The Strange Structures in the creek where Pa. 65 crosses over Connoquenessing Creek into in Franklin Twp. once served a special purpose in summer

As you drive along Pa 65 North and as you pass a Country Club  and the magnificent built golf course made of stones to look like a castle in Franklin Twp pa. , you cross over a small concrete decked bridge which lets you over top of
Connoquenessing Creek



 If you look  to the right there are 2 interesting structures one an old very high bridge pier support which carried the fabled Harmony Short line trolley to New Castle



 The other  Structure down in the creek which is a double line of old very rusted steel pipe embedded in the concrete base which runs across the creek.

These pipes back in late 60's early 70's where used by the people who live along the creek to help dam it up in summer time  so small motor boats could be used along that 2 mile section of the creek. 

Every spring the cabin owners would clean out the creek bed with rakes where their docks where then everyone would get together go down to where the pipes where and help put steel plates aprox. 10 by 5 ft high   in place and cover them with plastic to help hold the water in place. some times plates would fail and they would have to be replaced during the summer after storms .

This was done for many years and my father and brothers and I helped several times when we stayed in our camper trailer with my dads friends the Jackson's who had a cabin along the creek. on McKim Rd. in the summer time to get away from all the pollution in Pittsburgh. We often hlped Charlie with projects around the home and even after his death .

Unfortunately some one along the creek complained to the Fish and Boat Communion who took command of the section of creek and started putting too many regulations in place and the creek was no longer damned some time in late 80s.  and by then most of us kids who grew up there those many summers had grown into adults. a disastrous flood in 2004 caused by Hurricane Ivan made sure Mckim way and those great days we had as kids would never be again. As it whipped away many homes along the creek . Both of the Jackson have passed the home still stands but has been horribly altered  and Dee Jackson's Kids wanted nothing to do with any body  up there and sold it . They where so nasty to us  and the neighbors in the end .When my mom went to Dee Jackson's funeral they completely disrespected her for no reason. Still think its because any time Charlie or Dee called we dropped everything and ran up to help and her kids did not.