Wahatquenak II Traditional Cache
lavarock1: opening the area for caches
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(regular)
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4x4 will cut down on the hike. Heislerville WMA.
This is a hunting area, please wear Blaze Orange at appropriate times of the season.
The "Glade" separates Delmont from Heislerville, known until around 1860 as Maurice River Neck. Heislerville's history is that of mystery and superstition. Locals tell yarns of spirits, ghouls and unexplained occurrences in these parts of Cumberland County.
During the early times of America, Indians traveled south to East Point from along the Manumuskin and the Menantico to bury their warriors. Their name for the Maurice River was "Wahatquenak", which roughly translates into ‘ pools of blood’. Ancient tongues had told them that this was sacred land; one would not rest peacefully unless buried here. “Bonefires” would be lit to illuminate the night and cast shadows on the trees and plant life, which eerily encircles the area. They felt that this would ease the spirits of nature and allow them to hunt the woods. Many of the odd shaped trees have been watching over this area for hundreds of years, and have witnessed the rituals of these primitive Americans. Wildlife and insects dominate this area, which was, and still is, an avid hunting area.
European settlement began in the early to mid-1700's, but did not last very long. Along with fishing, agriculture was Heislerville's other main industry early on. Train loads of Heislerville strawberries were shipped from "Link City", a railroad station on Matts Landing Road, which also served the oyster packing operations located in the "ghost" village of Maurice River, on the river opposite Bivalve. Salt hay also was harvested in parts of the huge area formerly known as the Cadwallader Estate, now the Heislerville Wildlife Management Area.
Around 1793, George Heisler, Jr. built his family home on these grounds. Many strange sightings and events surrounded this structure: self-slamming doors, rattling shutters, specters, sickness and mysterious disappearances kept away homesteaders for many decades.Rumor has it that ol’ George decided to pack it up after his valet box of valuables, which he had hidden under a newly grown pine sapling, had come up missing. The Heisler family left the location of the pine tree and the ‘cache’ for a future person to try to find it. Nothing is really left of this ‘town’ anymore. The roads have been overgrown, the houses are gone, and the only remnants of people being here are from those who light the fires at night to bring back the specters to guide them to the location of the cache.Many have looked, many have failed. How will you do? Can you beat the sting of the greenies that protect the area? Will you drive, walk or RUN from the site? The decision is yours…
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