Alleys and Pennsboro Dig 2013

[Gina Macias]

I honestly never realized the variety of alleys or other marbles and how hard a marble dig actually was until I saw the videos of Heaton and the others you all sent me. Then on another site I stumbled across photographs of a Pennsboro, WV dig at the Alley factory and it was led by WVRON, I immediately recognized him as a member of this group. Man, was I in awe of the hard work you all put in, but the rewards of going through all of that material must have made you giddy. I recently purchased a pound from that area and spent most of the day going through the misshapen bits and found some nice common alleys, but the little mistakes were the fun ones for me. I felt like I was eight years old and that was a heck of a long time ago! I ordered the rest the gentleman had, it was inexpensive, it is just going through the marbles, so fun. Then I saw Chad’s gallery photos of his alley collectIon, along with his other goodies and it was just bursts of color and beauty, on every page. The collections you all have are just amazing. Thank you for opening my eyes to new manufacturers and a colorful, fun hobby-except the actual dig, I could not do that physically but if I could I’d be down in a hole or cave some where. Really great stuff. Thank you.

[wvrons]

The Pennsboro WV Alley dig was my dream of a lifetime. Not enough words can describe it. You had to be there. It would have been nice to had time and been able to document more of what happened. But that just was not possible. Once we found the mother load, we had to stay with it. We could not leave it for other people to find. We divided up and worked twelve hour shifts, twenty four hours a day for four days and three nights. Nola and myself worked at the hole from 7am until 7pm. Bill McCaleb and Griff worked from 7pm until 7am. When our shifts were over we had to eat, over a hour drive home, clean up, sleep, and do it again the next day. We got exhausted as the days and nights went on and tempers got short. Glad it happened then and not now. I could not physically do it now.  Lots of days there was not room for another bucket of Alley marbles or cullet in the back of my pickup truck. If only we could have had more time ? But we saved many thousands of 1930's Alley marbles. 

 Now the site is filled over and much of it covered with limestone. 

Before

 

[Fire1981]

WOW ! That is a amazing. Griff fished a lot didn’t he. Thanks once again for showing and telling us about all the cool stuff 

[mibcapper]

and what a time it was ron. up the creek squeeling and bleeding ... bumping a few noggins ... remember .. lol .... so many new discoveries. to say ... wild and wonderful west virginia ... is all that's needed. be well my friend ... bill

[Gina Macias]

11 hours ago, wvrons said:

The Pennsboro WV Alley dig was my dream of a lifetime. Not enough words can describe it. You had to be there. It would have been nice to had time and been able to document more of what happened. But that just was not possible. Once we found the mother load, we had to stay with it. We could not leave it for other people to find. We divided up and worked twelve hour shifts, twenty four hours a day for four days and three nights. Nola and myself worked at the hole from 7am until 7pm. Bill McCaleb and Griff worked from 7pm until 7am. When our shifts were over we had to eat, over a hour drive home, clean up, sleep, and do it again the next day. We got exhausted as the days and nights went on and tempers got short. Glad it happened then and not now. I could not physically do it now.  Lots of days there was not room for another bucket of Alley marbles or cullet in the back of my pickup truck. If only we could have had more time ? But we saved many thousands of 1930's Alley marbles. 

 Now the site is filled over and much of it covered with limestone. 

Before

 

I cannot fathom how hard that was. I am so impressed and happy you got to experience that.

[Gina Macias]

4 hours ago, mibcapper said:

and what a time it was ron. up the creek squeeling and bleeding ... bumping a few noggins ... remember .. lol .... so many new discoveries. to say ... wild and wonderful west virginia ... is all that's needed. be well my friend ... bill

Wow, I hadn’t seen those marbles, some beauties. Thank you for sharing your memories. 

[Fire1981]

Liv' The Dream 👍

[wvrons]

 Thanks for adding the pictures buddy. I never get tired of seeing them. 

[Al Oregon]

Great reminder of that dig.  Nice pics and information.  Thank you all.

[Chad G.]

Funny how dreaming about sweating and digging all day can make ya sooo happy !! 

[cheese]

You guys will never forget that. What fun it had to have been. I will never forget the Heaton digs. Wish I could have dug with you too Bill. We would have gotten along well  . Great experiences with great people, who could ask for more? Well, you could ask for marbles I guess. I'm fortunate to have some of the loot from that Alley dig (many thanks Ron!). Maybe somewhere someday another dig will happen.  Until then, I will be jonesing for it. 

[wvrons]

Gotta getem all !  But we never did any where. Anyone who has dug any amount knows that is almost impossible. There are always marbles left behind. Many things prevent getting every one. Time, weather, concrete, critters, equipment, distance to location, injury, daylight, water, mud, and more.  But we got our share and some times more for others. NONE were ever free.  None were easily found. None were easy digging. 

Quote

 

 

[mibcapper]

yep .... getem all ron .... and see .... i come out none  the worse for wear .... 

[wvrons]

I am not so sure about that ????????   No pictures of me until I get my three upper front teeth implants done.  I did shave the beard and got a haircut yesterday.  If I might have looked like the above.  Notice I did not say, might look like you, LOL   !!!!   

[Fire1981]

I thought you dug him up while you were digging at the site 🤪

[wvrons]

That would have went in the throw away pile. 

[Chad G.]

LOL !!!

[Tommy]

Just amazing how fun..

[Mojo]

Amazing story's , very awsome pictures 

Thanks for sharing these adventure

We need an dug expedition to Thüringen area , Lauscha 👌🔮🇩🇪👍

[mibcapper]

yo .......... i'm always ... ready ..... 

[wvrons]

Mr. Bill even ran that excavator digging marbles. He is standing right about where he later with Sammy Hogue, laid a Alley Carnival down and the later could not find it.  So many memories !!!!!!!!!    Happy tears. 

[Fire1981]

LTD....Liv'n The Dream 👍

[Peltier Mibber]

Any chance these are Pennsboro?

[wvrons]

From what I see, yes. Alley swirls made at the Pennsboro WV location. 

[Peltier Mibber]

Thank you. I was hoping.

I forgot I had these and recently found them again and was wondering.