My First Cellar Hole

NJKLAGT

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Oct 18, 2014
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At my burnt down house spot there is a cellar hole that I never really payed too much attention to. I once found an amber cider jug near the surface of all the ash but assumed that it was thrown on top much later and that there was nothing underneath. I've dug a couple test holes near the middle and got through about a foot and a half of ash and debris without finding anything at all.

There's a lot of rusted metal in the form of stove parts and buckets and chairs and bed frames, and there are massive rocks everywhere - the foundations that were bulldozed into the middle. It's all grown in with trees and vines and it's just an absolute disaster. I knew that if I ever got around to digging it, it would be the most exhausting and discouraging dig ever.

Well, at first it was just that. I moved what felt like thousands of pounds of ash, wood, bricks, and rocks. I ripped out vines and sawed through roots and got cut up by rusted cans, all for nothing but an aching back. But, as all of you know, this hobby is just as much - probably even more - about hard work and persistence as it is chance and good luck.

I reluctantly went back the next day, having no idea why I was drawn to the cellar to break my back for nothing again. I decided to try a different side of the cellar. I hauled off the rocks to wrestle with the metal to rip through the roots to root through the ash, and finally I heard that 'ding'. It was a blank beer, but I didn't care, because it was something. I ended up discovering a clot of about fifty bottles from around 1910-1925, all larger sodas and beers, and these are the ones I took home. These are a lot more modern in contrast with the things I've found in the house section, but I still had a great time pulling them out. I didn't have any of these yet.

Being fairly close to Brantford, these A.E. Burke sodas are quite common. The clear one has a big bruise on the back but I'm still happy to have found it. The Montgomery mineral waters are common too, but I've never seen one in this size. Every bottle that I took home is around 11 inches tall. In the 'other' department we have a Diehl beer from Defiance, Ohio, a George Norris & Company soda from Detroit, an Associated Bottlers Limited bottle from Toronto, and a Huebner beer from Toledo.

So, I won't be ignoring those cellar holes anymore. I've still got half of this one to get through - who knows what's hiding along those other walls!

Thanks for looking everyone, and good luck out there! :headbang:


NJK

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Bass

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Jan 20, 2013
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Thanks for the story and I'm glad that some of your hard work is starting to pay off. You can use these duplicates as trade for other stuff down the road. Good post and keep us updated on "what lies beneath"
 

OP
OP
NJKLAGT

NJKLAGT

Bronze Member
Oct 18, 2014
1,118
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Southern Ontario
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Garrett Euro Ace 350
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks guys!

Yeah Bass, you're right, I'm definitely gonna keep the best of each and see what I can do with the rest. 'Might even go see if the historical society there needs one.
 

unclemac

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Oct 12, 2011
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you take -great pictures and tell great stories
 

cje

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Apr 7, 2009
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Great story. Your persistence was rewarded with some good bottles. I couldn't imagine anything more daunting than tackling a cellar hole.
 

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