Old foundation

[Cuda 70]

Came across my 1,st old stone foundation of a house in the forest. It?s old. Big trees growing up in the middle. Where would you start. Inside or our around perimeter
Thanks. Newbie here

 

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[Megalodon]

I think it depends on what you are seeking. Are you mainly a coin-shooter or a bottle hunter? Old foundation interiors tend to fill up with trapped dirt, so I would time it for cool weather for digging & raking. Outside the house, you're looking for the route to the outhouse and also the trash pits/bottle dumps. Under the tree canopy, it might be cool enough to hunt there first. Or hunt the inside in the early morning and then move out from there.

 

[Cuda 70]

Relics. Mostly. But I’d take coins

 

[crashbandicoot]

That,s a cool looking place for sure!Around here if you want rocks you have to import them!

 

[Megalodon]

That,s a cool looking place for sure!Around here if you want rocks you have to import them!

Same here. The farmers have it easier with no rocks. Our old foundations are mostly sandstone. And no stone walls.

It is easier to dig signals too.

 

[Almy]

What an inviting looking place for a detectorist! Have fun there!

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Tree roots?

 

[Cuda 70]

And. What about tree roots? Should I know something? Thanks

 

[Lenrac2]

Yeah, the best targets are always under the thickest tree root.

 

[pepperj]

First of all is it on crown or private land?
It's always best to establish this pre-hunting anything as it's good thing not to trespass on private lands.(Get permission)
Trees are going to be an issue as the previous post regarding roots. Ever tried to dig in a web of roots? Get a very sharp shovel edge, cutters of some sorts help.
Looks like Poplar or similar soft wood so the age of the trees aren't old, but have a tendency to grow shallow wide spending root systems that make digging a challenge.
If near access of field/road/trail a lot of cellar holes were dumps of later discarded garbage-handy way of filling it and discarding.
For fins they can be right up to the edge of the foundation rock and go out from there.
Dig a few small iron targets as well to get a idea on the nails used. Reason for this is to establish what era the building was built.
Best of luck

 

[scruggs]

Love that old foundation! Be sure and look inside really good for any coins that might of fallen through cracks in the possible wood floor! Good luck in your search!

 

[azdave]

Doesn't matter where you start... just be thorough. I have been doing many 1870's-80's homesite ruins out here, and it is random where the good finds pop up. What I have found is that if there is a dug out portion, a century and a half of wind, rain and erosion usually 'changes the grade' and you now have a couple of feet of fill between you and the original floor.
Study the location, and think: If I was here long ago, where would I spend my idle time outside the building?
That location is where my best things come from.

 

[islamoradamark]

Looks inviting

 

[Cuda 70]

Went out the other day for a few hours. Roots and rocks on the inside. What a challenge, like previous post, I?ll have to dig down about a foot after I remove the rocks, found lots of square head nail, handle for a cast iron pot, got to rethink how to tackle this place. There?s also a log building not far from it, partly caved in

 

[Lenrac2]

Sounds like good stuff may be found!

 

[pepperj]

Went out the other day for a few hours. Roots and rocks on the inside. What a challenge, like previous post, I?ll have to dig down about a foot after I remove the rocks, found lots of square head nail, handle for a cast iron pot, got to rethink how to tackle this place. There?s also a log building not far from it, partly caved in

Just a thought-the stone one might of been a barn and the log one being the home.
When viewing the post up of the foundation, I wasn't sure if in the rear it just caved in or it was an entrance also. Usually a barn will have one on either end-where as a home would have only one.
Did you try around the log building at all?

 

[PetesPockets55]

All good info. Good points about the depth of finds and gaining permission to avoid uncomfortable greetings.

Question on these old cellars. Is there any increase of finds around the entrance/exits?
Thinking they may have had to bend over to get under/out the low headroom plus the path in and out might tend to be traveled more. More human presence equals more loss = finds.

 

[Cuda 70]

Haven’t tried around the log building yet. Also there is a old barn close by aswell

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

A great looking site for sure - there was a lot of activity in the past.
If this site has not been hunted heavily in the past - there has to be some good ones there !

If I was going to hunt that site I'd ...
(1) Use a SMALL coil in close - much easier to use in tight spots and much better separation in junk metal.
(2)Use medium / larger coil out away from the cellar hole on open ground - more ground coverage & better depth.
(3) Hunt close to the cellar hole first - swing from at least 2 or 3 different angles - tree roots can mask a good targets !
(4) Hunt out a good 100 ft. or more from the center of the cellar hole.
Look for paths they would have used to streams and outhouses , flat areas use for work like cutting firewood, etc.

Good Hunting !