Old Mill Site Hunt

[Gilligan]

Today I went out with my 3 boys to hunt an old mill site way back in the woods, I am sure it is a virgin site. I found a hoe at about 1 foot deep adjacent to the site, which is a good sign. There are no signs of the mill, besides a few stones across the creek. The property owner told me that the old mill stood there. The hoe is a good sign, isn't it? Has anyone else searched an old mill site like this before with success? Bryan

 

[1badtacoma]

i beleive "the hoe" is a adz

I don't think it is an adz. There is no curvature to the blade, it is totally flat. I have found these before, the flat ones, and I think they were used like a hoe. I could be wrong, but like I said, there is no curvature. It is flat, so as to move dirt.

It is a grubbing Hoe that you found, my dad's got a few just like it. Definitly not an adz. Used for digging.

Hey muddy waters I think Ive found me a mill site, You still in Wilson?

 

[QUICKSILVER (appletree)]

Just a stupid idea here,maybe your on the wrong side of the creek.Looking at your drawing of the creek and the stones i would think the stones were put there to cause the water to go through the creek on the other side of the island.If that was the case then the water wheel would be where the water flow was faster(the other side of the island).Therefore the mill would have been on the far side of the creek from where the pic was taken of the boys standing next to the creek.But then again what do i know,just thought id give ya my .02 cents.HH

Yeah I say the samething the other side is the mill race, they built the stone dam in the larger part of the creek to cause water to flow faster through the skinny section to drive the wheel!!!! Good luck with it! it looks like you have to find another property owner!!!

 

[ivan salis]

yep rocks run from your side 2/3 way over or so to block the current to the far side --the water wheel (power) for the mill would be there in the narrow opening thus the mill buildings on the far side --- to find good items on "your" side find the crossing spot from your side they used to get over the creek at--- folks would need to cross over to the far side to do bussiness thus they had to cross the creek --also the type of mill is important --public or private ? saw mill -- grain mill --or mechant mill (ground grain for the public as well as for themselves for a "fee" --- part of what was ground or cash normally ) ---the hoe was for crops being close to water the land was most likely used for farming --thus the hoe ---good luck -- Ivan

 

[Gilligan]

yep rocks run from your side 2/3 way over or so to block the current to the far side --the water wheel (power) for the mill would be there in the narrow opening thus the mill buildings on the far side --- to find good items on "your" side find the crossing spot from your side they used to get over the creek at--- folks would need to cross over to the far side to do bussiness thus they had to cross the creek --also the type of mill is important --public or private ? saw mill -- grain mill --or mechant mill (ground grain for the public as well as for themselves for a "fee" --- part of what was ground or cash normally ) ---the hoe was for crops being close to water the land was most likely used for farming --thus the hoe ---good luck -- Ivan

Thanks for the reply Ivan. This site has baffled me. I have been to the opposite side, where the narrowest part is and the timbers can be seen in the water, running parrallel to the shore. I detected all around that side and could not find a thing. Word is that it was a grain mill. I can only find one reference to it in the library, but nothing specific. Anyway, it was fun to detect. I do not have access to the side that the pics were taken on any longer, but I could still hit the other side, where the underwater timbers are, and where I had found nothing before. Anyway, Take care, Bryan

 

[Steve in Michigan]

Three things, looks like a good site to detect. Second, it also looks like a great place to fish and third, I would try panning for gold in that stream. Looks like it could have potential. 'm not sure if you ever panned for gold but for $30.00 you can get a gold pan. It would be worth a try. Good luck.

Your Friend,

Steve in Michigan

 

[Detectingfreak]

maybe you will get some good finds for next time. Keep hunting!

 

[ivan salis]

well the side that the timbers are on is the mill side --the timbers were from the mill ---now you need to probe the ground and find the layout of the mill and how the lay of the land was then --ie the door ways and openings of the mill -- if folks were waitingfor their grain to be milled --they had to sit down somewhere* often to eat -- look for the biggest trees around there (shady spot) cuz then as now folks like to sit in the shade to picnic --also a batch's of trees are often where big trees were in the past many smaller trees --their off spring are there now