The Ruins Of The Brooksbrae Brick Factory
Brendan T. Byrne State Park
Route 72
Manchester, NJ.
Guess what? The Yippie To The Skippy Yummygal is back in good old New Jersey. I hope you enjoy this swell spot. Yup! I said swell!
Any who, a piney friend and I set out on an adventure when I got back home to ‘Joisey.’ It was a gorgeous 75 degree fall day and why not explore the woods? So exploring we did.. Hee Haw, Batman!
Since this story is about brick ruins and an urban legend…lets lighten the mood a bit, shall we?
A man was walking by a building-site when a brick fell and hit him on the head, ruining his new hat.
‘Hey, you up there!’ he shouted to the men on the scaffold.
‘One of those bricks hit me!’
‘You’re lucky!’ one man shouted back. ‘Look what happened to the ones that didn’t.’
If you read below, the joke is somewhat fitting to the urban legend in the area.
Well, it involves death anyway.
The Brooksbrae Brick Factory is, “Mighty Mighty, Just Lettin’ It All Hang Out. She’s A Stack And That’s A Fact.” Oh, just singing a little Commodores.
The Brooksbrae Brick Factory site is a local legend of folklore, history, and mystery. Many people are intrigued about the ruins of yesteryear. A variety of urban legends have developed over the last century. Some hold a bit of truth. It is a neat site to check out to fill your curiosity.
The Brooksbrae Brick Company was incorporated on March 24, 1906. State records indicate it was still in existence by December 1911. The factory was built to produce over 50,000 bricks a day. However, it never lived to witness its full engendering limits. It burned to the ground.
Yup, it burned baby burned… Like the disco inferno. There isn’t much more information deemed in existence about the site. People over the years have tried to “fill in the blanks.” Often times letting the mind ponder up these unimaginable stories of murders and cultism.
There is an “urban legend” (of course in NJ folks, we have our looney bird stories for sure!) of a man named Gildo Plazziano who was an alleged watchman at the Brooksbrae plant. The legend entails that he was reportedly involved in a murder-suicide here. Plazziano supposedly killed a girl named Harriet and then himself (urban legend story.) In the census of 1910, it has Gildo listed in state records and shows documented evidence of his residence.
The following year, Poof! He is not in the census and the girl may have essentially been his son, Harry. Who is believed to have been dead as well. The name could have been altered or mistaken over the last century. Remember to every “urban legend”, you may be able to find a bit of the truth. For Schnizzle. Such occurrence on the property we will never know.
Nonetheless, the Brooksbrae Brick Factory is a neat little piece of history. The ruins are in great shape. It has been badly painted with graffiti and paintballs over the years. I do think it gives it a bit of an “artistic touch.” It is a neat place to explore in the Pine Barrens. The Yummygal thinks every place on this planet is neat to explore.
“It Is Only In Adventure That Some People Succeed In Knowing Themselves~ In Finding Themselves.” -Andre Gide
The above explains the Yummygal in its entirety.
Thanks for Reading and have an adventurous weekend! ~The Yippie to the Skippie~ Yummygal
Sources: NJPineBarrens.com, Jerseyman, NY Times, Pineypower.com, The Wanderer.com, lostinnewjersey.wordpress.com. And my Piney Friend.
Did you crawl down inside the tunnels Pineywoman?you can do a hundred foot through trip.south jersey caving at it’s best:-)
manumuskin
No way! That thing is starting to crumble. That’s crazy though. Didn’t know about the caves!
This looks pretty awesome! I love abandoned places like this 😉
Pam, neat place! Lots of interesting graffiti, but cool spot!
just a couple of fifty foot long tunnels,quite safe.
Hahaha! I’ll have to check it out sometime. Next week airing Webbs Mill and the FRMs!
Yummygal:
I disagree with Beck’s account of a fire sweeping Brooksbrae, except possibly as a result of a forest fire at a much later date. I have never found any account of the brickyard itself burning.
You should reread my account of Plazziano; I provide substantial proof of his actions and his death by fire, negating the designation of “urban legend.” I also fully identify his victim as a girl who lived in the neighborhood with her family.
Just trying to keep it real, Dee.
Best regards,
Jerseyman
I tried not to even mention Beck because he even got the name wrong in his book. By looking at the site, I didn’t see any fire remnants however, that was a long time go. So the “urban legend” isn’t a legend rather than historical fact. Thanks for keeping it “real” Jerseyman. And providing us with the historical accuracy and negating the “urban legend!” Ha! You know my name.
Btw. Jerseyman. I added a link to your website on the front page here!
That place is chigger heaven in the summer! If you visit in the warm months….you’ll wish you didn’t (just warning your readers).
I LOVE chiggers! I was chiggered twice last year. Fun fun times. Thanks for the heads up, Scuba Duba Bruce!
Hi- Just wanted to stop by & let you know that I nominated your work for “Blog of the Year 2012!” http://fictionalmachines.com/2013/01/13/blog-of-the-year-2012-four/ Keep up the great work! 🙂
Am new to the area. What else is worth exploring not too far from the brick factory?
Have you checked out Asbury Park, Tuckerton, Brendan T. Byrne? Also try Island Beach, but gets packed on the weekends.
I’ve ran across bricks in that area marked “P.T.C.Co” (which I have pictures of) which would
lead me to believe that site at one time went under the name Pasadena Terra Cotta Company.
Ronald, there is a lot of mystery behind it. I have talked to local historians and friends from the NJ Pine Barrens Site. Please look at this link as it is EXTREMELY informative http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/pasadena-terra-cotta-factory-or-brickyards.94/.
There’s been many questions over the years.
Thanks for stopping by!
Me and my wife couldnt find it…help!!!!