Cellar holes?

[mical66]

my first thought is that it is a spring house , i have seen old timers use block and brick and dig a hole close to a creek and build a box, the water seeps in thru the sand and then thru the cracks in the stone/brick/block and fills up the hole with clean water . make it big enough and put a roof over it to protect it and keep it secure and you have a good source of clean water.

 

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[cdsieg]

my first thought is that it is a spring house , i have seen old timers use block and brick and dig a hole close to a creek and build a box, the water seeps in thru the sand and then thru the cracks in the stone/brick/block and fills up the hole with clean water . make it big enough and put a roof over it to protect it and keep it secure and you have a good source of clean water.

Thank you for that thought, I learned something new today and those are my favorite kind of days! I googled Spring houses and found several images. Would the build these houses just over the start of a spring to keep it clean or would they build them along the spring?

 

[GMD52]

Back in the late 1970's, I was logging an old growth forest here in Vt. an proceeded in dropping the rear wheel of my skidder into a hole about 6 ft deep. After I extracted the machine I started looking around and to my surprise I had dropped into an old foundation that housed a n old still from prohibition days. I salvaged what was left of the old copper still. and the old wood burning arch. This fine sold for more than the timber I skidded that day!

 

[mical66]

most built with a spring were built over it , the ones i have seen were built next to the water source were actually built next to creeks. who knows maybe after the spring house collapsed ( if it was one ) over time the spring re routed ? kind of liek a creek changing its course over time .
or if the spring was slow enough flow they were worried about the water being stagnant so built away from it so the water would filter ?
got to keep in mind we are guessing here becasue there is no way to know what was in the peoples minds .

 

[GMD52]

There was small, clear brook not to far from this site. I have to admit that we don't find too many still sites here in the northeast, but sure do partake of the end product on these long winter nights. As a sidebar, I later learned from a farmer in the area that I was working, that a couple miles from this site was a house that had a passage out of the cellar that went right to the banks of the Winooski River. I suspect that this was for transport?

 

[cdsieg]

There was small, clear brook not to far from this site. I have to admit that we don't find too many still sites here in the northeast, but sure do partake of the end product on these long winter nights. As a sidebar, I later learned from a farmer in the area that I was working, that a couple miles from this site was a house that had a passage out of the cellar that went right to the banks of the Winooski River. I suspect that this was for transport?

Where is the river, Winooski River? That sounds really cool. Thanks for sharing!

 

[cdsieg]

Back in the late 1970's, I was logging an old growth forest here in Vt. an proceeded in dropping the rear wheel of my skidder into a hole about 6 ft deep. After I extracted the machine I started looking around and to my surprise I had dropped into an old foundation that housed a n old still from prohibition days. I salvaged what was left of the old copper still. and the old wood burning arch. This fine sold for more than the timber I skidded that day!

That sound like the best worst day you could have! That is totally cool!

 

[surf]

Cindy,

This is a cellar hole:

Spring houses were very useful in the days before refrigeration.

Spring Houses

 

[cdsieg]

Cindy,

This is a cellar hole:

Spring houses were very useful in the days before refrigeration.

Spring Houses

Totally awesome photos!!! Thank you for sharing them!

 

[Thomas7864]

HI cindy !I treasure hunt nothing but cellar holes;in berkshire county mass.you said something about Franklin county.is that in massachusetts?because this spring i have locations that I researched in the towne of Hawley .Anywhere near you?

 

[cdsieg]

HI cindy !I treasure hunt nothing but cellar holes;in berkshire county mass.you said something about Franklin county.is that in massachusetts?because this spring i have locations that I researched in the towne of Hawley .Anywhere near you?

HI Thomas, welcome to TNet! I am in Franklin County Texas. Thanks for sharing and good luck on your hunting! Cindy

 

[Takelababy]

There's an old cellar on my property that was just dug into the clay soil. No rocks or stones lining the walls. It's likely post 1900, maybe the 30's.

 

[dieselram94]

Welcome to the forum Takelababy

 

[cdsieg]

There's an old cellar on my property that was just dug into the clay soil. No rocks or stones lining the walls. It's likely post 1900, maybe the 30's.

Cool, have you dug around in it at all or found anything interesting? Sorry I haven't responded sooner, I haven't been on here in a while! Welcome!
Thank you for your response.
Cindy

 

[mical66]

i have permission to search a local yard in the historical district, house was built in 1820 so has probably been hit hard ,, i asked the owner if the house had dirt basement and she said no it was poured concrete years ago,,,,broke my heart.
but then she told me they did have a secret wine cellar that was close to 14x14 that was dirt and had a secret trap door leading to it and i could search it.....
sounds more like a hide out for runaway slaves to me but i cant wait to get in there .

 

[cdsieg]

i have permission to search a local yard in the historical district, house was built in 1820 so has probably been hit hard ,, i asked the owner if the house had dirt basement and she said no it was poured concrete years ago,,,,broke my heart.
but then she told me they did have a secret wine cellar that was close to 14x14 that was dirt and had a secret trap door leading to it and i could search it.....
sounds more like a hide out for runaway slaves to me but i cant wait to get in there .

WAIT for me... I will be right there! LOL that sounds amazing! keep me posted via email or on here if you think of it!
Thanks,
Cindy