Tag: gwynns run

Zoze had contacted me stating that he and some of the boys had stumbled across some “etchings or writings” in Lower Gwynns.

[“we finnally made it to the backbreakers and the final tubes. found old etchings from the early 1900’s in an older section yet to be explored.”]

I knew he was on to something interesting. Zoze had been “drain blazing” hard and consistently for the past year.  bringing so many successful stories of discovery accompanied by beautiful documentation of the Public Works.

Traveling up Lower Gwynns Interceptor, a junction chamber is met dated 1924 per GIS. The interceptor turns into 2 trunks now.

Continue straight forward into a semi-elliptical which will be referred to at this time as [New Lower Gwynns Trunk]. GIS dated 1928.  This tunnel is  emptying the lower portion of Gwynns Run proper. The stream rolls off of 2 longish platform like stairs/drops.

or

Bear right under an older elliptical arch,  which will be referred to at this time as the [Franklin & Pulaski Streets Drain] the underground outfall section tunnel that host the writings was likely built between 1908-1919 (ref?).  The stream from this outfall rolls off a series of large sized block drops

— In a sense you must step up into this underground stream. For this reason, the tunnel appears smaller then what it is, that is, until you step up, inside of it. Coincidentally this branch gets larger and older the deeper you push back into it. [Look for an upcoming article titled something to the tune of “Rolling 6 Man Trip Deep in the Depths of Eastern Gwynns.”]

Immediately inside the eastern branch, you are met with what appears to be “Miners Graffiti”. a few 2  letter initials  sparsely scattered about. Its not graffiti as you would imagine it in the modern sense but crude writing using carbide lamps. Carbide lamps were widely used by miners and tunnel diggers up until 1932 after the Moweaqua Coal Mine disaster.

The one writing that became of great interest was written in a paraffin / wax like material.

There was one “mural” that became of great interest to myself and the boys. And that was the one that read “CTiGNALL MAY, 2 1919”.

Name & Date

CTiGNALL – This likely is the last name of a Welsh man. Or It could be the first initial C, last name Tignall?  Why Welsh though? First gen Welsh immigration to the Eastern portion of the United states was prominent during the 1850’s – 1900’s.   Maryland’s Piedmont plain offered an abundance of work  in the underground . Welch workers were first known in Maryland as quarry men, digging out Peach bottom Slate (ref.a).

I reached out to a contact of mine who has Welsh roots however now living in England. He agreed that this likely an old Welsh last name. But could not conjur anything more specific about it.

Date –  Now whats interesting is per GIS, that junction chamber build completion was 1924. Just a few years after 1919 and the dates of throughout the eastern tunnel is largely unknown.

Franklin & Pulaski Streets Drain, was likely an open air outfall before it was buried and eternally entombed.  In other words, we can appreciate from a number of sources that this stream was buried before lower Gwynns Run proper was. And Back then it would empty out into the open air stream. Perhaps  this outfall was hidden by a thick patch of blackberries.  However still accessible by its community it served. Whats to say that the society back then , did not have a natural curiosity to climb around this structure or a Hobo vagabond would not make use of an area like this as a temporary haven like we see today.

The last time we see Gwynns Run Eastern Branch as an open air stream is 1904.

Google gives only 4 results for this query. Only one of those results are remarkable. In that it links to a publishing dated in 1899 by the “New England Railway Publishing company” titled “A B C Pathfinder Shipping and Mailing Guide”.

If you have something to add or I got something wrong. Contact me and let me know.

Reference/Sources:

ref a.) National Register Properties,  https://mht.maryland.gov/nr/NRDetail.aspx?NRID=1486 retrieved 9/26/2019

b) https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/ 

c) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932_Moweaqua_Coal_Mine_disaster , retrieved 09/03/2019

d) “A B C Pathfinder Shipping and Mailing Guide”, New England Railway Publishing company., 1899

e) GIS

Last edited ://

09/01/2019 – creation

09/26/2019 – published

Features:  Infall/Intake Tunnel, Semi-Elliptical, Vitrified Brick flooring, Buried Culvert.

