Courtesy of the Chester County Historical Society.          

Daily Local News
1st January 1920

Chester county has several “Barrens,” but one of the barren spots which remind one of the Jersey wastes, is located in West Nottingham township, a few miles only from the Mason & Dixon line.  Here sand hills and pine trees make the land practically unfit for cultivation; the public roads lead through the scrub and pine trees to more fertile and prosperous sections of our most southwestern township, which are visited by few of our up-country residents to learn what a whole-soul-ed, hospitable, industrious people reside thereon.

But this is not a history nor an eulogy of old West Nottingham, but only to say that Christmas trees were out last week in the Barrens by the hundreds by the property owners who sold them by the car load lots at 10c to 15c apiece and made money thereby.  The Barrens are covered with nice pine trees, but it is said the demand of late years for Christmas trees is shearing the Barrens of its nice tree whiskers and in a few years they will be scarce.

This may be a benefit in the long run to the owners of the property in the barren section, for it is not a positive fact that the land is as barren as that of some other barrens near West Chester in the serpentine, or greenstone belt, where mountain pink and green briar, with some sage grass, only grows.  The land is not “poor” in the sense of being barren and truck* and hay could probably be cultivated if the tree slaughter continues.

The big demand for Christmas trees has caused the Barrens to be sought for its wealth of pine trees, however, and many were shipped by train and auto truck to Baltimore and Philadelphia.

It is related, however, that one stranger purchased 100 trees of a barrenite at 10c., loaded them on his auto truck and pulled out over the sandy road toward the Maryland line without paying the native.

[Wikipedia] - A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits,vegetables, and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants The diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre (0.4hA) to a few acres, or sometimes in greenhouses distinguishes it from other types of farming. Such a farm on a larger scale is sometimes called a truck farm. (Wikipedia)

Daily Local News
21st September 1921

It is stated that some prospectors are working in the barrens of West Nottingham township, getting samples of minerals with which that section of Chester county is thought to abound.  Many years ago valuable deposits of chrome were found in that section and mines were worked but afterwards abandoned.  A few years ago the taking out of chrome was resumed, but the war period caused the operations to cease after expensive machinery and appliances were installed.  The hills, valley and rocky spots of Chester county abound with all kinds of minerals that are proving to be of use to this country, even oil is now being found.  While gold is not found in paying quantities, it is said that this yellow mineral has been dug up in one or two sections.  Chester county has everything from fertile agricultural lands to mines, forests and oil wells.  But the fishing is poor.

Daily Local News
2nd December 1921

That “mystery hole” away down in the Barrens of West Nottingham, is still causing much guess work, and many rumors, and visitors still go daily to look at the place.  It is said new tactics are to be applied, and by next Sunday the depth of the spar hole will be laid open to the public gaze.  The hole is 300 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 122 feet deep, and to get a good grip on any object beneath the water, that nearly half fills the quarry, and hoist it to the surface, will require some figuring as to how to do this trick without much expense.  Alexander Wilson, who has access to a big pump that will lift the water 30 feet, has consented to use it, and a force of men will open the drift from a point at the ground level to the water’s edge.  Here the pump will be installed, and a big traction engine will be used as power.  Before the pump is installed a heavy raft will be built, so that the water’s surface can be commanded as well.  All this means expense, but the citizens of West Nottingham are desirous of knowing whether or not an automobile is really a stolen one, and whether or not a human body is in the hole, as well.

Daily Local News
5th and 7th December 1921

A Port Deposit, Md., special of Dec. 4 says: After three week’s spasmodic efforts the trained riggers from the Perryville reservation succeeded in solving the mystery of the abandoned quarry near Sylmar, on the Mason and Dixon line.  Three weeks ago three boys heard the chug of an automobile, then a heavy body hit the water, 40 feet below.  Since then, local residents with inefficient equipment, have made valiant efforts to solve the mystery.  William Patterson, of the Perryville plant, was sent to Sylmar with a force of riggers, Friday, and prepared for today’s work.  Before noon he had brought to the surface an Essex car carrying New Jersey license tag no. 95840.  The car was in good shape, and was taken into Nottingham Pa., on its own tires.  In the car was an overcoat containing an advertising pencil of an Atlantic City firm.

