Author Topic: Interesting find at Perley's Mills  (Read 5846 times)

Dana Deering

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Interesting find at Perley's Mills
« on: June 08, 2009, 05:50:40 AM »
     On Sunday 6/7 I was at camp on Hancock Pond and took my nieces and nephew on one of our "Spike Walks" on the B&SR ROW from Swamp Road Crossing to Perley's Mills.  There has been a lot of logging activity at Perley's over the years since the railroad quit and the station and siding area has been graded or bulldozed a few times and the ROW widened to allow for the passage of logging equipment, so there's not a lot of physical evidence of the RR on the surface.  We were walking near the station site almost to the pond when I spied a track bolt.  We had found one earlier in the walk and the two were of very different sizes.  I surmise that the smaller one I found at Perley's was from the Team Track siding since it would have been laid with lighter rail than the mainline.  This is the first artifact I have ever found at Perley's Mills and the only evidence I've seen that is left from the siding.  As you can tell, I thought it was pretty cool.  We found two spikes along the way, too.  Oh, and I was wearing my Return of the Rails tee shirt, to keep things "official". ;D

Glenn Christensen

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Re: Interesting find at Perley's Mills
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2009, 08:46:21 AM »
Hi Dana,

I think its neat anytime you can find a real two foot object along the right of way!  Congrats!

Its been many years since I've walked that area and I'm curious about the current state of the right of way south of Perleys, across the marshy area around Sucker Brook and all the way down to the small pair of abutments some distance north of the later West Sebago station site.  When I was there last, the ROW just south of Perleys had been dug for gravel and the marshy area around Sucker Brook was both overgrown and looked like it had been eroded by some sloughing underneath.  Has the area changed any?


Best Regards,
Glenn
« Last Edit: June 08, 2009, 01:40:08 PM by Glenn Christensen »

Dana Deering

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Re: Interesting find at Perley's Mills
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2009, 09:17:03 AM »
Hi Glenn,

     The ROW is actually in better shape than it's been in years.  The local snowmobile and ATV clubs have been very active in maintaining and repairing the trail that uses the old ROW.  They worked to remove a beaver dam that was causing a flowage that threatened to wash away the ROW through "the Meadows", along Sucker Brook.  The water level dropped significantly and a number of washouts have been filled.  One of the nicest things they have done is to restore the trail where the gravel operation scooped out part of the ROW just south of Perley's.  Now you can walk all the way to Perley's without detouring around the gravel pit/pond and do it dry shod.  It's really nice.  Love 'em or hate 'em the ATVers have done some good things for the old ROW and they churn up artifacts when they pass through! ;)

Glenn Christensen

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Re: Interesting find at Perley's Mills
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2009, 01:39:12 PM »
Thanks Dana, that's really good news!

Those ATVers *DO* deserve a lot of credit when it comes to preserving the B&SR right-of-way. 

Bill Shelley told me he wants to make sure their interests are not overlooked as "Return of the Rails" extends the old B&SR line.  I think that's not only the right thing to do, but its also in the best interests of all parties to embrace a sort of linear park concept.   The land has much to offer loggers, kayakers, canoers, ATV riders, snow-mobilers, nature lovers, hikers, campers, railroaders.  Embracing the "land of many uses" concept allows all groups to benefit from the infrastructure improvements of others and strengthens the constituency for all. 

From the time when Harry Percival first started working on his own, I know WW&F supporters have enthusiastically embraced the concept of being good local neighbors.  That was after all, how the Halloween and Victorian Christmas celebrations first got their start.  From Harry's time, the WW&F has consistently supported the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association and other worthy local initiatives.  Those motivations are both laudable and enlightened and are an important part of why I still feel so privileged to be a member.


Sincerely,
Glenn