Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Of Shot Towers and Sore Legs

On our way back to Ohio from NC, we stopped at the Jackson Ferry Shot Tower for a pit stop and a stretch break. So often, we are in a hurry or it's late in the day or whatever, so we have never actually climbed the tower. Well, now we have, and boy howdy, did it give us a workout! Seventy-six steps up, with the steps becoming taller and steeper near the top...

The Shot Tower
How it worked
Impressive stonework!
Historical significance

Looking down into the hand-dug 75 foot deep well into which the shot dropped
Looking up at the 75 foot tall tower above the well
Almost to the top!
Great view!
Love this old barn...we've seen it many times from I-77
Hey, it's hay!
Route 52 bridge over the New River
The Bug!
There's a glass plate covering the drop shaft...protection for those below who might be looking in the well when someone above decides to drop a coin or some such!
Steep steps!
The long drop

Jackson's Ferry was here
I-77 bridge over the New
Trestle built for the New River Train, lawd, lawd...
Now a riding and walking path!
The creek under the trestle

The beautiful New!
Classic rail cut...restrooms are one mile thataway
Heading back the way we came (where there also are restrooms)
Lovely!
The road goes ever on and on...in this case, past the now collapsed access tunnel by which workers retrieved the shot, etc., from the bottom of the well
But we must go back up to our car
It was a steeper trail than this looks
Bug!
Flutterby!
Ah, sweet Daisy...crank up the A/C and take us to the barn (still five hours away)

4 comments:

The Bug said...

I'm so glad we stopped - sore legs & all. Next time, forget the tower - let's do one of the trails!

lowandslow said...

That was a very worthwhile side trip. Was that the same Moses Austin who in 1820 brought the first American settlers/colonists to Texas? Small world. Loved the history of shot production. Thanks.

Carolina Linthead said...

Moses Austin was, indeed, the father of Stephen F. Austin! Thanks, y'all.

NCmountainwoman said...

Wow! I've never heard of a shot tower before. Don't think I would climb it. Just your photographs makes me feel a little dizzy. The trails look inviting.