Abandoned Road Leads to Magical Discovery

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[@ryan.e.reinbold]

My uncle use to live back in there in the area you did the first video in. The state had bought his land and paid to move his house. He now lives not far from the old location in the same house.

[@barbaraerbe3926]

Those crocuses were an amazing sight, and you were lucky enough to see them in bloom.

[@lindadonahue9279]

It would be wonderful if there were photos of this community when it was alive and populated. So heartbreaking that those folks had to give up their homes. Thank you for taking us along, Cliff.

[@kateclark7250]

Those crocuses are gorgeous! You maybe the only person to see them for decades. Thank you for filming the bees. This was wonderful, Cliff! You were in the right place at the right time.

[@leighmitcler3320]

Wow, the crocuses...never have I seen that many. It is magical and one I'd visit every Spring. Thanks for taking us there. Your explorations are always interesting.

[@jayforkner2692]

It's hard to believe that just 10 days after Cliff recorded this video, a snow squal moved through and 30 miles up Interstate 81. This happened (following is part of a tweet from a PA trooper) confirms 6 fatalities and 24 injured in the I-81 N pileup crash that occurred on Monday, March 28.

[@ArthurStone]

Thanks. Interesting to see such relatively-modern archaeology; it's amazing how quickly nature reclaims it.

[@kellysouter4381]

She's no slouch.

[@ryan.e.reinbold]

As a kid my father use to take us fishing in the park before route 72 was moved to its current location.

[@mamapillow8365]

Absolutely fabulous! This is why we wander.

[@cynthiaarnold5807]

That is one of my favorite places to walk and ride bike. My mom cut off a piece of forsythia back off that v road a long time ago. They grew and my dad gave me 2 plants off the original bush. I still have them in my yard. My dad is gone but I think of him every spring when they bloom. The crocus were beautiful.. Nice video. Thanks Cliff.

[@IamValentina66]

Excellent

[@jackdavis5622]

I love to be rambling through the woods and find something like that. My favorite thing to do is discover old places that people once inhabited. Good video.

[@nicolewhittemore8441]

Saying hello from Lititz Pa

[@TimeForNature1]

I feel so sad for the people who were made to leave their piece of Paradise. I absolutely loved this adventure! Thank you!

[@benlaw4647]

Absolutely beautiful! Love nature ! Thanks and God bless 🙏

[@jenniferbutcher8393]

Oh wow! Those little snow crocus really naturalized! So beautiful. Loved the creek too!

[@user-David-Alan]

Amazing Crocuses. Stay well and be safe.

[@sheilalaing8457]

You took this hike on my birthday!

[@Julie-ms9ss]

Happy Birthday 🎂

[@sheilalaing8457]

@@Julie-ms9ss thank you!

[@lindamccaughey6669]

Gosh I loved that. I remember planting freesias and croqui in my garden and they both spread everywhere and the perfume was heady. Spring is very pretty. That area would have been beautiful to live in. That hike was a real delight. Thanks so much for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care

[@lindagolden9892]

Such a delightful find to end your hike on. Thanks for sharing this colorful forest wonderland. 🌸

[@mgratk]

Another great one. EVERYONE like, subscribe, comment, and share too, help grow Cliff's channel. Such mixed emotions about that area. Beautiful, but also tragic example of authoritarian governmental overreach. It makes me sick that the politicians who stole that land for no reason probably got voted right back into office. Eh well, we grabbed that land for nothing, let's call it a park and leave open well holes for the serfs and animals to fall into.

[@stewartthompson72]

It is always nice when you find something interesting when you find something interesting at the end of a road or trail. That was quite the display of crocuses growing wild. Great discovery Cliff.

[@SueGirling68]

Hi Cliff, I used to love going off trail and just seeing what I can find. Those Crocuses were so pretty sat amongst the thorns. Thank you for sharing, much love. xx ❤

[@sheilaedquist9552]

Wonderful share!! Thankyou for letting me tag along. This made my day!😊

[@carolb29]

what a great find! just beautiful.

[@karencaddle7288]

Love the crocuses, my few little are leaving now and the daffodils are up with buds! Thank you for another wonderful video!