The next catch was a radiator of a Hudson car, with no identification marks.  Then there was brought to the top the cushion and back of a front seat of a Cadillac.  Under the seat was one half of a New Jersey driver’s identification card, giving the owner’s name and the three final numerals of his number.

The catches of the day proved that this hole, measuring 150 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 75 feet deep, has been the receiving station for cars whose service was no longer desired.  With more than 34 feet of water and precipitate banks, it was ideal for the purpose.

The driver of the cars must have been a good one.  The work of savaging whatever else may be secreted beneath the waters will go on under the Perryville outfit, until every piece has been placed in the hands of the Pennsylvania authorities.  The work is extremely difficult and hazardous.  Every recovered article must be lifted clear of the solid rock side 50 feet, and swung onto the bank.  To aid in this work the local people have worked hard, installing a centrifugal pump.  They dug through the rocks until the water level was reached, and then placed their pump, the engine and boiler being installed upon the bank above.  The pump broke early but was repaired.  The stormy weather proved no detriment to the curious. At least one half of the watchers were women.

Daily Local News
12th December 1921

On Saturday, County Detective William Mullen and District Attorney W. Butler Windle motored to West Chester township to get personal observation of the mysterious quarry hole, and further details of this automobile mystery.

As has been stated, they found that an automobile in apparently good condition when it was dumped into the deep water, had been raised and taken out on dry land.  It was evidently a perfectly good machine when it was run down the slope of the bank into the water.  A radiator of another car was also raised and lifted out of the water.

It is stated that the water was considerably lowered by a pumping engine brought to the quarry by the U.S. Health Camp authorities, at Perryville Md.  The hole is probably 100 feet deep, and was filled with water, and about one half the water was pumped out when the engine broke down, and pumping had to cease for a time.

It is said the District Attorney does not feel it is up to the county to assume the expense of pumping the water out and recovering automobiles, but rather that it is the province of the insurance companies, which have probably paid insurance on automobiles dumped in this remote quarry hole.  There are still parts, if not whole motor cars, in the bottom of the quarry hole, is believed by many, as the water will have to be taken out, as it is filling up from springs in the quarry.

The riggers from the U. S. Camp had considerable work to raise the car taken out.  A raft was made, and on this the men floated about and worked, as the water was lowered.  Grappling irons were used, and the car was taken out with much difficulty.  Some citizens feel that there may be some dead persons also at the bottom of the deep hole, as it is thought there were persons in the machine recovered.  The wheel tracks indicated that the motor car ran over the bank, and must have been occupied, as there were no footprints seen.  A boy declares that he heard cries, which caused the discovery to be made. The car is said to have had a New Jersey license plate, of 1921, and if the car had been run in purposefully this probably would have been removed.  It is also thought the lights were on, by the indications.  There was an overcoat tin the rear seat, and the owner will be sought, as there was a name in the coat.  It is claimed that the owner never made application for insurance.  The recovered car was locked up by Constable Harry Hall, of Sylmar, awaiting further developments.  It was said also that a dead horse was still floating about in the water.  It has been there for some time.

The mystery has caused hundreds of persons to visit the quarries, and many theories are advanced.  The work of investigation will continue this week, and may develop some more curious features, but just what the county authorities have to do with it is not yet formally settled.  There is no reason to believe that nay foul play, so far as life and death of persons are concerned, has been committed.

