The Final word on Nekoda!

I just got off the phone with Engle's Holiday Harbor, near Millsboro,  PA.  I now know the whole story of what happened to the Crucible Ferry a.k.a. Nekoda.  This is a rough timeline so forgive me if it's not 100% accurate.
 After ceasing operation, the ferry sat on the concrete ramp leading into the Monongahela.  It ended up in the river at one point, either by flood waters or a theft attempt (!) but was removed by the Corps of  Engineers and placed on the bank near the ramp.  It sat there until the flood of '85 where it was washed slightly north and stuck on a shallow sandbar, just below the surface.
 The ferry was then towed to Engle's, as Steve Morris said in his comment.  There it was pumped out as it was filled with mud.  The ferry was then cut in two pieces and is being used as salvage/dive barges.  Among the many stories we heard, this was one of them.  The gentleman I spoke to at Engle's assured me that this is the full story and the ferry, although still technically in existence, is unrecognizable now.

 So, the only thing I can tell you is get to Fredricktown and ride the ferry while it's still there.  With the new bridge, I doubt it will be long.  Thanks to everyone who supplied stories and pictures of the ferry.  Ed Begovich may still have some photos in his collection which I will post if he finds them.  If anyone does know the current owner of whats left of the ferry, let us know...

Isabella, PA - Mine Tipple

The Isabella Coal Mine started approximately in the year in 1907 as part of the Isabella Connellsville Coal & Coke Company, and then was taken over by the Hecla Coal & Coke Company in 1916, switching hands again to the Hillman Coke Company, and again to Weirton Steel/Coal Company, and then lastly to the National Steel Company.

Isabella Coke Works

At one time, the coal mine also had a coke works located there, but there are pretty much no remnants of these left. Isabella functioned into the mid 1980s when it was shut down. The buildings related to the mine were demolished and all that remains is one brick building and the tipple, extending out over the Monongahela River.

Isabella, PA now

And Then

The business end of the load out

Popular spot for river jumpers

Railroad ties and track used to cover this

Coal loading chute

River 40 feet below

The conveyer where the coal traveled from the tipple to the load out

Wheels for the conveyer

Barge tie up

Wooden underbelly

The machine shop is the only other building left standing

Rather unremarkable interior of machine shop

From last winter.  A CSX local freight train passes under the Isabella load out.

Looking North to the Crucible mine site.  Waste piles on right.

Rope swing on right

Brownsville, PA And It's Old Covered Bridge Over The Monongahela River

Wooden Covered Bridge in Brownsville, PA

One of the cool things about doing this blog are the people who read it.  The past few entries we have done have centered on reader contributions, and this is another one of those cases.  Preston Pratt, from the Carmichaels area, sent our way these pictures of the old wooden covered bridge in Brownsville, PA.  These are taken from his great grandfathers collection.

I admit, I never knew Brownsville had a bridge of this scope until I visited the FRANK MELEGA art museum a few months ago.  Located in the Flat Iron Building of Brownsvilles "neck" area, the museum contains lots of old images of all eras of Brownsville.

Brownsville's Intercounry Bridge on left, the Lane bane Bridge on Right

In the picture above, we see the bridge we all know now, the also historic Intercounty Bridge.  Built in 1914, it replaced the covered bridge we see in the pictures below.  The wooden covered bridge was built in 1831, and carried the historic National Road.  As new automobile traffic made the covered bridge obsolete, it was finally torn down in 1913.

Below are Preston's family photos from the early 1900's.

Brownsville Wooden Covered Bridge

Brownsville Wooden Covered Bridge

Covered Bridge Portal.  Pedestrian walkway in center

Covered Bridge Portal.  Pedestrian walkway in center

Hill View. Circa early 1900's

...and a close modern shot

Divers salvaging a sunken paddle wheeled boat

Ice skating under Brownsville PA covered bridge

Image courtesy of Library Of Congress