Big iron find

[Trimbaker]

Hello, I found this one inch thick piece of iron on the shore of a swamp creek up on the Northeast Cape Fear river here in North Carolina. The hole in it is two inches in diameter. The piece is slightly irregular in shape and appears to be forged. There is a hole in one edge. Wellllll...that ought to do it, I hope one or many of you know what this is and can give it a better name than it has had for the past thirty years I have had it. "heavy door stop"
Thank you, George.

[pepperj]

Looking at the piece and had I dug it, I would think it was the securing plate for a wall.
The ones where the rod runs from one side of the structure to the other and they anchor plate the ends to keep the building wall straight/secure.

[ticndig]

I feel what you've found is a washer off of a bridge.

[Mud Hut]

Which is also construction related and applies to Pepper's guess.

These were used all over.

"anchor plate".

Wall plates usually have 3/4 inch holes and used 3/4 inch threaded rods.
I would lean more towards the bridge plate theory, and with a 2 " hole my guess is that it had a heavy pin or a suspension rod through it instead of a bolt.

[AARC]

I actually deleted my post due to the dawning on me of something else that exists...

"anchor washer plate".

Which could also file here.

[AARC]

I feel what you've found is a washer off of a bridge.

This one you have pictured is actually a "decorative washer".

still made and sold today... https://www.lowes.com/pd/Simpson-Str...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Tony in SC]

A big bridge, ferry, or trestle all would use that style plate/washer.

[Trimbaker]

This one you have pictured is actually a "decorative washer".

still made and sold today... https://www.lowes.com/pd/Simpson-Str...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hmmmm, I wonder what would have required a one inch thick piece of iron to be forged, then a two inch hole which is not drilled, but formed ( it is not round or true) ...something of this heft and strength would have been expected to endure some kind of punishment in its use, I think. this is not a cast iron thing, it has folded layers forge welded. I would think a decorative piece would also have been made symmetrical. This is not. Just my thoughts on this. I am open to your thoughts too. Thank you for giving me a different angle to see this from so far. George.

[Trimbaker]

A big bridge, ferry, or trestle all would use that style plate/washer.

oooooo.... I like the ferry idea. The location is a square notch in the shore of the NE Cape Fear, where a small creek also enters. I wonder if that was a ferry landing. Next time I go up there, I will look across the river from that spot and look for traces of a ferry landing there.

[ticndig]

The point of the pic was to show washers are made in the general shape of the object found. what leads me to believe it's from a bridge is the thickness of the metal and size of the hole. and the fact it was found near the water. if not a bridge than railroad. the item was made to withstand a lot of weight or stress.

[Trimbaker]

The point of the pic was to show washers are made in the general shape of the object found. what leads me to believe it's from a bridge is the thickness of the metal and size of the hole. and the fact it was found near the water. if not a bridge than railroad. the item was made to withstand a lot of weight or stress.

Ok, I am hitching up the boat trailer and heading up to the river and see if I can back track thirty some years to that spot ( cold enough to dodge the snakes) I can't stand waiting around... I will check back tonight. : ) Thanks to each and all. George.

[AARC]

Hmmmm, I wonder what would have required a one inch thick piece of iron to be forged, then a two inch hole which is not drilled, but formed ( it is not round or true) ...something of this heft and strength would have been expected to endure some kind of punishment in its use, I think. this is not a cast iron thing, it has folded layers forge welded. I would think a decorative piece would also have been made symmetrical. This is not. Just my thoughts on this. I am open to your thoughts too. Thank you for giving me a different angle to see this from so far. George.

I was not saying yours is this... I was saying that in general Tics pic (hey that is "catchy") is of a washer still made and sold today... style wise... I think yours could be from any number of things.

[AARC]

Hmmmm, I wonder what would have required a one inch thick piece of iron to be forged, then a two inch hole which is not drilled, but formed ( it is not round or true) ...something of this heft and strength would have been expected to endure some kind of punishment in its use, I think. this is not a cast iron thing, it has folded layers forge welded. I would think a decorative piece would also have been made symmetrical. This is not. Just my thoughts on this. I am open to your thoughts too. Thank you for giving me a different angle to see this from so far. George.

I was not saying yours is this... I was saying that in general Tics pic (hey that is "catchy") is of a washer still made and sold today... style wise... I think yours could be from any number of things.