A couple old finds from Ft. Steilacoom WA (1849-1868)

[rickydbasser1]

Probably the site I have did the most research on and go to in hopes of finding something old is Fort Steilacoom here in Western Washington. I figured that somewhere in the area of where the fort was (which is now Western State Hospital for the Mentally Ill) there had to have been a target range. And the one thing most important to a target range was ahill to stop any stray firings. There was only one hill and one flat area large enough in front of it to be a firing range. The problem was that thick snarled grass 2-3 ft tall blanketed the area. Two years past when one day I drove by and, to my amazement, the field had been mowed! I couldn't get home fast enough to get out my detector! Over the next several weeks I found dozens of 3 ringers in different degrees of damage, with a dozen or so "drops." Also found were about a half dozen musket balls. And then a few other relics. We've all seen 3 ringers, so I posted
a couple of the better finds for downloads....One is a beautifully ornated sword saber drag, with much of its original gold gilt still intact. The other is a brass emblem of some kind with, what looks like, a hand holding a chisel. All artifacts date from the 1850's to 1868 when the fort was given over to the Washington Territory. I've seen many pictures of sword saber drags, but none as ornately decorated as this one.

 

[Joel-Winnipeg]

Congrats on:the nice old relics.

 

[tab-nabit]

Very nice find - I used to live in Steilacoom (thought it was spelled differently) when I was active at McChord AFB. I remember if I walked out to the main street and looked down it one way, there was some mental hospital within view. I remember nabbing one of them screwballs that got away and was hanging in the brush at my place. I gave him a real fun time while my ol lady phoned the local authorities to nab the guy. By the time they arrived, he looked like he was drugged threw the bushes for some time, and I think he wanted to go back - lol. Hey I was young and bored at the moment
Not sure if were speaking the same. Back then, I had only detected a little on base since I took advantage of all the fishing with some fishing buddies. Also spent a short spell at Spanaway & Pyullaup (however they are spelled). Had lots of good fishing with some buddies back then. Then next oversea assignment changed all that.
Again - very nice find - WTG!

 

[rickydbasser1]

Didn't think you could see Western State Hospital from McChord, but they're not that far apart, so maybe there is some local, and it is certainly within walking distant for a lost patient. Right on on the spelling of Spanaway....something to be desired on the spelling of Puyallup LOL. I do alot of smallmouth fishing at American Lake which is in the same area. Anyway, used to be an old fort. Unfortunately, the main fort where the buildings were located is on hospital grounds and can't be metal detected. Infact the original 5 homes that were officer's quarters are still there, the only remaining buildings from the original fort. I do my detecting across the street at Fort Steilacoom Park, which is where I found the firing range.

 

[GrafeR]

Awesome relics! Congrats on the finds..looks like your hard work and research payed off!!

 

[rickydbasser1]

Thanks. I guess its worth adding, that, with research, if I can be the first to find an unhunted site right in the middle of a very heavily populated city and busy area, anyone can....with enough research. I mean, here, right in the middle of a city park where countless people play, jog, walk their dogs, were artifacts below the ground for more than 150 years, and I was the first to swing a detector over it. In the years after I've found many dug holes on that firing range, but it was virgin ground when I first walked into that field.

 

[tab-nabit]

I was active duty working at McChord but didn't live on base. Was living off base and I don't recall the name off the street I used to live on. I was there a few years then left in 81. If it wasn't from all the fishing and stationed with a few friends that was also into fishing, I might have got more into detecting in that area back then. After I returned from overseas a couple years after, my detecting picked up because the urge was pounding more and I had just picked up a new VLF auto ground track machine - it was way advanced from the couple of older beat up machines I had, and was the first machine I bought that wasn't used.
Sure got lots of fish from the Puget Sound, and hit several lakes and streams. I also don't recall the name, but there used to be place with a bunch of tents (might be a good detecting place), and then there was a known gorilla, named Ivan that was an attraction back then.
I remember before my A.F. days, I was army and didn't get stationed at Ft. Lewis when I tried. I could have been there earlier - oh well.

 

[Oakman404]

Very nice Ricky! While I was stationed in Germany in the 80's me and a couple of buddies used to go around to the other little bases with our trusty Garrett's and clean up on the silver coins lost by the U.S. soldiers during WW 2. I had a great time.

Rick

 

[rickydbasser1]

Yup, Ivan the gorilla....his home was at the old B&I store, which is no longer there. Before that became his perminent home, he used to be trucked between there and some place in California. My brother in law's father, Bob, used to have the job of hauling him in a 40 ft semi trailer. He said that every once in a while Ivan would start running up one wall, then up the other, and really get the trailer to rocking. Bob said he would slam on his breaks, which would knock Ivan on his butt.....Then everything would be quiet for a while....Then it would start all over again....Funny.

 

[tab-nabit]

yup, now I remember, B&I, thanks to you.
And Bob messing with Ivan -