Red River Gorge

[Rebel - KGC]

Lows in the high 40s here by next weekend (week from Saturday). We are getting some low 70s for highs this weekend though. Camping weather..... !!!

INDEED! GO FOR IT!

 

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[KY Hiker]

I thought this should be posted here as well for those who have interest in the RRGorge.

Well, there is this Bell named drain which contains a fault of geological significance. People always stop along the road here to take pictures of the falls and fill up their water bottles. I have been told there is trace radioactive material found here as well. FYI it is about 1.5 miles as the crow flys from Indian Stairway.
The drain is in the center of the map linked...

https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?l...3&zoom=8&map=auto&coord=d&mode=zoomout&size=m





Rocks and Minerals, Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky

"...Another occurrence of uranium is at Bell Falls in Menifee County. This is in the Red River Gorge and Daniel Boone National Forest and was investigated in 1970-71. No extensive work has been done on this deposit, but it is located in an unnamed coarse sandstone and conglomerate containing coal fragments at the base of the Breathitt formation along the Red River. Analysis by the Atomic Energy Commission in Hutchins (1971) confirmed the anomalous nature of this deposit and reported numerous other uranium anomalies in eastern Kentucky. Another uranium occurrence is in an unnamed limonitic sandstone in Catlettsburg in Boyd County, confirmed by a Southern Interstate Nuclear Board project in 1953.

These sandstone occurrences in eastern Kentucky could fit the classic geologic model for sedimentary uranium roll front deposits, similar to deposits in Colorado and Wyoming. The origin of these is probably related to deeper groundwater in eastern Kentucky, which had been in contact with subsurface black shale, migrated upward, and formed a reducing environment to deposit the uranium. "

http://ed-henson.blogspot.com/2011/0...ell-falls.html

 

[PirateLabs]

I used to go camping at Red River Gorge when I was in college at W.K.U. in the mid 1970's. I have not been back since but maybe I should take a trip over there. This is an interesting topic. I can not recall the name (I am at work) but I have a book at home that claims Kentucky was the "island" in R.L.S.'s Treasure Island and it has all sorts of photos and "clues" about the Swift mines in Kentucky. When I get home, I can edit this to ad that book's title...I am sure some of you are already familiar with it. I think it started out with some good historic information but by the time you get to the end of it, it has really spun out into fantasy land after making some huge assumptions and guesses.

Bill

 

[KY Hiker]

I used to go camping at Red River Gorge when I was in college at W.K.U. in the mid 1970's. I have not been back since but maybe I should take a trip over there. This is an interesting topic. I can not recall the name (I am at work) but I have a book at home that claims Kentucky was the "island" in R.L.S.'s Treasure Island and it has all sorts of photos and "clues" about the Swift mines in Kentucky. When I get home, I can edit this to ad that book's title...I am sure some of you are already familiar with it. I think it started out with some good historic information but by the time you get to the end of it, it has really spun out into fantasy land after making some huge assumptions and guesses.

Bill

Was the book by Prather? It has a long title, I have it on my wish list of things to read. The author did a presentation on Swift in Prestonsburg and I have a video link of the presentation in a thread here. He really did some good research on land titles in KY of Swift and some of his cohorts. I found that part interesting, that is why I want to read it. Link to thread with video below.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/l...esentation-about-swift-given-prestonburg.html

 

[PirateLabs]

Was the book by Prather? It has a long title, I have it on my wish list of things to read. The author did a presentation on Swift in Prestonsburg and I have a video link of the presentation in a thread here. He really did some good research on land titles in KY of Swift and some of his cohorts. I found that part interesting, that is why I want to read it. Link to thread with video below.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/l...esentation-about-swift-given-prestonburg.html

Exactly correct. (Sorry, I forgot to check it when I got home) "The Strange Case Of Jonathan Swift and the Real Long John Silver" by Robert A. Prather. He attempts to make the case the "Treasure Island" was really the land where Swift's silver mines were located because it was surrounded by rivers on all three sides of the triangle shaped land. Like I said, there is some interesting history in this book, and some old photos, but, he did not prove this case to me at all. A little far fetched to believe that RLS wrote Treasure Island about the Swift mines in Kentucky.

Bill

 

[franklin]

I read the book and I have it in sight right now. But the problem with the book, he does good with the deeds of land then the book goes to he** in a heart beat. As far as I am concerned, read it online or in a library. It is not worth the purchase.

 

[PirateLabs]

I read the book and I have it in sight right now. But the problem with the book, he does good with the deeds of land then the book goes to he** in a heart beat. As far as I am concerned, read it online or in a library. It is not worth the purchase.

I agree with your assessment that the land titles and history are good...then...I think he parts with reality. It was worth the purchase price to me as I found a hardcover copy online in new condition for like $10 and now it sits on my library shelves along with about 500 other books. This book might give good information to add to a piece of the puzzle here or there to someone but it was not clear to me how RLS just decided to write a novel about the Swift mines in a far off land called Kentucky and give clues to the locations of these hidden silver mines. Too big of a leap for me.

Bill

 

[KY Hiker]

Exactly correct. (Sorry, I forgot to check it when I got home) "The Strange Case Of Jonathan Swift and the Real Long John Silver" by Robert A. Prather. He attempts to make the case the "Treasure Island" was really the land where Swift's silver mines were located because it was surrounded by rivers on all three sides of the triangle shaped land. Like I said, there is some interesting history in this book, and some old photos, but, he did not prove this case to me at all. A little far fetched to believe that RLS wrote Treasure Island about the Swift mines in Kentucky.

Bill

Oh? I thought it was the other way around...he wrote treasure island based on the Swift Legend? He married someone who's family had a copy of the Journal? Either way I want it for his research, the conjecture about treasure island is secondary to me.

 

[PirateLabs]

Yes, he "claims" that R.L.S. knew all about these mines and their locations and that "inspired" the tale Treasure Island...and just for fun, he decided to include all of these clues to the mine's locations.

Robert Louis Stevenson | Treasure Island: The Untold Story

He was in Scotland when he wrote it and, the date he put on the treasure map, that his son drew, in the book was the same year that a notorious treasure was buried on Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands. So how could RLS's son draw a map that locates the Swift Silver mines in Kentucky? Beyond me. You would enjoy most of the book and check online there are plenty around I believe. My local library did not have it so that is why I bought it.

Bill

 

[KY Hiker]

OK, Thanks