George W. Childs Park

 

The George W. Childs Recreation Site is a former state park that is the site of a number of cascade waterfalls along Dingmans Creek. This picturesque park is a part of the Delaware Water gap National Recreational area and includes expansive hemlock groves and cascading waterfalls along with a picnic area, comfort facilities, and a short hiking trail along the falls.

It is located in Dingmans Ferry in Delaware Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania. The site is named for George W. Childs a noted philanthropist, whose widow deeded the land to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1912. The site contains three main waterfalls: Factory Falls, Fulmer Falls and Deer Leap Falls and is a few miles upstream from Dingmans Falls and Silverthread Falls. The site is also host to the ruins of Joseph Brooks' 19th century woolen mill.

This where we parted. He went to take pictures. I went to hike.

There were several ramps and steps to climb up and down as to stay on the trail and to avoid the wildlife of the woods. We were warned of Black Bear. Personally, I would have loved to see one out in the woods. A few times, I went off the trail and found solace amongst the Forrest.

I spent some time looking up towards the heavens and wondered if my brother could look down upon me.

 I questioned the presence of God then looked around me. The woods so perfect. The waterfalls so powerful. There must be a God.

We met up here on the final leg of our journey.

Sites along the way included; uprooted tree.

and Joseph Brooks' 19th century woolen mill.

The site is also host to the ruins of Joseph Brooks' 19th century woolen mill. About 1826 Joseph Brooks, a Welshman who had immigrated to Philadelphia built a woolen mill of stone, 3½ stories high. He employed about 80 workers.

His sheep, though, were devoured by wolves or died from eating poisonous laurel. Supplies, operatives, and materials such as expensive raw wool, had to be brought in from Philadelphia, and the finished products shipped down to this city by wagons, a trip which took 10 days. Brooks died in 1832 and the mill was abandoned, the ruins are still visible.