UPDATED WITH PICS January 11th Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

[ColonialDude]

Hey folks. Have a question here.

Where I am in Ontario, Canada...old stone walls are NOT common like they are in some North Eastern states.

Today however I found a limestone block wall in the woods. It appears to be a fenceline or property line. VERY old though....as it has trees growing through and out of it. I don't see any foundations from houses etc around...or even depressions from cellar holes etc.

Midway down the wall though...is a very small stone square attached to it...about 6' x 6'. Any clue as to what this is?

Also, anyone ever found any coins or relics along such walls

I will try to get some pics this week.

Thanks!

 

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[Mainedigger]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

Wess...hard to say without a pic....but maybe a base for a flagpole? or maybe a cannon platform?

 

[ColonialDude]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

Hmmm. Good thoughts. Thanks for the reply. I'll get some pics.

I'm also going to take some pics of another limestone wall of sorts I found ona massive hilltop that overlooks a bay on lake ontario. It's in the woods, and built right into the cliff at the top. It's in a U shape of sorts...and if I recall correctly...it's about 10 feet long. Seems to be a good spot for a military lookout or something. Not sure why I haven't detected there...forgot about it until now.

 

[FMarion2ndRegSC]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

Hey Wess! Enjoying your relic pics, keep them coming. The fence could possibly be a cementery wall. The plaque you describe might have had the cemetery name engraved in it, but may be so old the writing has eroded away along with the old wood headstones. Spooooky!!

 

[ColonialDude]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

Hey Wess! Enjoying your relic pics, keep them coming. The fence could possibly be a cementery wall. The plaque you describe might have had the cemetery name engraved in it, but may be so old the writing has eroded away along with the old wood headstones. Spooooky!!

Thanks very much. I'll try to post my relics as I find them. Interesting take on the stone wall. I'll have to look at it again...and take my time. I was limited to how much time I had to check it out, so I'm looking forward to going back next week

Wess

 

[Rich]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

HMMMM<interesting...
i would say alot of hunters have found stuff in old walls,a celler that a friend and i hit up we found horse shoes and old trinkets in the stone walls of a fondation,...
detect those walls!!!!!

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

Hey Wes What happened to the pics of these walls?

 

[ColonialDude]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

Thanks for the replies. I have been too busy to get back out to take any pics lately...but I will get some up soon.

 

[jeff from east pa]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

It may be worth your while to detect that whole area. the wall is more likley from a farmer clearing his field which has long since grown up. try to find an old map of the period it may have had a house around there somewhere. you may find the original house near there or even as far as a mile away. folks had alot of property back then. as for the big stone it could have been an old property marker.

 

[PHANTOM35]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

IT'S TO BAD YOU DON'T HAVE PIC'S , CAN'T HELP WITHOUT SEEING PIC'S OF WHAT YOU FOUND.I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR PIC'S. GOOD LUCK....

 

[ColonialDude]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

thanks for the input guys....and I'm sorry I still don't have pics up. Been pretty busy here these days...but since detecting isn't an option due to frozen ground, and other committments coming to an end...I will do my best to get out there this week, as I would really like everyones thoughts on this wall...

as well as another I found

Wess

 

[ColonialDude]

Re: Question for relic hunters on old stone walls

Well, I finally added some pics! Of course, they didn't turn out great. Just as I got in the right place to snap a good shot...my batteries died!

These first pics are of a small stone wall in the woods, which is seemingly built into the side of a cliff. This area sits a couple hundred feet up and overlooks a swamp which leads to the St.Lawrence river. The wall itself is about 4 feet high, and about 25 feet long.
I have taken a pic of the view from there...as well as pics of the wall, and a picture of a large ractangular stone...about 3 feet x 2 feet...which certainly looks to me to have been used as a metate of some sort as the entire top has a depression about 4 inches deep. Another strange thing about this rock is the white portions. It almost looks like the rock was cracked or broken and patched up with this white material. Of course, it could just be some anomally.
As for t

 

[ColonialDude]

Here are the pics of another wall I found in the woods. The wall stretches for a good 100 feet...and is about 3.5 feet high. Appears to have been there for quite some time. About midway down there is an area that is actually about 8 feet x 8 feet that comes out from the way in a square/rectangular shape. Tried to show this in these photo's..but my camera died as I got into the right place for the pics

Any clues?

 

[JT2]

Hiya Wess,

That large stone that looks like it has been 'patched' probably consists of veins of different mineral/rock types that are aging at different rates. Maybe some sort of softer material that is oxidizing. Next time you're there try scraping some of the white stuff out, I bet it'll scrape out.

