
enlarge 173KB, 800x600 29 IMG 0773 Our old house from the upper road.
enlarge 130KB, 800x600 30 IMG 0774 The 100 Springs House where I grew up. This old stone building was once a mill that ground flour. The mill wheel was located at this end of the house at the sloping stone wall.
enlarge 103KB, 800x600 31 IMG 0775 There were three apartments -we had the upstairs apt entering by the white door at the center of the long side. My room was in the attic, and you can see the single window in the gable end. The Snyders lived in the lower apt under us. The Stroms lived in a two story apt at the south end. When we lived there, the 2nd story porch extended the full width of the building but did not have a roof.
enlarge 115KB, 800x600 32 IMG 0776 The pumping station. The basement entrance at this end of the building led down into a dark damp dungeon like room that we used to store our night crawlers before going up to Canada for a vacation. The dam is beyond the embankment past the pumping station.
