Help a frist timer out

[AugustMoose87]

So I have played with MD's as a kid, but never anything very serious. I now have access to 2 old homestead sites, and am hoping some seasoned vets can give me some pointers on how/where to detect on them.

First site - One home, I've been told it's one of those "the original homestead is under there, it's just buried in addons/expansions" It is in the top left of the picture. 2 barns, ages unknown to me - right side of the picture. I would assume I should do a search around the parameter of all three building. I would do a sweep in the barns, but they both have concrete floors now - I don't know if they were part of the initial build, or upgrades to the original structures. I have to imagine at some point there was an outhouse (it is currently on a septic system), but I have not been able to find any obvious evidence of it. Are their any conventions (down hill and down wind from the house type things) I could use, or any signs I should be looking for? Lastly, I found their dump in a ravine on the property. I realize with all the steel, detecting there might be tough, but I do plan to try and dig through for any interested objects. Is there anything/anywhere I am missing?? I realize long term, I could detect the whole property, but given that I don't know how long my access will last, I don't want to waste time detecting an open field.



Site 2 is a bit trickier. It is an original homestead with some out buildings (Ice house, sheds, etc. but all of that are is part of a city park, and detecting would be a definite no-go. However, there is a small sandstone quarry where the bricks of the house were dug, so I'm thinking that may have a few tools or something. Also, the story goes that the person building the homestead initially built a sod house while he was working on the main house. Then a spring flood washed that away, and he lived out of a small cave for the remained of the summer and was in the house by that fall. I have found the cave (not sure that's the right term, its a small hole in the sandstone just big enough a grown man can crawl in and lay down), but haven't found anything that would tell me where the sod house might have been. I would assume both of those would be areas of interest.


Can anyone recommend any type of research tools that might be helpful? IE good places to look for old newspaper articles, maps or pictures that may help me identify where some of the "missing" buildings were.

And sorry for the lack of details... both of these properties are owned by my employees, and generally closed to the public, but I have been given permission to check things out. If someone wants to try and help me research the site more thoroughly, PM me and I can give you more info. I just don't want to put too much out on the web and end up with members of the public trying to sneak in or something.

 

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[AugustMoose87]

Well, here is a bit more info... found this topo map



The lower left solid black square appears to be the existing house, so it would seem there was a second house across the gravel road at one point. And the upper right outlined square is one of the existing barns (I kind of figured it was older just based on its construction), but I have no idea what the lower left square outline was... I'll have to try and walk around there again soon.

 

[RobRieman]

All good ideas. Try to find the place where the clothesline was and the walking path to the outhouse.

 

[AugustMoose87]

I think there may be a clothes line there at the moment, but I don't know if it is in the same spot as the original. Is that a common area due to things fall out of pockets while the clothes dry or something?

 

[enamel7]

I think there may be a clothes line there at the moment, but I don't know if it is in the same spot as the original. Is that a common area due to things fall out of pockets while the clothes dry or something?

You've got it!

 

[cudamark]

Other places to hunt.....near any source of water, like a hand pump, spring, or well. The summer afternoon shade areas. Path from front door to parking area or horse hitching post. If there is a dirt floor cellar, I'd hit that area too. Sometimes insurance companies had site maps that showed where all the major features were located. Mostly in cities or towns but it might worth a try. You can't hunt your local parks?

 

[AugustMoose87]

To be honest, I don't know the exact rules/regulations for most of the city parks. I just know at the second site, most of the areas of interest are currently manicured lawns with sprinkler systems. On top of not wanting the turn damaged, we have had a few people dig up sprinkler components as well... So the powers that be said no more detecting on the lawn areas.