Multiple heavy forged Iron bars???

[Carbon21]

Newer to medal detecting here. We have chased off a couple of people metal detecting on our property since buying it. The property is near civil war activity. I started metal detecting, and have found several mini balls, but I'm stumped on these large,heavy 6' iron bars I'm finding on our property and adjacent property. The bars are about 2"x2" and 6.5' in length. They have 1" holes down the bar on one side tapered to a.5" on the opposite side. The bars are square until the end where they are thicker and curved. The bars weigh about 75lbs. each. I have found a couple bars holding old timbers up along creek. Any help identifying these bars would be helpful.

 

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[TooManyHobbies]

Ribs for an old wagon? Bolt holes to attach wood planks. Re-used as fence posts?

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Interesting relic!

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[arrow86]

Definitely interesting wonder if something to do with railroad??

 

[Guardrailnickel]

RxR, car parts, god knows what. IMO wood from the CW along a creek, would have long rotted away. JMO they are not worth anything. The people who you chased off of your property, would have been long gone with every single one of them.

 

[Argentium]

I was wondering if they could have been springs
for a buckboard wagon ? ( like shocks )

 

[Subterranean]

Antique plow parts, maybe? Interesting find and I am sure some metal artist could make something cool out of them! Sub

 

[Carbon21]

I found one today with a heavily rusted large wood screw through one of the holes approximately 4" long by .5" thick. Each of the bars are identical and curved and thicker only on one side. Very dense and heavy iron. No other debris or trash anywhere in the woods,just Minnie balls and these bars. All bars being found in the bottom ravine/cove areas of rugged terrain. Found two over a half a mile away from the others.

 

[A2coins]

I agree with the wagon parts fornthe bed are possibly

 

[gunsil]

They look like steel rather than iron and factory made rather than hand forged. I do not think they are as old as CW by a long shot.

 

[pa plateau hiker]

They look too heavy to be wagon springs. They wouldn't flex going over bumps.

 

[Worm-Slicer]

Looks like your photo of those two with the horizontal wood beam answers your question. Obviously the wood beams went all the way to the top(attached with bolts in all the holes) and the only logical use they would be for would be to hold back earth and keep it from slumping wherever these were placed.

 

[Carbon21]

I understand they appear to be used for the purpose on holding back earth in that ine pic, but why would they be wider and angled on one end? Possibly being repurposed. I can't find any pics. associating these bars with a horse drawn wagon undercarriage either.

 

[arrow86]

I understand they appear to be used for the purpose on holding back earth in that ine pic, but why would they be wider and angled on one end? Possibly being repurposed. I can't find any pics. associating these bars with a horse drawn wagon undercarriage either.

That would make sense if they were repurposed to be used to help support eroding banks , the sloppy cut in that one pic would fit too ... maybe cut with a torch

 

[arrow86]

That would make sense if they were repurposed to be used to help support eroding banks , the sloppy cut in that one pic would fit too ... maybe cut with a torch

How close were they to a creek ? Maybe used as supports for a small bridge/ walkway

 

[dieselfool]

Retaining bars to keep banks from caving in.