1800s well discovered today

Bill D. (VA) · Oct 5, 2012

Got a call from a friend this afternoon that was working a construction job in the old downtown area, and he told me about an interesting feature behind the cement foundation of a building being torn down. I went over and we checked it out together. Initially our probing seemed to confirm that this might be a privy. But as I probed a little further out all of a sudden my probe did a freefall and I could tell I was on the edge of a large, hollow area of some sort. Thought at first it might be a cistern, but I could eventually see that nice looking circular brick pattern across the top. So it was definitely a well, and was about 6 feet in diameter. It had been partially covered with a 2-sided porcelain advertising sign along with some other immovable materials. We were able to open it up just enough to get a 12 ft stepladder into the well upside down. There was no water in the bottom, so my friend climbed down to check things out. He probed quite a bit into the soft bottom but wasn't getting any indication of debris. That was a little surprising as usually when a well is abandoned the owner fills it with trash. Based on the look of the brick I don't think it was colonial, although there were homes in this location in the 1700s. My best guess is mid-1800s, but that could be off a bit. Anyway, after completing the painstaking task of getting the ladder out of the hole we covered it up safely with some of the demolition debris. Was a lot of work for nothing, but you just never know when you might hit the mother lode.

NOLA_Ken · Oct 5, 2012

Cool. I like the sign. Too bad about no finds after all that work, but like you said, you just never know.

GaRebel1861 · Oct 5, 2012

I like the signs!

SusanMN · Oct 5, 2012

Very cool. Keep the signage and have a dealer check it out for you. The cigarette one may have some good value to it.

lost hunter · Oct 5, 2012

Cool

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TNGUNS · Oct 5, 2012

Now that is just too cool. :icon_thumleft:

VaMark · Oct 5, 2012

Your right, you just never know and have to check it out. Did you detect around the area any?

Sooper Dave · Oct 5, 2012

That's Awesome! Even the walls of a hand dug well look like the work of craftsmen. Just another lost skill because of progress. Thanks for sharing the pictures! :icon_thumright:

steelheadwill · Oct 5, 2012

Neat story Bill,
Up here we got open wells everywhere in the woods,
I've never gone into one, but you really gotta keep in mind that they are there, and wide open...
One I know of is 15 feet from the side of a state road,
another is hardly visible as it is in a small stream.
Thanks for the great pix!

rex · Oct 5, 2012

i find it quite amazing how those old wells are built and maintain their shape even in cold climates. i have found a lot of the stone lined wells over the years and very few are caved in.

VERMONTPACKRAT · Oct 5, 2012

So what tou are saying is, no Jimmy Hoffa here either :tongue3:

VPR

VB Sanddigger · Oct 6, 2012

That makes for an interesting day! You'ld never catch me going down there!

spitfire55 · Oct 6, 2012

I"m a bit of a "Chicken" when it comes to climbing down into deep areas such as pits, wells, etc. but, if you want to do that I guess it's on you. Be careful for god sakes and use a bit of common sense when you're out there.

hamiddetecting · Oct 6, 2012

metalev4 · Oct 16, 2012

Great pics Bill. That was a really neat find. Next time it will be loaded with pontiled flasks!
-Evan

Steve in PA · Oct 16, 2012

Well, well, well....I've always been told that's a deep subject :laughing7:

To bad it wasn't full of pontil marked bottles. But it had to be investigated and you did. The signs may be the real treasure.

Curious The George · Oct 16, 2012

Pleeezzzzzeee, keep in mind methane is a poisons gas. It can kill you in jig time. It is heavier than air and settles in low confined spaces. It is created by decomposing organic substances.

This means a well with dead leaves, branches and moisture can create a killing gas that can't get out of the bottom of the well. At best a portable blower with a hose that can reach the bottom of the well would be desirable.

There are a goodly number of people killed in industrial accidents every year from entering a confined space with no ventilation.

Broken knee · Oct 16, 2012

Being a well you should have removed the first foot of soil your probe will miss the coins! Privy's = bottles wells = coins, make a wish everyone throws coins in a well? HH
BK

b7seas · Oct 16, 2012

Hi Bill, Good find, however, I don't think that it's a water well. The pipe coming in the side of the structure looks more like a sanitary pipe. What you found, I believe, is a dry well or nowadays referred to as a sewer. We have a lot of those old things all over northern Wisconsin. They are the precursor to what is now called a septic field. Up here, a lot of those dry wells are still in working condition. Gotta admit, though, it sure is a beautiful structure.

Bob