[@ProfSaxby]

The fact that you were exploring an old trail, then found a field of crocuses, then started talking about Narnia.. is exactly why I'm subscribing to this channel. great stuff.

[@daveyjoweaver6282]

What beauty you discovered WW! I was feeling the disappointment of those past land owners who were forced to leave that beautiful area. Certainly it looked different back then but it must have been hard. I wonder if those people found places to live as beautiful? Thanks Kindly WW! Great Adventures and Joy of Being to You! DaveyJO in Pennsylvania

[@claramiller3947]

Beautiful place! enjoyed the hike, thank you for sharing!!!

[@dayhikedave]

Fun.Good one! Thanks.

[@cliffordfreeman7829]

That was a cool exploration,damn nice area.

[@billstarr9396]

You know Cliff a bit of map research would help you out quite a bit in exploring areas such as in Swatara State Park. Older US Geological Survey quadrangle topographic maps are still available with survey dates going back as far as 1900, and sometimes older. I have had a lot of luck finding old USGS topo maps at some public libraries, but much better luck in libraries at local colleges. They are typically in the reference materials section of these libraries, but you can make Xerox copies of them though. The great thing about USGS topo maps is that old roads, buildings, bridges, cemeteries, etc. are featured on them. Just a thought that might be quite helpful for you.

[@breathless8075]

Very thoughtful and obviously quite interested in the subject yourself. Thanks for sharing.

[@Davidrhk8hm]

When I went to Hamilton College (Clinton NY) Oh! so many years ago I had a part time job being the curator of the topographic map collection. The college was a Federal Map Depository so we automatically got the new maps when they came out. My job was to file maps that people had used (just like the library - don't shelve your returned books so we can put them where they belong). When new maps would come in I'd pull the previous edition and put the new map in its place (it was a small room so there wasn't enough space to keep the old ones). The old maps were left in a stack so the two geology professors could look for geomorphic features or see if there was some interesting geology in the area. The rest were considered scrap so I would take them with me. I made envelopes from them or cut them up for letter writing on the back side. I even used them for Xmas present wrapping paper. The US Geological Survey also has a web site were you can download topos. They are trying to include older maps and when I moved on retirement to be near my son I checked out our quadrangle and they had them back to the 30's.

[@imahick5723]

I really enjoyed this hike. It's amazing how different the woods can be at different times of the year. I bet the area you were in would be impossible to find because of the brambles and thickets in a few weeks.

[@wanderingoutyonder]

Nice to start seeing some signs of spring!

[@rickyt3961]

thanks for the hike! 🌲

[@Julie-ms9ss]

So pretty ! 💐 Thanks for sharing. 💐

[@janecharlton6780]

The crocuses were stunning .

[@rosiebray9373]

Beautiful hike, I live in a desert so all the trees and water are so lovely to see. Thanks for the video, be well, stay safe and enjoy the great spring weather. See you next time !

[@nickmad887]

Thank you.

[@b.a.morgan-cicippio8107]

What a lovely sight!

[@johnhinderliter9382]

If you ever get out Pittsburgh way I would love to go hiking to some of our weird abandoned places in the woods. It's my favorite thing.

[@lookingforthebigguyricklas5503]

I'm in Verona PA

[@wes11bravo]

Observatory Hill/Nor'side Pittsburgh!

[@johnrichard6639]

I'm from Lebanon, that area in the 70's was THE SITE of several large living history events inc. The EASTERN PRIMITIVE RENDEZVOUS. ON another subject there use to be a small, rural airport, couple small buildings a grass and maintained runway with a wind sock! This was for small aircraft single engine type such as a wing over Piper. Really ENJOY YOUR VIDEOS, YOUR THE GREATEST "WOODSMAN" . KEEP 'ER GOING!😊😊

[@johnrichard6639]

Ps: we use to call th airport, THE PINE GROVE AIRPORT!

[@bdickinson6751]

Did you attend the Rendezvous? I was there when the rains came and flooded the field area where everyone was set up.

[@johnrichard6639]

Reply to B. Dickinson yes I was at ThE Eastern in 1988 & pa long hunters Rifle Frolic in 1989. Enjoy living history

[@kennethzullick6897]

Awesome video!

