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- Apr 24, 2010
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- XP Deus, Lesche Piranha 35 Shovel & 'Garrett Carrot'
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- Relic Hunting
Hello Friends! 
Got back to my buddy Jody's grandparents farm for a late afternoon hunt on Thursday. This farm has been in use for at least 150 years, although the house was only built around the turn of the 19th century. I finally found my first coins here, my last hunt here a few weeks ago only produced relics.
Apparently, Jody's grandmother used to tell him stories when he was a kid of finding coins when she was working in the vegetable garden . . . I guess the stories were true! I started by finding a Canadian 1895 LC & then a 1908 LC. I then found my second three ring bullet here and what I think is probably the inside back of a pocket watch as it's made of brass and has a serial number etched into it. 
I then found the small brass and copper 'button' and after researching the company 'Shurly & Dietrich Pat. Dec 27, 1887' on line, I found that this was a patented screw fastening device for holding wooden saw handles to the blade! 
I then proceeded to the lower field around back. I started by hunting around some of the field stones that would have been cast away by the farmer while he was plowing the field. These stones had been in place for a long time as they were covered by heavy moss. I got a good high tone from the pile and started to flip over the rocks and finally found this silver plated or silver washed triangular piece buried underneath one of the stones. These pieces are chain linked to each other and can be moved around, so it's not a brooch. I have no idea what these were, but there's a lot of detail work on them! I then decided to head into the woods to see what I could find and discovered an old farm dump. I couldn't resist saving a couple of the more interesting bottles as I used to dig these out of dumps when I was a kid!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Dave
Marlbank Town History
Portland cement, now a staple in today's building industry, first hit the markets in the late 1800s. Composed of marl and clay dredged up from the bottom of the lakes, it was much harder and more durable than the old lime variety and instantly captured worldwide attention. In 1889, the Rathbun Lumber Company built a huge portland cement plant and company town on the west side of the present day village of Marlbank. Demand was fierce and the plant was wildly successful, so much so, that it was enlarged in 1903. As was common in the early 20th century, most of the workers lived right on site in one of the many worker houses or boarding homes. The Marlbank plant was an early victim of, what came to be known in the late 20th century as, downsizing and the mega merger. In 1909 the Canada Portland Cement Company, after quietly taking over most of the cement industry in Ontario, purchased the Rathbun plant. They immediately consolidated operations, shut down the plant and abandoned the area. Although, the town of Marlbank itself is not a ghost town, the extensive ruins just outside the town comprised of buildings, shells and silos, remain just as they were left almost 100 years ago, with a young forest slowly growing around up them. Today only three original structures remain; an office, one home and a bunkhouse.
Got back to my buddy Jody's grandparents farm for a late afternoon hunt on Thursday. This farm has been in use for at least 150 years, although the house was only built around the turn of the 19th century. I finally found my first coins here, my last hunt here a few weeks ago only produced relics.
Apparently, Jody's grandmother used to tell him stories when he was a kid of finding coins when she was working in the vegetable garden . . . I guess the stories were true! I started by finding a Canadian 1895 LC & then a 1908 LC. I then found my second three ring bullet here and what I think is probably the inside back of a pocket watch as it's made of brass and has a serial number etched into it. I then found the small brass and copper 'button' and after researching the company 'Shurly & Dietrich Pat. Dec 27, 1887' on line, I found that this was a patented screw fastening device for holding wooden saw handles to the blade! I then proceeded to the lower field around back. I started by hunting around some of the field stones that would have been cast away by the farmer while he was plowing the field. These stones had been in place for a long time as they were covered by heavy moss. I got a good high tone from the pile and started to flip over the rocks and finally found this silver plated or silver washed triangular piece buried underneath one of the stones. These pieces are chain linked to each other and can be moved around, so it's not a brooch. I have no idea what these were, but there's a lot of detail work on them! I then decided to head into the woods to see what I could find and discovered an old farm dump. I couldn't resist saving a couple of the more interesting bottles as I used to dig these out of dumps when I was a kid!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Dave
Marlbank Town History
Portland cement, now a staple in today's building industry, first hit the markets in the late 1800s. Composed of marl and clay dredged up from the bottom of the lakes, it was much harder and more durable than the old lime variety and instantly captured worldwide attention. In 1889, the Rathbun Lumber Company built a huge portland cement plant and company town on the west side of the present day village of Marlbank. Demand was fierce and the plant was wildly successful, so much so, that it was enlarged in 1903. As was common in the early 20th century, most of the workers lived right on site in one of the many worker houses or boarding homes. The Marlbank plant was an early victim of, what came to be known in the late 20th century as, downsizing and the mega merger. In 1909 the Canada Portland Cement Company, after quietly taking over most of the cement industry in Ontario, purchased the Rathbun plant. They immediately consolidated operations, shut down the plant and abandoned the area. Although, the town of Marlbank itself is not a ghost town, the extensive ruins just outside the town comprised of buildings, shells and silos, remain just as they were left almost 100 years ago, with a young forest slowly growing around up them. Today only three original structures remain; an office, one home and a bunkhouse.
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. Keep posting my friend 
