Tuesday, September 13, 2011

the architecture of the new river

new river gorge
One of the most interesting things we saw during our jetboat ride through the gorge was the primitive fishing shacks that line the banks of the New River. Able to be accessed only by boat, these rickety shanties were built along the railroad easement - often perched on a pile of rocks or built into a nearly vertical slope. Equally rickety outhouses were often nearby. They remind me of the shacks on the bayou in Louisiana.

While I didn't dare point my camera at any of the locals, yes, many of these shacks were occupied by families spending their weekend at the river. They sat on the porches with coolers full of beer and their fishing lines in the water.
new river gorge
new river gorge
new river gorge
"Here's a big rock, let's build a house on top of it!"

new river gorge
new river gorge
new river gorge
We'll end with my personal favorite:
new river gorge

2 comments:

Karin said...

oh wow! you couldn't pay me enough money to sit/stay in one of those! how are these things even legal? :)

Funnelcloud Rachel said...

Karin - I don't think they are legal - I'm pretty sure squatters just build the shacks along the river and since it's such a rural area no one cares. It's a pretty strange, yet fascinating, phenomenon.