Build Dates: 1913 , 1928

Length: Approxmiately 3200meters (2 miles)

Upper Gwynns Run Pecks Branch outfalls into the Gwynns Falls north of Lower Gwynns outfall location . At its mouth, it is fed by a wash water lake which in turn is fed by a small network of streams. Its seems that the multiple stream feeding into the northern parts of Gwynns Run are referred to as Pecks Branch. “Overflow from the wash water lake is controlled by a drop inlet spillway that sits at the southern end. The spillway discharges into a 297cm (9.75′) x  305cm (10′) semi-elliptical drain. The drain discharges directly into Gwynns Run.“(ref 1, 1980) Shortly there after the stream disappears underground via an infall tunnel.

If the research is correct, The Baltimore Bureau of Sewers would be responsible for its construction of this upper network. Fueling off of Chief Engineer Calvin Hendrickson’s philosphy  of “not carrying storm water for longer distances then neccessary”. It seems that the Baltimore Health Department started pushing for the burial of this stream. Citing health concerns related to its “Vile nature”.  Finally in 1925, a report was published by the Baltimore Health Deparment board of medical practitioners, (most likely consisting of  members of the prestigious and powerful Johns Hopkins entity) . The report advised that Gwynn’s Run be buried and diverted into an underground tunnel(ref 2, 1925).Three years later, the upper tunnel construction was complete and Gwynns Run’s proverbial death certificate was signed and stamped in 1928.

Timeline of Events?

Historical research is still ongoing regarding the time periods and sequence of burial events. When comparing historical literature with GIS data it appears that different tunnel sections were buried at different times. It is clear that a granite culvert was perserved and transitioned into part of the tunnel. While the GIS data supports the far north upper tunnels being built in 1928, the southern end sections show build completion dates in 1913.

Infall Tunnel:

The date 1928 is displayed on the top center of a beautifully, uniquely crafted head section (of its infall).  A remark must be made regarding the head section of the infall. It is obvious that much attention was given its aesthetics. Perhaps due to its vicinity to a residential area and park? Regardless, its a work of beauty, masonary craftsmanship, product of the roaring twenties before everything crashed. Its sides are guarded by square column like posts which wrap and transition to the face of the head. A lipped ledge sits on top of the head and below it, evenly spaced parallel indented lines travel across its face, until they meet the tunnels apparent frame.

Trunk Tunnel

Build ultizling cut and cover methods of tunnel building. A semi-elliptical shape is noted through the majority of this trunk.  At the its ceiling’s peak, towers 4.5 meters in height. Its concave brick laid floor spans at least 3.5 meters. Its walls and ceiling are appear to be composed of reinforced concrete. The course of the tunnel shows the radical nature of the topography that tunnel builders had to cope with. The tunnel winds and turns as it follows perhaps an original stream valley and significant drops in elevation are noted. Numerous series of small drop wells (8″-12″ in height, 1-4ft in length) found along the way.

A small stream junctions with the main stream. Flowing from another semi-elliptical tunnel that sits higher and is approximately 2.2 meters in height. Seen in below picture.

Much further inside another structure of great interest presents itself.  The tunnel widens and transitions from concrete walls / brick floor to stone granite floor, walls and ceiling. Much like the stone granite walls we see built in Baltimore’s pre 1900’s storm drains. This transition only for a spans approximately 10 meters before transitioning yet again to an all brick horseshoe shaped tunnel.  In the center ceiling of this, room like transition, sits a square portal that has water pouring out of it. Most likely draining an ancient buried stream that runs all year around.  The way this section of tunnel presents itself, the transition, the stone granite construction, the natural spring that dumps into it. It most likely it is a remnant of a previous tunnel that was chosen to be preserved and tied into. Possibly due to a road or railroad running over top of it.

References:
1) National Dam Inspection Program. Peck’s Branch Dam , Defense Technical Information Center, 1980
2) Baltimore Health Department, Annual Report, 1925

Edit History:
Article Genesis – October 13 2018
References & more content added – October 20 2018
More content added – November 2, 2018
Article finnally published – November 28, 2018
Additional facts and details added – December 11, 2018
Local Sources advising that upper and lower gwynns falls may be separate systems March 23, 2019

september 2019 – new information found gwynns run is being revamped and mysterys being solved.

Page is renamed from Upper Gwynns Run to Pecks Run as research has inferred this should be called Pecks Run – March 2020