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Got permission to hunt a 250 year old house!!!

N

Neil in West Jersey

New member
Well, I finally got the nerve up to knock on the door of an old house. The house is a big federalist colonial ( I will post a pic tomorrow, hopefully with finds) THere are tennants who live in the back of the house (most of the house is unnocupied), they gave me the owners phone number, and he had no problem! He even invited me to search the dirt basement at another date!!

The house is on a very small property on a very busy road, surrounded by suburban 40 year old houses. The owner told me he does not think anyone has ever MD's there, but he only owns it for about 6 years. I am hopeful I am the first!!

Pics TOMORROW!! (I hope)
 
These are the kinds of hunts that are "dreams come true". I'll bet you won't sleep a wink in anticipation! Good luck to you, and looking forward to the pics...what state is it in??

Ken
 
[attachment 27542 2006_0520Image0001.JPG]
[attachment 27545 2006_0520Image0007.JPG]

Well, I had an hour or so this morning to hunt the house...It is only 1/2 mile from my own.

After a few trashy signals & digs i realized I was digging in very soft soil, unusual for the area. It seemed more like top soil. I figured out the the state built up the county road in the fifty's, and the land may have been regraded, with topsoil being brought in. It seems to go down about 10 inches, before I hit clay, too far for the 8.5" coil. I plan to go back with my 12.5" next time.

I did manage to find some late 20th century stuff. A spoon (stainless), a key, a button (as of yet unidentified), a copper door knob handle (which I thought was another pocket watch at first), a Hot Wheels car (not pictured), a bunch of wheaties (dates not yet determined), and a 1954 quarter, which alone made it worth it
[attachment 27543 2006_0520Image0003.JPG]
 
Hi Camman, Awesome finds! This winter, when I was desperate to dig and there was a foot of snow on the ground I dug the cellar of our house. Its 330 yrs old, and there was an earlier house here that was burned in 1676 along with every other house in town. The history books said there was an indian tunnel from our cellar to the river, but the previous owners said it was closed in 1963 because river rats were coming in. My family thought I was nuts, but I was imagining people running for their lives into the tunnel and dropping things. I ended up not having room to swing the coil and the smell of heating oil was making me sick, but I ended up pulling up a V nickel that was almost impossible to identify, my only silver half, I think 1908, and my earliest coin ever,a 16?4 william and mary farthing.Also a few buttons and alot of junk. I think they used cellars differently back then, so if you get to dig one, you may find something good since it hasn't been exposed to the weather. I don't know if you'll find the same, but I found nothing in the middle of the cellar, everything I found was within 2-3 ft of the stone foundation.I'd be interested to know where you found yours. I'll post pictures if anyones interested. Happy digging!
 
[attachment 27772 oldhouse.jpg]

I did some research and found the house was built circa 1790, the vestebule was added in the 1890's and removed sometime after the 1950's. It was used as a sales office for the new subdivision being built in the 1950's, and that must have been when the fill was brought in.

The photo is from a local history book.
 
just realized that the v nickel looks totally different in picture than in person...I can't make out any details thru the grundge, but it looks great in the photo. That never happens! The token I love...they are as much fun to find as a coin. Just identified a token we found last summer as a 1804 merchants token, I'd been searching everywhere. I really like the challenge of figuring out what they were. Of course, they are worth next to nothing because of condition, but I'm almost relieved. If it was worth something I might feel like I should sell it, this way I can keep it and enjoy knowing its connected to our families.
 
That would be fun, but I would not be thinking Metal Detecting, but more on the ghost busting, good luck.
 
What a beautiful sight those coins are and gotta love that house, too!! You're so lucky to have such a great place to hunt at your leisure. Congrats and thanx for the pics!!
 
Joesgirl,

Great post and interesting history and they go along with the great finds.

Very very nice.

Farnum
 
Its funny, up until joning this forum I have never had anyone think we were lucky to own the house! most people think we are either poor, crazy, (or both), and feel sorry that we live like we do. I think that myself when the winter drags on, but couldn't be happy in a new house either. Up until '98 there was no heating system, its so dark inside we're like bats, and most men have to crouch because the beams are so low. Combined with the critters and insects that share our home, our friends and relatives hardly ever visit. BUT, the dirt is full of buried treasure!! I cant imagine there is anything really worth alot, but its just fun digging and dreaming. Our plan (hope) is to eventually have the other house reconstructed somewhere off the edge of the road and I'm thinking we should get any interested MDists and have a big hunt in the field right before we leave!
 
Great (information) digging, no pun intended! Here in MA, there was a new neighborhood put in somewhere around Kingston in the 50's and I read that in the 80's they found a tobacco tin that had belonged to Miles Standish and other early artifacts. They researched and finally figured out that the town had used fill there taken from the original Plymouth Plantation back in the 40's....so, you never know where your dirts been! HAPPY DIGGING!
 
Joesgirl,

If you ever have a day for metal detecting in your field count me in. I am always up to detecting where I am allowed even if I only find pennies.

Farnum
 
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