Digging up a dirt floor cellar???

[nate7394]

There is a house on my property built in 1750. No one has lived in it for years, and sadly, it is fairly rundown. The building has an 8' by 15' dirt floor basement covered by wooden boards. It would be hard work taking all the boards out to get to the dirt, but I wanted to know if anyone has had success detecting a basement like this. Would it be worth a try? This house has had an interesting past with it being a toll house in the 1800's; so I know it has potential. I currently swing an AT Pro.

 

[Red James Cash]

Look for any boards layed without nails.Look for any boards that have the edges worn in spots.I had a trick I use to use at a job where I had to hide my tool.I built myself little cabinets to keep my tools in.I always put a false bottom in them with screw heads showing.The bottom looked screwed down,but wasnt.I hid my tools underneath.Look closely.

 

[amgrunt69]

Your a pretty crafty guy RedJames, I'll utilize that little idea myself.

 

[Gold Maven]

Absolutely worth a look. Even without a loose board.

8x15 shouldn't take much effort to remove.

Any place where coinage was collected has a good chance of a cache. Good Luck, let us know how you do.

 

[nate7394]

Thanks for all the replies

Perses- Sifting the floor is a great idea! I never thought of that. It will be interesting what turns up when I get the time to do this.

 

[Argentium]

That is one of the more exciting possibilities that I've heard of in a while ! Can't wait to hear about/see what you find !!! I too think sifting is a great idea .

 

[Red James Cash]

I'd still use a metal detector though.Oh the disappointment of missing that mason jar of coins if you only dug down 4 more inches

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Sounds interesting with great potential , especially since it was a toll house, check it out as thoroughly as possible!
Let us know how it goes! GL!

 

[Talon]

Take pictures!!!

 

[nate7394]

Yep, Ill take some pictures of the house and cellar soon

 

[maxpower]

check the walls as well especially around the chimney if it has one.

ironically when i was a teenager we hung out at a house that had a dirt floor basement, the former owners were divers as there was a large crate left behind under the cellar stairs stating this, we used to dig in the dirt in the basement and used to pull out coins, as i recall most were in a language we did not understand we gave the coins to the new owners kids that we hung around with, wish i knew what we actually had back then?

 

[nate7394]

Edit: make sure you discard of the sifted dirt somewhere where it wont intervene with further exploration because to be honest, the area OUTSIDE the building will most likely be as productive as INSIDE of the building. This entire area worth truly sinking your teeth into!

I've detected around the house a few times, and haven't really found much. Just a couple indians and some wheats. This place is absolutely LOADED with iron. So much so, that every swing passes about 10 nails. This is why I think sifting a good idea.

 

[nate7394]

Went in the house today for the first time in months, and as you can see, it is really falling apart. Plaster is falling from the ceiling and the floors are starting to buckle. It is amazing how fast buildings deteriorate if left unattended. There was more junk in the cellar than I originally thought, but it all can be removed. However, I am thinking this whole idea of sifting/detecting might not be worth the effort. But then again, you never know what could be buried down there...

 

[73dguard]

I have seen a youtube clip of an old school house where buttons coins etc had fallen between cracks so no excavation was needed. I too think it's worth investigating and as a former contract archeologist, please try to document/draw/take photos when possible as the situ of objects gives picture the history and is sometime even more valuable than the object itself.

 

[Red James Cash]

Hey nate that house kind of looks familiar.What part of middlesex county.I'm in middlesex too.

 

[nate7394]

Hey nate that house kind of looks familiar.What part of middlesex county.I'm in middlesex too.

That's the back of the house in the picture. The front has an overgrown line of trees pretty much on the street, so I could't get a good picture. It's on my families property in Hopkinton

 

[Red James Cash]

That's the back of the house in the picture. The front has an overgrown line of trees pretty much on the street, so I could't get a good picture. It's on my families property in Hopkinton

Ahhh ok.It kind of looked like an old farm house a buddy of mine use to live in.The bushes and the cloths line reminded me of it along with two chimneys.He lived in Berlin Ma,I'm close to there.