The mystery of the keys!!

[Danimal]

I went out for a late afternoon hunt on Sunday, with about an hour of decent light left by the time I drove there and parked.
The area was a spot where an old bridge stood in town and my last hunt (first time there) yielded a Franklin half.
I followed what looked like a worn path into the woods at the point the bridge would have started across the Gorge. There were the ramains of stone steps that led down through a stone foundation of a bridge support. About halfway down the slope (steps all gone) I started to get multiple hits in the high coin range (half). Dead locked on. At 6" I found a stamped brass key ID tag attached to keys with a lockwasher bent flat.
Then another and another. After I think the 5th in a 25 ft stretch I was used to the ID and just figuring I'd dig all these cool keys.
In the end there was enough to make me wonder WHAT they were doing there and why. Nearby is an abandoned coal-fired power plant. Maybe from there, but these keys are old enough to be from when the place was up and running still (it was when I was a child).
Anyways...here's a few pics, including an old ATCo. bus token (Akron Transportation Company) that's from the 30's, dug right next to a key set.

HH all!!!
BTW, went to the dentist and all will be well now!!

total key sets and loose keys and an old gascap.

Closeup of bus token

Closeup of my favorite keyfob

 

[Stormtrooper154]

Thats a lot of keys......

Things that make you go hhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmm

Good finds!

 

[LJ]

I think this will be one of those "unsolved mysteries".....lol. That is alot of keys!!!

LeJeuene

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

Isn't it odd that they are all on numbered tags? Looks like your missing a few. Don't they all (or most) go to fairly small locks? Curious.........let us know what you find out.

 

[Night Stalker]

Nice find Danimal - those will make good conversation pieces. Thanks for sharing.....HH/NS.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Looks like little locker keys...cool that you found them like that . Neat token!

 

[civilman1]

I think the gate keeper to the power plant took some "hoochy momma" down to the river....The rest is history....Cool find's!!

 

[papa]

I can see some Yale keys,mostly used in door locks,the old style pad lock keys,notches on both sides,some small lock keys,maybe used on cabnet locks,or on machinery.The gas cap looks like one used on diesel tanks.That many so close together,look for a key locker near by.
Still good finds,lots of history there.

 

[ZoSo71]

Interesting find Dan.

From the looks of the keys, there is a mix of Padlock and Door keys.

Is there an apartment building any where near there?.

I know some apartment buildings have a common storage area for people to lock things up in. And a set of keys to each apartment.
Some buildings require a key to each apartment and storage area.

Looks like maybe someone wanted to get rid of some eveidence?

Nice odd dig.

ZoSo71

 

[boomer46901]

Someone stole a bag of keys..then drove over the bridge and threw them out

 

[Mirage]

Cool stuff Dan. I agree with Dave. Some of those keys are exactly like the one I used for a padlock in the 80's. Others look like door keys.

That token is cool. That the first of that type you have found?

Bob

 

[TreasureTales]

Kool Keys. I agree on the throwing away evidence theory. Too many keys from the same place to be just a coincidence. Door keys and lock keys, maybe from a tool room or tool storage lockers.

 

[Danimal]

Cool stuff Dan. I agree with Dave. Some of those keys are exactly like the one I used for a padlock in the 80's. Others look like door keys.

That token is cool. That the first of that type you have found?

Bob

That's my first ATCo token. I have dug three other subway/trans tokens before though that were similar but larger.

Hey Bob...call me...I have found a few great looking spots comparing a 1905 Platts to GoogleEarth right near me. Two used to be churches and are now either just woods or fields.

 

[ringfinder]

Nice finds Dan, the keys with the numbers on them, look like keys for lockers at a swimming area. I have found lots of numbered tags like those for clothes lockers.

HH, Ringfinder

 

[silverswede]

I agree with the locker key replies. looks kinda like the ones that were used in the rental lockers at bus and train stations where you deposited money and took the key with you then used it when reclaiming your belongings.

 

[luckysgirl]

Thats alot of keys....now all you need to do is find the gatekeeper.....
I wonder why you have one favorite fob.....hmmmmmm?

 

[HotRodder]

Those appear to be locker keys. We used to get the tags at the pool and you used your own lock, hence all the different keys. So perhaps there was a factory or ? close by that had lockers.......................

 

[Nana40]

Neat finds! And glad to hear your tooth is all fixed up!

Nana

 

[Southcacalaky]

Interesting, Takes me about a year to find all those keys, HH Art...

 

[EDDE]

srart checking the doors and fences