Long before you could make money selling used sweatshirts on Poshmark, indulging others with feet photos, or simply being hot on social media, there were honest ways to get by. Consider me a disgruntled pauper whose feet never turned up a dime. My coffee and sauce-stained Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt, ‘coastal navy’, never made a splash into anyone’s cart. I wanted nothing more than a quick and easy million, dishonestly of course.
Well one of those honest ways that has claimed the breath of many lungs was mining.
When Mojang first introduced Minecraft™ in 3001 B.C.E., the ancient Egyptians looked favorably upon their brilliance. In 3000 B.C.E. they began to mine copper, and a new commodity was born. Since then, civilizations have relied heavily on miners to provide various ores to be used in all sorts of ways. Weapons, jewelry, decoration, exploitation and subjugation, to name a few.
Bradley Beginnings
There is one ore in particular that has greatly influenced the growth of many nations, including our own beginning in the 1600’s. Typically, once the vein was depleted, the miners moved on in search for their next big find. Very Courtney Love-esq of them.
This ‘get the money and leave them worse off’ gambit was exactly what happened to Harriman State Park’s Bradley Mine.
What's Mine is Yours
When I had first heard of Bradley Mine, I was skeptical of its existence. That was until I almost fell through the hole at the top of the cavern. After taking a left at almost imminent death and down the path into it, I was sorely disappointed.
This is nothing that Miner 49’er would frequent!
I quickly realized I wasn’t in an episode of Scooby Doo, and I began to appreciate just where I was.
Bradley Mine was a cavern enriched with history, flooded with natural light, and home to some of the bluest albeit most chemical-infested water I had ever seen. I joke about the chemicals because it is hard for me to believe water from New York could look that enticing. I was under the impression that only the socialites of the world could enjoy a water that blue. Realistically, the only difference between me and them is sand, a yacht, a few zeroes in my bank account, and an abandoned mine. Apples and oranges, I guess.
The Perfect View
It was exceptionally nice to sit and enjoy the scenery. The stalactites above. The light from the air shaft glimmering against the rich blue-green water where the remains of a mine drown. The graffiti of brave children proclaiming a message on rock of pontifical importance. It was the type of setting that made me wish I had a proclivity for hard drugs. Who knows how my experience would have changed.
If you’re ever in the Harriman State Park area, I suggest checking it out. Beware, though. Dropping into Bradley Mine with no chute is a quick way to end up in a full body cast for the summer. That means no pool.
