Smiths Camp & the Swimming hole in Hicks run. 1903 Cameron County

[Timbersnort]

No,I've never seen that. A couple years ago I saw a photo of a huge slash dam across the Bennetts Branch. I don't remember where I saw it . It might be the same dam you're talking about.

I read about what was described as the largest dam on the BB, in Pioneer's of Second Fork(bennetts branch) that was known to be a swimming attraction.

 

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[VonDigger]

Well, I did end up going up in May but didn't have a chance to actually check out the West Branch of Hicks Run. I did however find the splash dam on Lost Run. That is an easy one to find in the Queanna Wild Area.

 

[Timbersnort]

I've pulled together enough field evidence that matches the newspaper article towards locating the swimming hole.

View attachment 1819612
"Kelley's bull pups" reference assumes the Smith camp would have been near Kelly's camp 1st or 2nd. Kelley's 1st camp was in an area where there were other nearby camps.

View attachment 1819616

"deep swimming hole at the old lower dam, a mile below the camp" reference is close in field at 1.2 miles from the Kelley 1st camp to the old dam & swimming hole.

View attachment 1819619
4/6/20 looking downstream at old lower dam, fill embankments evident on west and east sides that tie into banks, dug out excavations just above both tie in sides that fill came from for dam.
View attachment 1819620


1941 aerial of dug swim hole with possible earthen or platform pier


Dug swimming hole, defined dug banks, interesting the pool is incised with no embankment holding water back, currently 6' deep but full of fine sediment not rocky floor like up an downstream has. Excavated swim hole dirt likely used on upstream dam embankment. I've driven by this thousands of times over 25 years working in this area and never noticed the old dam abutments until putting boots on the ground.

 

[jeff of pa]

Cool ! I Fixed your Pics that weren't Showing.

Thanks For the Info

 

[Timbersnort]

Cool ! I Fixed your Pics that weren't Showing.

Thanks For the Info

Thanks, couldn't figure out why they posted like that, seemed to change after I edited the wording.

 

[VonDigger]

Cool ! I Fixed your Pics that weren't Showing.

Thanks For the Info

Thanks for that info. Finally going to make it up there for a few days. so I got projects galore up that way now LOL.

 

[VonDigger]

Heading up that way tomorrow to check out a couple things over a couple days. With the CoVid-19 going on, it totally screwed up a bunch of things I was planning on doing over this vacation. No big deal. with the information I got for here (Thank you very much), I should be able to find it no problem. Maybe cause I am getting older, I find that finding these places hidden off the beaten path and the history they contain the treasure. Call me sentimental, but learning about these places and passing them on to others perserves them in a way.

 

[VonDigger]

Ok, found the swimming hole too. The Beavers found it easy to use what was left of the headwall to damn up. But enjoy the pictures.

 

[Jlen82]

I stayed at a cabin on Hicks Run for a week 2 summers ago. I wish I was a member of this site then so I would have known about this.