I got locked up tonight in the county jail and they threw the key away

[crazyjarhead]

Good evening fellow detectors,

It was scorching hot today but I still braved the elements without a hat for 3 hours until my shovel broke. I tried a new approach today by taking the advice of another member. I set my Ace in the all metal mode and sensitivity almost to max. And I dug everything. I must now master this setting as I have just been using the coin mode until tonight. I just listen and look. Then did if necessary. My first hit was a large key. Looks like an old jail key or something important during it's time. The only coin I found was a 1971 memorial. I'll have to go back over the areas I have hunted and do some diggin. I have nothing but time to tackle this place. I'll be busy for months to come. Then when the beans are out I'll head to the woods and fields.

The next pictures are for you to see how much area I have to cover. The house and surrounding grounds that are maintained are approx. 4 acres. The fields and woods are 90 acres.

The old corn crib

Whats this metal bar??

The old sidewalk where I found the large cent. There was a house there before 1900. I check that in the fall.

The next picture is my other hunting spot just down the road

The last 3 pictures are my next hunting spots. All pre-1900 homes except the one that just shows the barn. It's been gone for years. The grass is a little high but I'm sure I can cut it for the owner.

Thanks for looking and hope you enjoy, Ron

 

[crazyjarhead]

Nice site. Maybe the Bar was for tieing horses with a water tub underneath ?

Is this an old Inn ?

No It's had families living there until recent times. I thought that the old bar was for tieing up horses too. It's not an in. It's a 3 bedroom house. I peeked in the side window and all of the door knobs are the porcelin type and it even has the old light fixtures

 

[ivan salis]

if the jail was close by might be the jail house key -- also old money chest keys were also solidly made in days of old too --- either way cool find .-- they might have locked some one up and thrown away the key --but you found it . so let em out. already

 

[eagle77]

Most of the jail keys I've seen in my career have a heavier handle and no notches on the sides. The handle appears to be more ornate rather than practical. Jail key handles that I've come across were heavy duty and thick to withstand the rigors of use.

Does the end have a tube or is it solid? Doing some surfing, there was a key of similar size called a "gate key". Did the property have a metal fence at one time?

Here might be a link that confirms Ivan's post http://www.antiquekeys.net/keyblanks.html

 

[Ed-NH]

Those are great pictures. You have a ton of hunting to do around that area. Look for where the gardens were years ago. I hunt those areas and find colonial flat buttons, buckles and large coppers. Good luck out there.

 

[Colonial Copper Zeus]

That's the coolest looking key i've ever seen dug by a detectorist.
Chris

 

[willpond & LLK]

Key is way cool! Looks like a sweet spot to hunt. Good luck!

 

[treasurefiend]

Great looking relics bud!!! Keep at it once the beans are out!!!

 

[Mirage]

So many places, so little time. Yes, you could hunt those places for years and still turn up good stuff.

Nice key.

Bob

 

[get-r-dug]

I'm in love......I wanna live there!!

 

[TerryC]

Semper Fi Jarhead!,
I might suggest the heavy iron pipes held up heavy vine-like garden growth. Also, try checking with the local churches. They can trace back some local families for generations! Also try looking for the original platt maps of the town. Compare it to the exsisting roads. Good luck! TTC

 

[mikewaz]

Cool key!

Looks like you have years of hunting ahead of you with all of those
good looking areas.

Mike

 

[RUDY2003]

both my grandparents have the same bars in there yards, they are used to grow grape vines on.

My great uncle also had the same thing, grape vines on em'.....

Keep safe...

 

[kimsdad]

Man, you'll be there forever!

Nice finds! That great key sure looks like a jail key to me.

You do have some great hunting spots! HH!!!

 

[tymcmurray]

Great Key for any collection.

 

[crazyjarhead]

Most of the jail keys I've seen in my career have a heavier handle and no notches on the sides. The handle appears to be more ornate rather than practical. Jail key handles that I've come across were heavy duty and thick to withstand the rigors of use.

Does the end have a tube or is it solid? Doing some surfing, there was a key of similar size called a "gate key". Did the property have a metal fence at one time?

Here might be a link that confirms Ivan's post http://www.antiquekeys.net/keyblanks.html

Thanks for info. The end is hollow

 

[crazyjarhead]

hea CJH lower the sensitivity too 4 bar or you will end up over powering
the ace and get FALSE signals

Ran it at 4 or 5 tonight. Got cut short because owner showed up to cut grass. I have all day Thursday.