Southwest Missouri Spring - interesting findings

[jabryant76]

A friend of mine owns property in southwest missouri. On his property there are a number of springs one in particular constantly flows water. About a year ago, he had this idea of putting a garden pool below the spring in order to catch the water. He wanted to do this because he does not have running water on the property. In the process of trying to clear the opening of the spring we came across a old board in the mud that looked like nail holes on one end. It was about 3 feet long and the one end was completely worn down. I'm going off of memory so I could be wrong on the size. But it was a board and it did have what looked to be nail holes. We both found it to be very odd to find something like that, thinking we found some kind of old mine we started digging faster. But soon gave up and finished what we originally planned on doing.

About a couple of months later, I brought my metal detector to his property. I scanned the area around the spring and didn't find a thing, I did however find a very small nail maybe about 4 inches in the ground, reminded be of a saddle nail about 20 yards in front of the spring near the bottom of a small bluff.

I was down there again about a month ago, I brought my new metal detector with me this time, a Ace 250. I re-scanned around the spring and didn't find anything. I then decided to scan the area on the bluff above the spring, again I did not find anything with the metal detector. However, I did come across a pile of stones almost directly in line with the spring. This bluff runs all along the side of the hill. It clearly looked like someone had stacked these stones and when you look down you are looking directly at the spring.

The stacking of stones really has me thinking twice about this spring. I wouldn't consider myself a treasure hunter, however finding a board, what I think is a saddle nail and now what I believe to be a marker in the middle of the woods, I'm really thinking about taking sometime and investigating this a bit further. Do any of you experts have any advice? There is no way we can get any sort of heavy digging equipment to the spring without building a road first to the spring. I was thinking about spending a weekend of just digging and seeing if I find anything else. Since water is flowing, does that mean if there is a cave under the mud it is most likely filled with water?

If this is in the wrong forum, please move.

Attached are pictures I have of the spring from when you put in the garden pool, one is a close up of the water flowing out. Also attached is a interesting rock we found near the spring. I will try and get a picture of the board if he still has it and the saddle pin, I will defiantly get a picture of the stacked stones and it's general location in relation to the spring the next time I am down.

Thanks, John

[Monk]

jabryant 76, Would you be onto anything! = ? Who can really say. But I think I'd mave the stone pile and see if it could be hiding something? Maybe a marked stone, ect. Walk area and look it over, look for any marks. Maybe swing a good locator some more, you might find wagon parts, camp site,ect. Check local history of area. Good luck.

[diggummup]

Maybe the pile of stones in the woods is an old grave marker? Try digging it first like Monk said,if there's human bones of course, you'd have to notify the authorities. Or cover it back up and run like heck! .Look at any old trees in the vicinity,check for markings(signs)Why is a saddle nail unusual?Maybe because it shows past activity in the area?Is this an older spring?Check old maps of the area for more info..You should be able to find a link in the" maps "section on this forum.Good luck and keep us posted.

[JakePhelps]

Could you post a pic of the nail? We can most likely ID it and give you an aproximate date maybe...man if i dug every pile of stones in my woods id be digging the rest of my life i always wondered why people make rock piles? to get em out of the way to farm, cover up wells not used anymore, stonewalls, could be anything!

[ashdigger]

John I also live in SW Mo.and read you're posting. It very well may be something, we have alot of history in the area. Keep looking, now that its getting a little coolerand wetter it will be easier to do. search it good and see what you find, where theres (fresh) water, there were usually people years ago. Good Luck let us know if you find anything. Steve.

[tsgman]

Hey John, I also live in SW Mo. and I think Ashdigger is right. I study regional history and have always found that the springs were well used back in the day. Alot of times an old homeplace would be situated close, or within a short wagon trip to the spring. It's possible that the board could a remnant of the spring house, which kept milk and parishables cold. Keep on looking, and good luck.

[MiddenMonster]

Since water is flowing, does that mean if there is a cave under the mud it is most likely filled with water?

I doubt there is a cave under the spring. Most of the springs in that area are artesian springs, which means that ground water just comes up out of the ground through cracks in the rocks and wherever it can. Think of the ground as a 500 square mile sponge covered with dirt and debris. Most of the caves I've seen there are in the middle of bluffs and cliffs where the water has flowed through them for hundreds or thousands of years to make the cave.

[jabryant76]

Thanks, for the replies. I will be taking more pictures the next time I'm down. Those pictures are from last fall. I'll make sure and try and get a picture of the board and nail if he still has them. I'm sure he does, just might take us awhile to find them. The hill that this spring is on is fairly steep, the bluff above the spring runs all along the hill. So I figured someone might of placed the stones to mark the location of the spring. It would be very easy to find cause all you would have to do is follow the bluff. I don't know if it is correct for me to call this a hill, I suppose a Ozark Mountain might be a better term.

I plan on doing a bit more investigating the next time I'm down, I'll post my results.

Thanks,
John