Old Brickyards?

[coinman123]

Anyone have experience metal detecting old brickyards? Abandoned around 1880. I found a brickyard on a mid 1800's map, that would be right in the woods behind a school (public property, with nature trails from school in the woods). There are also 3 old houses next to the road, and next to the school, which probably had fields that extended to the woods at one point. There is a chance there could also have been a 1700's house gone by the time this map was made, which one happened to me (and produced a jackpot of finds). Could this be a good hunt? Going tomorrow probably.

 

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[Nitric]

The brick yard I had experience with was along a railroad. It was a big enough company that the town was created around it at the time. It's pretty much all gone now. But it had a bar, gambling went on, and housing for workers.

I guess, they were also paid in Gold at one point. I never found any. They would also buy their booze and pass out in the grass(or where it was then). Also along the railroad, there would be traveling carnevals that would come in by train. Ball fields for the company teams etc...... That was also a late 1800's early 1900's place.


Just some things to consider when looking at yours. I found a lot of my info from old timers that were still alive when I was looking. Now that they are gone? There is very few people that know what went on, or where the different area's are now.

 

[sprailroad]

Ahhhhhhh, yes

 

[pepperj]

I have a brick yard and clay pits right on my property dating back to the mid 1800's. Easy to go and dig holes on my own property. 13 acre field three coins, one military button, bits of brass, farm tools, iron.

I have found more in the surrounding bush then the actual site, and after 4 yrs there's still lots to explore (40 acres ). Folks lived in the little hamlet and there was a few building sites documented on the town plan and not documented that I have found,The dam and the two mills on the edge of the property date to 1810. The actual clay pit right behind the yard was used as a garbage dump over yrs, so anything from the mid 1850's and up lay in the bottom, a task I want to do is excavate the pit down a few more feet so to clean it up and recover some stuff. But this year it's still retaining water.
Detecting the surrounding area from the yard I had a good day when I hit a little spill. As it shows where there's activity there's always hiding in the soils.

 

[coinman123]

There's also a little river next to it, I will try along there today also./

Thanks guys!

 

[ChampFerguson/TN]

I quit reading at 'public property'. Go hunt the bejeezus out of it!

 

[coinman123]

It was way too overgrown to get to the actual brickyard (that I have marked on my map overlay), but I got within the general area. I found some china while digging, a leather rivet, and a beautiful lead bale seal (might even be 1700's). I was only there for an hour, in the fall I will try to get closer to the actual brickyard.

 

[nagant]

A brickyard building ran into my yard according to the Sanford fire insurance maps. Lots of old iron bits and some nickle plated brass screws (sound great) but no old coins.