Before Blue Marsh - Exploring the remnants of the community that was destroyed to build the lake

Pleasant Valley was once a bustling rural community of farmers, mill workers and their families - settled along the Tulpehocken Creek. Many of the families had lived in the area for generations, until the government decided in the late 1960s that they wanted to construct a dam on the Tulpy which would serve as flood control for the Schuylkill River. Acquisition of the properties started in 1970 and the area was deserted by the mid-70s.The dam was completed and flooding commenced by the end of the decade. Faced with a choice of taking the payout or having their properties condemned and being kicked out anyway, many reluctantly took the government payouts - much less than their properties were actually worth - adding to the resentment from the displaced people. Lets discuss the scope of this project, the remnants of the structures, and some things I have learned in my research.