[@walterlangston4484]

find some old wells on my trips from time to time had A dream one time about falling in one hope I never do

[@wilfredomendez3450]

Beautiful day indeed, thanks for sharing 👍

[@lindam.5605]

Fun stuff. Thank you.

[@lynnmaupin-simpson1215]

Beautiful day. Beautiful place.

[@jwsibelievehikeandfly2272]

Wonderful find !!!!!!🌸🌸🌸🌸

[@Devdevbruh]

I love your videos. Love from Leesport PA

[@jonnyboom5993]

I found a place just like that this spring except it is filled with daffodils.

[@tmpatklk]

Thank you, Cliff. You did a great job capturing the beauty of the park where nature has been reclaiming the land. You found some treasures which adds to the interest of your video. The carpet of flowers was especially awesome.

[@bekleidungu.ausrustung7068]

That was awesome Cliff! You took really nice video shots of the bees in the crocuses. You could use them as thumbnails for springtime. I felt when you were finding all kinds of stuff at every turn, it reminded me of your explore of Bear Gap. I also think there was a small community among the flat areas up top. probably a bunch of homes up there at one time.

[@lightwavz]

That was great! Thank you!

[@joybaker4559]

Love seeing those beautiful Crocuses.

[@johnpappe3289]

I think that white basin you were looking at was a bedpan. The crocuses are beautiful.

[@judydavenport9636]

That whole area is amazing. Esp the pretty flowers. Like I always say. It would be neat to go back in time to see how the area looked with the houses and roads lived in and used. Ty for sharing your adventures with us.

[@alexandria8255]

That was so cool and loved all the crocus'...'Narnia' what a perfect name for that magical place!

[@heden1460]

Nice find you have there. I would love to see all those crocuses. Wow.

[@Witchofthewoods.]

That tiny bit of 💜 lavender color in an otherwise brown, dead area was showing you It's coming back to life. That was beautiful. 🌺Someone had to leave that gorgeous piece of nature with a babbling Brook. I'd love to have land like that. The bees were busy pollinating! 🪄 🐝 🐝 🐝 How cute!

[@terryewing4446]

Keep it up.

[@idrobinhood]

Perfect place to metal detect.

[@justwatching190]

It’s like a secret garden! Loved this!💖

[@thehometownhistorian2398]

I believe the road you were on led to the village of Murray. It was part of the overall area of Greenpoint. There was a rail station near there for the Reading Railroad called Murray Station. I'll do some more research but it was a cool area. Great video Cliff!

[@superditdit48]

Old King's Highway on Cape Cod ( rt 6A) has carpets of crocuses along the roadside as you drive. It is breathtaking. Thanks for the hike. stay safe.

[@tarahill2193]

That was lovely 😍. I really enjoyed our walk. Thankyou 💖

[@tfox285]

How sad for those people to have lost their homes for a project they ended up never doing.

[@judysandyalldred8882]

Beautiful area but so sad they were forced to move.

[@rickjohnson5386]

Lived in ole virginny there was a lot of old roads and log cabins still buried in the woods. That's old clay piping you found.

[@ruthgoebel723]

I used to live on the old Rt. 443. The old road still has the macadam and lane lines on it last time I was there back in the early 2000’s. There were two big spruce trees in our front yard. That is the only way I can tell where our property was. It is LOADED ticks back there! 😖. Yes, it was a lovely place to grow up! The only place where I think there could have been all those crocuses is where old Rt. 443 curved off to the right. There were some houses back there. Might have to get the family back there for a hike again. Thanks for sharing!

[@markreep7841]

New to your channel, enjoying, thanks. Brings back memories of bottlehunting with my dad. Find a lilac blooming in the woods, there'd usually be remains of a stone foundation nearby. Three dams were built up here in North Central PA following the floods of the early-mid 1970s, and many homes, cemeteries, small communities were moved or razed. Guessing bulldozing may have encouraged initial spread of the crocuses as well.

[@mikearmstead8358]

You videoed this on my birthday, lol, your videos are interesting and very educational. Thanks for showing your videos

[@btraven6027]

Thank you. A joy!

