Noticed trend with finding homesites

[Tpmetal]

So I have been noticing a trend with homesites around me that I find very interesting. My area was originally settled in the very early 1800s. What I have been noticing is that I can spot most homesites by finding black walnut trees. These trees seem to preserve the homesite area even, in the fact that they don't let much else grow with it. They seem to be the first tree to take back over the old sites and often still leave the grass and grain growing as it once was back then. I believe this has a lot to do with tannins in the soil from the husks of the nuts. I'm getting to the point where i can look at the lay of the land and the types of plants and trees growing and hone right in on a homesite with little effort. Does anyone else notice this trend with walnut trees in particular? Also just a notes of plants and trees to look out for when looking for old homesites from the 1800s(at least in my area). Black walnut and apple(the most prevalent), Hawthorn, locust, and hornbeam trees. Followed by large sugar maples and occasionally oak trees. In terms of plants lillys hang out right where they were planted in front of the home most of the time. Other plants too look out for are grain types of grasses. Out side I'm interested to hear trends like this from other parts of the country, or even ones I may be missing from my area. Anyone else got things they look for? I mean besides common stuff like rocks, roads, large water sources and such.

 

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[SultansOfSwing]

Everything here was clear cut and most of the trees are less than 100 years old so I cant go by looking for trees. I pay attention to the rock walls and the when they start to make paddocks i know im close. Then I get to an area thats still relatively clear and look for a patch of high ground and thats the cellar.

 

[Tpmetal]

Everything here was clear cut and most of the trees are less than 100 years old so I cant go by looking for trees. I pay attention to the rock walls and the when they start to make paddocks i know im close. Then I get to an area thats still relatively clear and look for a patch of high ground and thats the cellar.

Most of the trees I speak of are not even close to being from the 1800's But I'm talking about recognizing how the land takes back over in various stages, and how you can still find evidence of human input. Rocks are a huge input, but very very few old rock walls around me. Mostly they are field piles or part of the cellar hole.

 

[G.A.P.metal]

One logger here in the Southern tier specializes in Black Walnut very profitable lumber...no i see no pattern here.
Many gun company's make their stocks out of walnut black or Butter Nut white.
Most of the older still standing homes around here all used walnut as floor boards,my buddy`s house has 20" floor boards of butternut white walnut.
Gary

 

[Tpmetal]

One logger here in the Southern tier specializes in Black Walnut very profitable lumber...no i see no pattern here.
Many gun company's make their stocks out of walnut black or Butter Nut white.
Most of the older still standing homes around here all used walnut as floor boards,my buddy`s house has 20" floor boards of butternut white walnut.
Gary

Interesting, your not too far away either.

 

[Oddjob]

Not in the area I grew up; South Texas and Mexico it would be the pecan tree. My family when migrated over in the early 1800s put up tons of pecan trees on their ranches on both sides of the border. Provided good cattle shade and a food source.

Back as a child many years ago with an MD I had noticed that old sites where easy to spot based on these trees, even if the house was gone if you saw big pecans you knew that you needed to look a little more for a giant oak that they may have set their main farm around. If lacking then likely it was part of the old cattle drive trail which also provides for great MDing as well.

For us the first sign was big pecan trees, second thing to look for was giant oaks and last thing was stone walls and cedar post. Find a water source, even seasonal and likely the rest was near.

 

[sawmill man]

My area of Ky. its yucca plant, hill folks call it meat hanger. its at just about every homesite around . people used it for cordage, for rope string and medicinal . old people say it was the go to string to hang meat in the smoke house. and probably more uses. very hard to kill out.

 

[1320]

Apple trees are a dead give away in my area, especially long gone homesites located in the forest. Any stand alone large Oak or Hickory in open spaces are usually dead give aways as well.

 

[ChampFerguson/TN]

A slamdunk indicator in my area of a previous home are jonquil/daffodils.

View attachment jonquil.bmp

 

[Oddjob]

Getting good for those of us who may want to go travel around for some MDing, or just may be in the area.

Love this site, all us poor treasure hunters share fairly well.

 

[sawmill man]

Dont forget the little iris flowers. Yes ,oddjob i can see a good book come from this.

 

[Oddjob]

Dont forget the little iris flowers. Yes ,oddjob i can see a good book come from this.

The wander jew plant is a good urban indicator for us back home. Take away the old house and decades later that plant is still growing.
, but urban only.

As for a book, when I first started on here I had saved a great deal of information with a few users like Clay Diggin or Reed Lukens, others as well, reached out to a few per PM asking questions. Man I have some stuff saved up. The site is gold, if you can think of it then likely it has been covered or there are a good handful of folks who forgot more on the topic then most will learn.

 

[Tpmetal]

A slamdunk indicator in my area of a previous home are jonquil/daffodils.

View attachment 1511403

Just like the Lilly here, nice!

 

[Eu_citzen]

In my area, old oaks are a good indicator. Especially if they form an old oak alley.
If memory serves, oaks were protected for a long time. And also regarded as a tree that gives 'good luck'.

 

[Tpmetal]

In my area, old oaks are a good indicator. Especially if they form an old oak alley.
If memory serves, oaks were protected for a long time. And also regarded as a tree that gives 'good luck'.

In your area the home are also probably several hundred years older as well haha, I can only imagine trying to track down something that old.

 

[cooper1841]

On my wooded home sites, I look for the largest Oak, or Beech tree.

 

[Hubbard]

In TN, I look for Buttercup flowers in the spring while out in the woods.

They seemed to have been popular even in the 1800s and last forever.

 

[fishstick]

Not a lot woods here, mostly farm fields. Now you can find Indian campsites around here by Walnut trees. Dif kind of homesite, LOL

 

[miboje]

Same here. We watch for tiger lilies in the spring, other out of place flowers and walnut and fruit trees - which (the fruit trees) are usually only apple trees, including crab apples - that live so long here.

 

[Tpmetal]

Not a lot woods here, mostly farm fields. Now you can find Indian campsites around here by Walnut trees. Dif kind of homesite, LOL

I want an arrowhead sooooooo badly. Would love to find an Native american camp. I'de trade all my current detecting sites for just one NA site