stone foundation in woods, help with dates?

[Heidi-]

I followed an old stone wall in the Maine woods today, and found a hole (maybe 15 ft in diameter) with lots of large stones all around it and at the bottom. I'm thinking it must have been the foundation for a little cabin or barn. I dug TONS of broken bricks, pottery (blue and white, yellow and blue, and brown) as lots of iron.

I also dug an ox shoe?, a hatchet/mallet, buckles, part of chain, a wedge, things like that. I was most excited to find a button (MY FIRST ever!) It's just a flat one, without design, but I was really happy. Also found a great belt buckle with an eagle. I'm not sure if these are all of the same period....Does anyone have thoughts about a date range?

Pretty tame finds, but it was a really exciting day for me! Thanks for looking
Heidi

 

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[Hogtown Hunter]

Congrats on finding a productive spot. I have no idea on the date but that buckle is awesome. Keep searching there's got to be more.

 

[niffler]

That's a circa 1840 American Militia sword belt plate! Very close to the one on page 200 of Sydney Kerksis book "Plates and Buckles of American Military 1795 - 1874". Looks like a rarity level of 5/10. Sweet finds!

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

Beautiful militia buckle !!! No expert, but guessing the button & buckle date 1820's- 1840's?

Iowa Dale

 

[Almy]

I like all the tools, too. Small splitting hatched (or very worn axe head), knife with some handle left, what looks like a very small shingling hatchet and a small (perhaps worn) trowel. Nice finds and nice spot! Exciting, isn't it, to find such a spot and these things indicating previous, old occupancy.

 

[Heidi-]

Thanks Niffler! You guys totally know your stuff. I'm always really grateful/ impressed how quickly people on treasurenet i.d. stuff. Wow, what a great day!

 

[Noah_D]

Very nice finds! That plate sure is something! At a place like that I would definitely dig ALL those sketchy non-ferrous signals... I can almost guarantee there's more buttons and maybe a coin or two in there if you take it real slow.

 

[Sheperdess]

Good Luck Heidi! Dig, dig, dig!

 

[Squirrel322]

That belt plate is AWESOME!

 

[HunterMF]

Love that belt plate!! Congrats on the awesome finds!

 

[Digger RJ]

Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[CRUSADER]

Good spot & nice plate! Keep clearing that iron.....

 

[pa plateau hiker]

Nothing wrong with digging rusty iron.It's historically significant.

 

[gunsil]

Heidi, that belt plate rates Banner, but sadly I think the rules here require more total posts for banner. Superb find worth a lot more than most coins found in the dirt.

 

[DiggerKid2003]

Wow, a buckle like that would make my year, great finds all around!

 

[Steve in PA]

You should have mentioned that buckle in the title of your post. That is a killer find, and as Niffler said, they were popular with militia units in the 1840s and 50s. Many were carried into the civil war by the members of these militia units. They are known as "panel plates" because the border creates a central panel for the motif.
I found one a couple years ago with a star instead of an eagle and mine made Banner, so I am giving you a Banner vote

PS - Don't clean it any more than you have already. Whatever you do, don't put water or any liquid on it. Toothpick and dry toothbrush is all you need to clean that plate.

 

[erfranks]

Great Saves!!! love the belt plate

 

[oldmxrat]

Wow, some great finds for sure! Do some electrolysis on those iron relics and you'll be amazed at how presentable they become. Congrats!

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

big time gratz! great finds.

 

[dfx'er]

congrats on the panel plate