Searching for an old 1700's School House (Opinions Wanted)

[sibbley]

Next to my 1859 School House permission there is supposed to have been an earlier schoolhouse from the mid to late 1700's. The building was supposedly burned by Indians during a raid sometime during its use. The property this school sat on has been plowed and planted for the last 200 years. I know what I would be looking for to show the possibility that a school once stood there. After planting and plowing over the years, how much would actually still be left in the general area where the school was supposed to be? I would think that plowing and turning the soil would have moved any leftover iron items from their original spot?

The field was planted with beans this year, so swinging should be much easier than last year's corn stalks. Any suggestions to get started?

Forgot to mention Lidar was no help.

 

[invent4hir]

If you know the approximate location of where the original school was, one approach would be to grid part of the area, detect, and see what kind of artifacts you uncover. Keep a list of what you find in which grid to see if a pattern develops. If you have access to a GPR or know someone who does, you might determine a pattern quicker, then go over the promising areas w/ your detector.

If you don't know/aren't sure about the location, take a look at overhead imagery (i.e. Google Earth, historicaerials), and see if you notice any areas where the crops appeared more stressed than the surrounding ones. If the stressed area looks quasi-manmade (i.e. lines, corners) vs. a low spot/drainage then that might be where the original school stood.

 

[sibbley]

If you know the approximate location of where the original school was, one approach would be to grid part of the area, detect, and see what kind of artifacts you uncover. Keep a list of what you find in which grid to see if a pattern develops. If you have access to a GPR or know someone who does, you might determine a pattern quicker, then go over the promising areas w/ your detector.

If you don't know/aren't sure about the location, take a look at overhead imagery (i.e. Google Earth, historicaerials), and see if you notice any areas where the crops appeared more stressed than the surrounding ones. If the stressed area looks quasi-manmade (i.e. lines, corners) vs. a low spot/drainage then that might be where the original school stood.

Thanks. I do know the approximate location, although I'm not sure where that information comes from. I imagine the info is good since it comes from the folks I'm working with on the 1859 school. I'll check out overhead images for sure. I have a couple more weeks before the harvest, so I'm trying to put a plan in place. Wish I had access to GPR, that would be sweet.

 

[TORRERO]

Next to my 1859 School House permission there is supposed to have been an earlier schoolhouse from the mid to late 1700's. The building was supposedly burned by Indians during a raid sometime during its use. The property this school sat on has been plowed and planted for the last 200 years. I know what I would be looking for to show the possibility that a school once stood there. After planting and plowing over the years, how much would actually still be left in the general area where the school was supposed to be? I would think that plowing and turning the soil would have moved any leftover iron items from their original spot?

The field was planted with beans this year, so swinging should be much easier than last year's corn stalks. Any suggestions to get started?

Forgot to mention Lidar was no help.

What makes you think a plow can move stuff that far away from an original location? Maybe could move stuff a few feet… maybe 🤔
Your best bet is to use your detector to walk around the field to try to determine higher concentrations of iron in a given area, you might not ever be able to locate exactly where the school used to be but a field grid pattern might provide you with a good idea..

 

[invent4hir]

In a field I detected that has been farmed since the early 1800s, I found stuff about 100 feet on either side where I think the cabin was. If I recall I went 200 feet in all directions - but found less and less.

 

[TORRERO]

In a field I detected that has been farmed since the early 1800s, I found stuff about 100 feet on either side where I think the cabin was. If I recall I went 200 feet in all directions - but found less and less.

Is it possible that the school house your hunting now, replaced the one you are looking for? Not sure but why do you believe it was “nearby” instead of the same location?
Also 100 - 200 feet in a farm field is not exactly a large area. I would criss cross the entire permission to try and get a better idea if there was anything else close by, a school house says a community says houses and dirt roads and outhouses and barns and other things….
Sounds like fun 🤩 and good luck 🍀

 

[sibbley]

What makes you think a plow can move stuff that far away from an original location? Maybe could move stuff a few feet… maybe 🤔
Your best bet is to use your detector to walk around the field to try to determine higher concentrations of iron in a given area, you might not ever be able to locate exactly where the school used to be but a field grid pattern might provide you with a good idea..

I was asking a question. "After planting and plowing over the years, how much would actually still be left in the general area where the school was supposed to be?" I wasn't sure if the plow or disc would move things any great distance.

 

[sibbley]

Is it possible that the school house your hunting now, replaced the one you are looking for? Not sure but why do you believe it was “nearby” instead of the same location?
Also 100 - 200 feet in a farm field is not exactly a large area. I would criss cross the entire permission to try and get a better idea if there was anything else close by, a school house says a community says houses and dirt roads and outhouses and barns and other things….
Sounds like fun 🤩 and good luck 🍀

A very good point. I can only go off what I have been told about the original school being in the corner of what is now field. There is a farm right there too. A house, barns, and silos. In the fields behind the 1859 school, I can see spots that may have been homes in the past using Lidar. I haven't been able to obtain permission for that field though.

 

[TORRERO]

I was asking a question. "After planting and plowing over the years, how much would actually still be left in the general area where the school was supposed to be?" I wasn't sure if the plow or disc would move things any great distance.

I hunted Roman fields in Spain, fields that probably have been plowed and planted for several hundred years… but everything is basically where the Roman house or villa or town was. Occasionally you would find a coin that had clearly been hit by a plow but it more scrambles it than moves it.

 

[sibbley]

I hunted Roman fields in Spain, fields that probably have been plowed and planted for several hundred years… but everything is basically where the Roman house or villa or town was. Occasionally you would find a coin that had clearly been hit by a plow but it more scrambles it than moves it.

Good to know.