To dig or not to dig?

[CoilyGirl]

Last week my husband told me he had uncovered a slab of asphalt by accident a few inches down behind our fenced in yard.I kind of tried to dig around it and found another piece of asphalt at a diagonal. Our back yard slopes down dramatically into the neighbor's yard behind us,a little natural dry creek bed runs through between the houses?Could this be an old storm drain long since buried or even a set of steps? I don't want to go willy nilly digging for no reason but as usual I'm intrigued. Our neighborhood is fairly new but the the houses behind are older.

 

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[Frankn]

Perhaps there was an alley there at one time. Way back, when I lived in the city, there was always an alley, or right of way between rows of houses to allow for garbage collection. Frank...

 

[GMD52]

I think Frank may be on to something. Asphalt wasn't usually used for stairs, mainly roads or sidewalks. Check with the local town or city clerk, usually that information on roads and right of ways will be listed on the tax, or land use maps. Good luck, might be worth persuing...Gary

 

[Peyton Manning]

guessing an indian parking lot. maybe a cheromart?

 

[CoilyGirl]

It's not blacktop asphalt like a road,its like more like a pebbled driveway material,sorry for the confusion.I'm wondering now if maybe it could have been something to drain water off of the little rise to drain into the creek bed but then again why, since our yard was just land backed up to another neighborhood.I may go wander back there and take afew pics lest the Injuns get me.

 

[liftloop]

bring some then too trade and you should be fine

 

[BosnMate]

Pictures might help

 

[hvacker]

You probably are already aware of this but don't dig on your land especially on property lines until you know where your underground utility easements are. The Utilities will come out for free and stake them out. The electrical power lines will ruin a shovel and in some cases you will be charged for the repair.
They are also known at times not to be at the required depth.
I know this because I hit a power line with a post hole digger at 18 inches. Steam came out of the hole and I saw the link fall from the transformer across the street. Good ol wooden handles.
I wasn't charged for the repair because the depth wasn't to code.
Or maybe all your utilities are above ground. In that case fagtaboit.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Thanks hvacker,that is good to know.Actually there is an upright cable pole behind and slightly to the right of where the pebbly asphalt is.if anything I may get the detector out one day and go along the creek bed.The slight rise up to my yard may be some kind of easement and the creek flattens out and turns into grass on both sides.I know if I were a kid I would be playing around there.The creek just stops on both sides into green grass of peoples ' yards behind us.neighbors have sheds on concrete blocks so I do know the area gets water in it.I know further on down the road eventually there is a creek that circles all around our neighborhood.Here are a few pics I took.

 

[Joe hunter]

Perhaps a vault to a grave lol

 

[twoauers]

Could be a storm- above ground- drain between the houses. Set in place at one time, but now broken up. Perhapse dug by the contractor who was building the sub-division to aid in creating water run off during begining construction at the land development phase of the project, to allow them to get the grading permit for the lots. Just a thought.

 

[BosnMate]

Perhaps a leech line, like an abandoned septic tank.

 

[Peyton Manning]

seeing the buildings on blocks somehow I bet good money you have a couple cars on blocks too

 

[GMD52]

It may well be a drainage run-off area between the properties, and I say this looking at the line of trees that seem to border the flowage. It might be interesting to search the area with your MD.

 

[CoilyGirl]

I think maybe when the weather gets a little cooler and the ticks aren't such a problem I may try it. I'm guessing the older subdivision behind us could date back at least till the forties.

 

[Peyton Manning]

wow coily is up late, hubby out of town?

 

[CoilyGirl]

wow coily is up late, hubby out of town?

Yup,he is,but he'll get home latttte tonight.he went to the Civil war show in Richmond over the weekend and I have to pick him up at the airport at around 11:30 tonight,his flights kept getting cancelled.

 

[Peyton Manning]

did he get me anything? I would love some real CV item

 

[CoilyGirl]

I'll miss you Jeff - Gordon and hope you'll be back!