Found a colonial log cabin? *UPDATE

[incajoe]

I ventured into the woods today on a mission. I had been doing some research on a potential site of a very early log cabin. Early being 1730ish! There is some local lore about this cabin and it's occupant (trying not to give away too much info here) and I figured I would take a shot at finding it. I had a general idea of where the cabin was located and it is in a very tough to access area. The only way to get there was to approach it from the opposite side of the mountain and hike down into the notch between two peaks to the area in question. It was a steep climb up the mountain but it was do-able. Of course I wasn't carrying any equipment either! I left the detector at home since this was merely a search mission. After descending into the notch I noticed a small pool of water ahead of me which was a natural spring. I knew this would have been a likely area for a cabin since a water source would have been required. As I approached the spring I was able to see some rocks placed in a small wall where the water actually came out of the mountain side. This was a good clue. Someone had definitely used this spring to get water and these rocks had been placed there a very long time ago. I started to survey the area knowing that the cabin would likely be close by. There were a few flat spots around and I began to check each one for any signs of a cabin. Then as I reached one of the larger flat areas I saw something. There were the remains of a couple very old logs that were piled on top of each other at a 90 degree angle and as I got closer still I could see that they were notched and set into place! YES, this was the corner of a very old log cabin! Almost nothing was left but I could see a very faint outline of the footprint of the old cabin in the form of a slight mound where the logs had deteriorated. It looked to be about 10' X 12' (approx). There was no sign of any iron in the structure such as nails or pins. There was no evidence of roofing material (asphalt singles, tar paper). At this point I'm thinking I have found this long lost cabin of local lore but I would like to know what your opinions are. The question that keeps popping into my mind is: Could these logs really have survived 250+ years? Can they really be that old? I'd like to think so. I will certainly be visiting the area again soon armed with my metal detector. Hopefully I will find definitive evidence that tells me the age of the site. I'll keep you posted.......

 

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[wwwtimmcp]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin?

get your detector up there asap and keep us informed. I have timbers in shallow water in lake erie from 1771 so anything is possible. also, someone may have come along and reused the remaining timbers to rebuild a cabin on the same spot. by all means search this area but good.

nice job.

 

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[savant365]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

Are there any other man made items laying around? I would be looking for the rocks they used for the fireplace. Good luck, it looks like a great site to hunt.

HH Charlie

 

[mlayers]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

NO matter what it is still a great find in the woods. I will be praying for you to get some great finds there. Be looking for your future posts....Matt

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

I believe you have found the corner of a split rail fence. Nothing more.


Now--let me put this point to you...


You should always carry your equipment. Because most likely, a cabin from 1730 is going to be gone without a trace. You *Might* be able to see some sign--depending on whether or not it had a cellar hole, but many Very early cabins did not have cellars. You might be able to see some broken glass by kicking up the leaves, but then again what you see at the very early sites is an absence of brick and glass. Plus, that's a lot of kicking.

What you need is to have your detector with you, turned on, and discrimination low enough to hear Iron.


When you hear iron, you may have found your site.



Best Wishes,


Buckleboy

I can see why you would say that but if you saw the site you would instantly know that it is a cabin. Like I said you can see the footprint of the cabin with slightly raised mounds where the wall once stood. There is a slight amount of wood left on the ground where the opposite corner was too.

As for why I didn't take the metal detector.....easy, it's at Minelab getting repaired. I think I'm going to borrow a detector from my father and go check this place out next week (earliest I can do it) because the suspense is killing me.

Here are some more pics. Notice the axe marks on the logs and in the last one you can just barely see the mound of dirt where the wall was running vertically down the left side of the frame.


PS. Another theory: maybe the original cabin was rebuilt at a later point (1800's) and this is the remains of that cabin?

I really don't think that is a cabin, and if I were there in person, I still don't know that I would think it was a cabin. When you're looking for something in the woods, it's easy to think that anything is a site. Farmer-stacked stones plowed out of old fields become foundation stones or chimneys long-since caved in. When looking for a civil war camp, any ground distrubance becomes earthworks. It's called Confirmation Bias--the tendency of the mind to only see what it's looking for. But either way, 30 minutes of your time with a detector on and swinging will tell you for certain.

-Buckles

 

[RPG]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

I'm wishing you the best of luck on this one. Hope it turns out to be a cabin. As I said before, if this is not a cabin, there should be one close by. Keep us posted on this.
Randy

PS--Buy a backup detector.

 

[Mr Tuff]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

looks like a great area looks like that corner stone kept the corner off the ground. maybe thats why it is still intact it looks square shaped for sure. best off luck dig deep

 

[allen]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

way to do the research,
now hopefully it will pay
off in a big way for you...

 

[incajoe]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

Now I really can't wait to get out there with a detector so that I can prove Mr. Buckles wrong!

 

[savant365]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

I guess I don't understand, Does it really matter if it is/was a cabin? That is obviously man made so there were people around there at one time. I would hunt the hell outta that site

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

I guess I don't understand, Does it really matter if it is/was a cabin? That is obviously man made so there were people around there at one time. I would hunt the hell outta that site

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

We have a WINNER!

I agree with Savant.....hunt it! Especially if your supply of other hunt spots is waning!


-

 

[jgas]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

From the top of the corner piece, count three down and pick that log up. I put a note there for ya! jgas

 

[CRUSADER]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

From the top of the corner piece, count three down and pick that log up. I put a note there for ya! jgas

Yeah, & you know what underwear he wears

 

[LadyDigger]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

Looks like some kind of structure was there...maybe a small shed if not a cabin....good luck...look forward to reading about your finds!
Annmarie

 

[Curious The George]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

Could be cabin, bear proof hog pen, corn crib, storage shed, cow shed, horse or mule shed.

What ever it is, people were there, obviously. If it isn't a cabin then there is some kind of human habitat near by. Start detecting.

It looks remote enough that unless someone sees you going in, you will have this place all to yourself to search as much as you feel like.

Keep us posted.

 

[incajoe]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

Looks like some kind of structure was there...maybe a small shed if not a cabin....good luck...look forward to reading about your finds!
Annmarie

Actually it's the shell of a nut that was eaten by a squirrel but nice eye!

 

[LadyDigger]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

Looks like some kind of structure was there...maybe a small shed if not a cabin....good luck...look forward to reading about your finds!
Annmarie

Actually it's the shell of a nut that was eaten by a squirrel but nice eye!

WOW....it really looks like some nail / spike head....! Those squirrels are good!

 

[1320]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

If you think it's a cabin then it is! Go with your gut. Positive thinking will yield much better results than caving in to opinions of your photographs. Many a piece of wood has survived this long for sure. Log cabins were used as long as they were liveable and could have even survived long enough to receive upgrades/alterations that would erase original scores of the axe with a more modern saw. And one last shot of positive reinforcement, homesites weren't picked by accident back in the day and it was the rule rather than the exception to rebuild at the same site over and over again. I have recently dug one site that had three homes on it, respectively built in 1790, 1843 and 1948. If not previously wiped out, the artifacts will speak for themselves.

Jamie

 

[stillgottawork]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

Ok...stop with the posts.....just get back there as fast as you can and let us know what you find........

Looks like no one has been there for some time........make sure you check back by those pine trees...

Good luck to ya..........

 

[mistergee]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

looks promising ....keep us informed

 

[Mr.Jody]

Re: Found a colonial log cabin? *MORE PICS ADDED

Hell, if nothing else more pics would be nice... good luck