Front yards or back yards?

[marcomo]

I've only been detecting for a few months, but surprisingly about 90% of my better finds from old homesites have been from the front yards. Even though I've done more square footage in back yards.

My instinct tells me this is just a short term aberration since back yards are logical places for clothes lines, kids playing, family gatherings, dumps, outhouses, etc.

So my question for the wise elders who have been MDing old homesites for years: Have you found more good finds in front yards or back?

 

[ancummings]

Thats actually an interesting question. Sometimes what might currently be the front yard at an old homesite might have actually not been the front yard in the past. For instance, at my gf's house where I found 4 silvers and an 1831 large cent (see post "Great finds in girlfriends yard), I found all these in what is currently the side yard. However, after looking at a very old picture of the house hanging on the wall, I discovered that the side yard was actually the front yard back in the 1800's. This makes sense since there is a door on that side of the house. That would explain why I found all the good stuff there, and only clad in the current front yard. I guess what I'm trying to say is that knowing the history of the house and where people used to congregate can be very helpful. Old pictures can be useful in discovering the layout of the yard in the past. Hope that helps.

 

[marcomo]

Good point. And that 1831 large cent was a GREAT find. I guess the moral of the story is always pick a girlfriend with an old house...

 

[JB(MS)]

Don't know about other places but when I was a kid in the late 1940's and early 50's the country folks in this area used the front yard far more than the back yard. Evidently that also held true before then as I've found a lot more coins in the front and side yards of old homesites than in the back yards. The clothesline and outhouse were usually behind or to the side of the house, but it wasn't until the later 1950's, when the grilling out craze hit this area, that country folks began using the back yards very much.

 

[Eu_citzen]

I find more in the backyards here in Sweden, they seem to prefer to do be alone/undisturbed.

 

[jim tn]

On the older yards, pre 1900, I've had my best luck in the front, followed by the sides. On one 1930's era house, though, I found 2 Barber halves under a big oak tree in the back. Those are the only two Barber halves I have ever found. On those old home sites, I hunt it all. HH jim tn

 

[Idaho PRB]

I've had far better luck in the front and side yards.

 

[dobbie]

but when i have it was always the front and sides that i found the most in

 

[Waterdog]

Depends on location of the house. Some of the older houses I have hunted in the country used the front door for guest only. The family would use the back door to enter the house. I have found some nice things around both front and back doors.
HH