Hope Furnace Revisited

 

The Hope Furnace is near Zaleski, Ohio at Lake Hope.

In the 1850’s the furnaces were used to  produce iron for the nation’s growing railroad system. The railroads in turn provided transportation for iron exports linking the southeast Ohio to distant markets that could be reached by way of the Ohio River, or the Great Lakes. During the Civil War the furnaces provided iron for canons and other military equipment used by the Union Army, including the iron plating that sheathed the army’s famous iron-clad warship, the Monitor.

Hope Furnace closed in 1874 and the last of the furnaces closed in 1916. The forest’s around the furnaces provided  wood to fire the furnaces and provided jobs for this area of the state. Though it provided jobs for the area and towns grew around the Furnaces the homes  and stores built there  were owned by the companies that paid the workers with company script. The script was suppose to be used to purchase over priced goods from the company owned stores but in fact the script was worthless and could not be used in the stores.

 

 

 

Native Plant “Indian Pipe”

 

In the hills here in the  summer as you are walking along the deep shady woodlands you may run across a strange and unusual white plant growing in the fertile soil.

Monotropa uniflora,  Indian Pipe, Ghost Plant or Corpse Plant is a herbaceous perennial. Unlike other plants it contains no chlorophyll and needs no sunlight to grow. It likes the dark fertile forest.

In reality it is parasite plant  that thrives on certain fungi of trees from where it receives its energy. Single stems grow that range from 3 to 4 inched in height.

 
The waxy looking stems only produce one single flower.
Sometimes the stems may have some black spotting or even a pinkish cast to them.
It is quite an impressive plant to see and is getting rare here in the parks area. When I run across one that some hikers have mangled it always saddens me because they either do not respect or realize how rare and beautiful a plant it is. And also the plants here in the parks is off limits to picking or destroying.
So if you run across this plant in your walks or hikes please let it grow undisturbed.

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Signs of Spring on Wing

 

I was glad to see some familiar signs of spring wining their way into the Hocking Hills and around the house this week.

I always watch for signs of the first Robins to appear each year and I saw my first one out in the yard this week.

 

The Turkey Buzzards returned this week and were circling around the field nearby.

 

I spotted a pair of Eastern Bluebirds checking out the boxes in the yard where I hope they take up residence. With three around in the yard to choose from I hope they find one they like.

 

 

The sound of the Mourning Doves could also be heard this morning as they scratched around for something to eat under the birdfeeders.

 

 

Although I did not get a picture of them a small flock of Grackles were feeding at the birdfeeders. They are not my favorite bird but that metallic blue head is very pretty.

 

So there are signs of Spring winging their way into the Hocking Hills now.

 

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Flowering Buckeye Trees

 

Aesculus pavia  Koehenii Flowering Buckeye tree

Aesculus pavia Red Flowering Buckeye tree

 

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The Frozen World of Old Mans Cave

 

Old Mans Cave in the Hocking Hills region is a beautiful  sight when the freezing winter cold freezes over the water and falls that are in the park. Add a little snow and it  becomes  spectacular.

Upper Falls

 

Every cliff becomes the support for huge displays of sparkling icicles.

 

Bridge over the Upper Falls

 
Upper Trail

 

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Don’t Forget to Feed the Birds

 

It is cold and snowy here in the Hocking Hills which makes it tough on our feathered friends to find food so do not forget to feed the birds. Most like to feed the birds in the Summer when there is plenty od food for the birds and then neglect them in the winter when they may really need fed.

Junco

 

Blue Jay

 

Mourning Dove

 

Female Cardinal

 

Male Cardinal

 

Red Breasted Woodpecker

 

 
Chickadee

 

Male House Finch

Female House Finch

Titmouse

 

Sparrow

 

Nuthatch

Goldfinch

January at the Parks

 

With the cold  temperatures the ice was starting to form at the parks in the Hockings Hills State Park system which would have added to the beauty of the Winter Hike that is being held on Saturday, January 19th.

Ash Cave

But with the warmer temperatures this week the ice will be melting and  falling from the cliff walls and the falls areas in the parks.

On my walk last week the falls at Ash Cave was already melting and ice could  be heard falling along the cliffs.

And the pool at the base of the falls was not building up into the pillar of ice that is often seen in colder years as in the picture below.

Ash Cave pillar below the falls 2010

Melting snow was seen blowing from the limbs of the giant pines along the trail at Ash Cave and shimmered in the sunlight.

Ash Cave Gorge Trail

At Cedar Falls it was colder in the gorge so the ice was not melting as fast upon the cliff walls.

But the falls itself at Cedar Falls which catches the sunlight was not frozen very much at all except for a few icicles here and there.

 

 Cedar Falls in 2010

With the warmer temperatures this week these beautiful ice formations will be gone so although we do not welcome cold weather, for the upcoming hike and the hikers seeing the beauty of the parks in winter and for the Winter Hike we hope that the cold temperatures return for them.

 

 

 

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