Hunting old home site

[OldJerseyGirl]

If you find an old home site in a field, how big an area should you hunt? I know they all had to have had a barn of some sort. When I found where the old house was ( lots of broken bricks and iron signals) there did not seem to be any signals in the outer areas. I am thinking other buildings had to be there, but how far from the home site. It is a big field, and I tried to hunt the high ground. Would be nice if you could find an old photo, but the house was there back in 1870's.

 

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[DFX DAVE in M.D.]

I would keep hunting it all until you made a good find and work that area hard, it might be the hot spot, then I would work out from there looking for other hot spots. Good luck on the site.

 

[Swartzie]

I'll usually go out 100 feet or so and work in loose grid type pattern. If I start getting signals then I'll slow down and tighten the grid. The most valuable coin find of mine (liberty cap 1/2 cent) was found more than 100 feet from the cellar hole and that was about my third year hunting the property. Some places have good stuff and some just don't.

Good Luck!
-swartzie

 

[wvplug]

You can almost bet the barn is close to the existing or an old road. Looks for signs of the grade. Also look for corner stones for the barn or perhaps a depression where the barns dirt floors would have been. In some cases the barn may NOT be so close to the old house. Many times it will depend on the water source for the house and where that is in respect to the hay field.

 

[empty_pockets]

Look at the picture and all houses had a privy...Look at the distance between the house and the privy....Stand at the back of the house in the evening and throw grass in the air each day and see what direction it travels...That is where the privy will be and a lot of items were lost between the 2 buildings...Just one idea to throw your way...

 

[CincinnatiKid]

empty_pockets makes a good point. Look for the privy. Although, many privys can be a bit farther from the main house. Just close enough not to freeze running to it in winter, and far enough not to smell it in summer heat. Good luck...
Peace

 

[OldJerseyGirl]

Thank you, I am going back there tomorrow and range further away from the home site. It is in a field that has been worked for many years. No sign of anything. But, when I found all the old broken brick and some pottery, I figured it had to be close. I found at least 7 buttons there and assorted small things,nothing really good, but not one single coin. It is very close to the road, and I suspect the road might run through where the old house was, as it has been widened since it used to be just a dirt road. No trees . Nothing but open field. Will let you know if I get lucky.

 

[wvplug]

Thank you, I am going back there tomorrow and range further away from the home site. It is in a field that has been worked for many years. No sign of anything. But, when I found all the old broken brick and some pottery, I figured it had to be close. I found at least 7 buttons there and assorted small things,nothing really good, but not one single coin. It is very close to the road, and I suspect the road might run through where the old house was, as it has been widened since it used to be just a dirt road. No trees . Nothing but open field. Will let you know if I get lucky.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Have you looked into any old maps of the area from the County or Township? Not sure how it is in NJ but in PA I can pull up all kinds of old maps from the local offices. Also see about aerial photos, we have Penn Pilots here, shots going way back to very early flights. You may be able to pick out foundations and such that were visible 100 years ago that are no longer there.

I found my homestead from the 1700's that way.
And like mentioned, look for a water source. You had to have water, be it a well, or spring, or similar nearby.

And it's a long shot, but check out your local newspaper archives, you may find a story if something happened nearby that may have a photo of the place.
I found such from a story in 1860. Funny, it proved the "documented" legend off by 60 or 70 miles, as to the location.

You sometimes have to put a lot of detective work into a place before you put foot on ground. It will often save you a lot of time and effort once there.

 

[gusser]

Many times the road passed between the house and barn. My barn is 150 yards from my house.