I came across this place many years ago by accident when I got lost
on the way to White Rocks. It is a really strange place to find way
back in the woods. I half expected Rod Serling to walk out from
behind a tree and tell me I had entered the Twilight Zone. I
eventually figured out where I was and found my way back to my car
but nobody believes my stories about this place. I’ll offer some
directions and GPS coordinates so that you can go there to see it
for yourself.
The cache is in the scattered remains of an abandoned industrial
complex. It seems as though they pulled out of here in a hurry and
left everything behind. There are numerous structures, rail lines,
and other stuff spread out over this vast area of about 100 acres.
I made a trip to the local library to see what I could find out
about this place. I learned that the DuPont Company owned the site
and that it produced gunpowder during the World Wars. It was an
extremely dangerous place to work given that several men lost their
lives in various accidents at the plant. There were three major
explosions
in the World War I era and at least one more during World War II.
On the morning of November 20, 1942, two men who were packing silk
bags of rifle powder into steel kegs were "blown to bits" in an
explosion that rocked Fairchance and shattered the windows of
nearby homes. Look for wooden structures filled with dirt along the
sides of some of the buildings. These structures are ramparts
designed to contain the blast in the event of an accident like this
one. They must have worked as advertised because none of the other
workers at the plant were seriously injured. I do not know why or
when production at this facility ceased. I'm guessing that it had
outlived its usefulness when the war ended and that was that for
that. One can only wonder about what all this stuff was for and
what this place might have looked like when the plant was in full
operation.
Warning: Steer clear of the ruins as much as possible. The cache
is not hidden in any ruins! There are bits of rusty metal,
crumbling walls, and other unusual hazards in this area. Please be
careful.
Directions: I know of no way to get into this area from
Hopwood/Fairchance Road without crossing private property. Please
do not attempt to get to the cache from this direction without
first obtaining permission from the property owners. The only way
that I know of to get to the Scattered Remains these days is to
hike a complicated maze of trails from the unpaved road that goes
to the Hi-To Club which is located on the outskirts of Farichance.
Take Main Street to East Elm Street and turn right. Follow this
road to an informal parking area near the Hi-To Club. Please use
the following waypoints:
#1 39° 49.583', -79° 43.788' Trailhead
#2 39° 49.560', -79° 43.650' Turn Left
#3 39° 49.640', -79° 43.322' Turn Left
#4 39° 49.788', -79° 43.362' Turn Left
#5 39° 49.810', -79° 43.430' Turn Right
#6 39° 49.957', -79° 43.462' Wing It!