Daily Local News
3rd November 1924

Down in the Barrens of West Nottingham township, this county, and Little Britain, Lancaster county, where ‘moonshine’ has until recently been shining brightly and Christmas trees are as thick as weeds, a Lancaster new Era reporter has found picturesque beauty and rhapsodies, as follows:

“There are comparatively few people who have travelled through what is known as ‘The Barrens,’ in the extreme southern part of this county and some who have lived there all their lives in part are not entirely familiar with that section.  To any one who loves beautiful and romantic scenery, a trip in that section certainly is very interesting and though steep hills and rough roads will be found, it will repay a visit to spend the day rambling over the hills on both sides of the Octoraro in the ‘Barrens.’

Between the high hills of this county and Chester county the Octoraro, when it gets that far south, is a good-sized stream.  From the top of the hills on the Chester county side, one of the finest views of southern Lancaster county can be seen, while right at the foot of the hills is the famous Horseshoe farm, of many acres, which takes its name from the bend in the stream at that point.  Further down the stream is the chrome section, at one time the scene of great interest.  Not far west from that point is the Maryland line, and here can be found where there were large chrome mines and where feldspar was taken out in large quantities.

Oxford Press
12th January 1928

Harry Rhodewalt has sold his property of 425 acres in West Nottingham township to William Smedley of Narberth.  Mr. Rhodewalt for the present will reside on the property and care for it for the new owner.  The property contains deposits of spar, greenstone etc.

Daily Local News
7th February 1929

The “Mystery Hole” on the place of Harry Rodewalt, near Sylmar, in which several skeletons of automobiles were found last summer after eighty feet of water had been pumped from its depths in an attempt to work a vein of feldspar and also to dispel rumors of human bodies in the pool, has been abandoned as a mine for the mineral, many carloads of good material were taken out of the workings, but the vein failed and the feldspar became too much mixed with iron to be of value.

The company which took over the workings from which Rodewalt had taken large quantities of feldspar before abandoning them, is now seeking other veins of material about the large farm and is prospecting various promising locations in the hope of discovering a promising lead to work later.  It is believed the feldspar is there in paying quantities if the main vein can be located.  That taken out in recent years was of fine quality.  Large quantities of serpentine stone have also been quarried on the property and shipped as building material to different places.

Daily Local News
24th April 1929

Along the Mason & Dixon line, in Cecil county, near a spot once known as the Red Turkey, is a high elevation known as Mt. Pleasant.  A sheer drop of almost 200 feet, and the Octoraro Creek winds about through fertile meadows. The view of Lancaster County is wonderful.  The rich bottom lands of the Jesse Wood farms are near and yet so far.  The Lincoln farm, the Lee farm, and dozens of others can be seen.

It is a popular place for campers and picnickers.  It is also in the 'moonshine' neighborhood, so much in the public eye of late.  Half way down the rocky incline from the summit of Mt. Pleasant, an automobile truck is lodged against a rugged pine.  During the past winter, when authorities from Cecil county made much trouble for illegal distillers, they pressed one
bunch of the outlaws so close that they headed the truck over the cliff.

It was here that Archie Akers, so-called 'bad man,' shot at the deputy sheriffs with a repeating rifle until his ammunition was exhausted.  Akers was captured and was landed in a Federal jail in Baltimore.  A question of jurisdiction arose and government surveyors re-ran the Mason & Dixon line to decide if Akers was a citizen of Maryland or Pennsylvania, and to the latter
State was awarded the glory of having Archie for a citizen.

Oxford Press
26th September 1929

The “Burnt Barn” farm, containing about 91 acres has been sold to a Chicago party.  This property, owned by Atwood Montgomery, is a smart turn on Route 1 in West Nottingham township, Chester county.  The buildings are well known local landmarks, the late Samuel Grason owning the property prior to Mr. Montgomery.

The new owner has a representative in Chester with whom Mr. Montgomery did the business.

The land carries minerals and may be worked for such contents.  It lies in the noted “barren” belt which since creation has spread for miles in parts of Chester, Lancaster, and Cecil counties.  This apparently worthless land has been unlocked for magnesia, chrome, feldspar, serpentine, iron ore, etc., the yield considerable in years past.

The Montgomery farm adjoins the spar bearing acreage owned by Harry Rhodewalt.