Broad Creek Barrens

Description

A prehistoric steatite quarry is located on the premises. This region was known during the nineteenth century as "The Glades", presumably referring to open serpentine areas reverting to woodland, and subsequently filling with greenbriar. The area was acquired by the Havre Iron Company to prospect for iron ore. The directors ultimately formed a separate company to work the serpentine deposit for building stone. They erected extensive facilities, including a cutting shed and a tramway for handling rock, but the inaccessibility of the site along Broad Creek hindered bringing the stone to market. After the failure of the quarry company, the site passed into the hands of flint mining companies, a power company, and in 1926 to the Boy Scouts. Some serpentine vegetation remains in cleared areas of the Scout camp.

Mining

Steatite in the area was quarried pre-colonially to make pots. Some magnetite was mined nearby, and the quarries along Broad Creek produced serpentine building stone, marketed as "green marble".

Visiting

The area is part of the Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation and should not be visited without their permission.