[@mikebacchus8836]

Both bees and rodents love to eat crocuses, ours are just blooming today here in illinois. Also blooming is iris reticulata, my snowdrops aren't even up yet, lol.

[@serendipitouslydivine824]

That was magical indeed. Your video of the bees in the crocuses is phenomenally beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing. ,

[@mlbolts72]

Thx 4 sharing another cool adventure 😎 🌵🌴🌾

[@isabellflorence4956]

Nature undisturbed adorns itself. What a beautiful place. Thanks for sharing!

[@tomtransport]

Cool, thanks Cliff.

[@bpomeroy3]

What an incredible find! Look for something and explore, you find things. It's out there. Even locals would say, "I didn't know that was there."

[@kingarthur666.6]

Fantastic video thank you so much please keep them coming stay safe Godspeed

[@dancinrain8307]

Old fashioned crocuses would multiply by spreading new bulbs. The untouched area is perfect for them to reproduce. Beautiful!

[@vickisawyer7405]

once crocuses start, they do become wild and go everywhere they can (except in my latest yard - they all died). Great exploration, I love old homesites...thank you for the video.

[@rikspector]

Cliff, That's proof that Crocus' don't Croak:) It amazing to me how, long after the people and homes are gone, so many types of plants survive and continue to spread. I'm getting older and "spreading" also, but a bit differently Cheers, Rik

[@jimdorazio3883]

Really enjoy your history videos. I’m in my mid 70’s and enjoy visiting history of PA. Getting old=shorter wandering. Anyway, when you show your map locations, would be nice if you show on a PA map of the location before you tighten it up for a closer map view. Just for a perspective of where in the state the location is located. Great job WW! I’m a history nerd, so your videos are great! Thanks!

[@eichfelder1951]

What a delightful find. Over time crocus naturalize and spread.

[@philipcallicoat3801]

Appreciate your background music, courtesy of the song birds 🌹... Thanks for sharing...

[@johncollete675]

Those pieces of tile look like the well tile we used when I was a kid about 70 7ears ago.

[@dinahjackson8146]

Those are WILD CROCUS ! 😊😊😊

[@williammccartney4833]

I have alway loved to take walks in the woods of Pennsylvania never know what you might find I have found some interesting stuff have a great year of exploring

[@joseleswopes1400]

Crocuses will Bloom through the snow 😁 that is how people would know spring is coming, they would be the first to show up 🌹

[@tammydobson3174]

The flowers multiply just by nature....that is why so many!!!!

[@PhilOutsider]

Great video.

[@johannesnel8875]

WE call those crocuses "rain lily" in South Africa. When they flower, it is usually about 3 days before it rains.

[@wes11bravo]

Amazing that the telephone/power pole lead is still running along the abandoned highway.

[@ronheitz988]

They were going to build a huge reservoir but first they said there were endangered turtles there and then they couldnt figure out how to keep the mine water out of the reservoir either so they scratched the project. Had a relative that lived on the other side of the swatty who the government strongarmed out of it.

[@joseleswopes1400]

In Colorado we have Crocuses, Columbine state flower, and wild Iris, lavender and heather 😁🌹 they're easy to transplant

[@akbauer2525]

The crocuses left on their own went wild.

[@lovesmashbox]

Where I live in Farmington NY we have a bunch of crocus we didn't plant and the next door neighbor has alot too .so beautiful....

[@louisefarley8285]

Wish I was there autumn here in Australia cheers

[@rcague]

5/18/2023 - Cliff, I enjoyed the video on Swatara State Park, the ‘crocus’ edition. We had a trip down to Lebanon today and followed the highway from Lickdale to Suedberg. Stopped at the old bridges (and new replacement), crossed over the bridge to old Rt 72. Turned left and went up to the remaining old bridge at the trailhead. Was it from this spot that you hiked parallel to I-81 to find the old abandoned roads? I’m going to go back and give it a try. Thanks for your video; I see you have a wealth of videos to view! - Dick Ague, Sugarloaf.

[@nettesusan]

It is sad when the state decides to purchase someone’s land, they decide what is a fair price & you have no say in it. It was someone’s home, the flowers you pointed out let you know it was a pride & joy homestead. This is sad because nothing was done but the government got the land anyways. 😢