 

[Mainedigger]

Wess...those look more like old foundations to me, not random stone walls. Research the area, i bet you will find there was an old house/farm there and the smaller wall was the house and the larger the barn...could have also been an old fort/garrison. The tree growth looks fairly new so years ago that looks like it may have been all field and the view and location would be a perfect place for a house...can see over all the fields and also get a good view of the water. The stone with the cracks in it also could be part of the steps going into the place, or an old fireplace hearth. Are there any old piers, wharves or landings on the river there? Check the records at the library, historical society and talk to some of the oldtimers around there, for it looks to high to me to be just a stone wall and looks like they were made to support weight. Looks like alot of time and effort to get the stones that high for just the purpose of a wall.
Also looks like a GREAT place to hit and hit hard, think you will find plenty of goodies there....good luck and keep us posted on what you find and find out about the place.

 

[ColonialDude]

Hiya Wess,

That large stone that looks like it has been 'patched' probably consists of veins of different mineral/rock types that are aging at different rates. Maybe some sort of softer material that is oxidizing. Next time you're there try scraping some of the white stuff out, I bet it'll scrape out.

Yes, I didn't touch the white stuff, but it looked soft. Almost like caulking. It was pretty nippy out today, so I didn't spend much time out there!

 

[ColonialDude]

Wess...those look more like old foundations to me, not random stone walls. Research the area, i bet you will find there was an old house/farm there and the smaller wall was the house and the larger the barn...could have also been an old fort/garrison. The tree growth looks fairly new so years ago that looks like it may have been all field and the view and location would be a perfect place for a house...can see over all the fields and also get a good view of the water. The stone with the cracks in it also could be part of the steps going into the place, or an old fireplace hearth. Are there any old piers, wharves or landings on the river there? Check the records at the library, historical society and talk to some of the oldtimers around there, for it looks to high to me to be just a stone wall and looks like they were made to support weight. Looks like alot of time and effort to get the stones that high for just the purpose of a wall.
Also looks like a GREAT place to hit and hit hard, think you will find plenty of goodies there....good luck and keep us posted on what you find and find out about the place.

Thanks very much for the reply and the suggestions. A couple of points which I should have been clearer on. The large wall...ie...the second group of photo's...is an a different area than the first wall. It lies about 6kms away actually. All that is on that hill/ridge is the 25 foot rock wall. You are correct in that the tree growth is rather new on the hill. I am sure that there would have been some sort of dock or wharf at the water at one time...as it comes into a nice bay there and ends in a swamp at the bottom of the cliff below the wall (about 150 feet down). What I find odd is it is just the one wall...and on one side is almost straight down to the swamp, and the other the dirt is actually flat across the top of the wall. Seems like a retaining wall of sorts almost!?!?

The large wall I have no clue...I thought it could be a property line...as it is just one very long wall...and the wall for it's entire length is about the same height. The only other thing along that wall is the square section I mentioned and photographed. That is the part whichs intrigues me most. I'd like to know what it is/was.

At any rate, I should detect both areas...as I have yet to do so at all.

Thanks again

Wess

 

[Daisy]

Wess, have you looked at the area through google earth? You might be able to get a different perspective. Maybe spot some more structures? Either way, it looks like you're going to be a busy boy! Have fun!

 

[diggummup]

Wess...those look more like old foundations to me, not random stone walls. Research the area, i bet you will find there was an old house/farm there and the smaller wall was the house and the larger the barn...could have also been an old fort/garrison. The tree growth looks fairly new so years ago that looks like it may have been all field and the view and location would be a perfect place for a house...can see over all the fields and also get a good view of the water. The stone with the cracks in it also could be part of the steps going into the place, or an old fireplace hearth. Are there any old piers, wharves or landings on the river there? Check the records at the library, historical society and talk to some of the oldtimers around there, for it looks to high to me to be just a stone wall and looks like they were made to support weight. Looks like alot of time and effort to get the stones that high for just the purpose of a wall.
Also looks like a GREAT place to hit and hit hard, think you will find plenty of goodies there....good luck and keep us posted on what you find and find out about the place.

The second wall is 100 feet long and about 3.5 feet high.Also in a different location.Also what is that 8x8 area halfway down all about? I agree it does look like a great place to detect.Good advice on checking the town records and maybe you could check for some old maps of the area while your at it.Edit-I see that wess just cleared up a thing or two for you.Keep us updated.

 

[ColonialDude]

Wess, have you looked at the area through google earth? You might be able to get a different perspective. Maybe spot some more structures? Either way, it looks like you're going to be a busy boy! Have fun!

I have checked the areas from Google Earth...sadly the satellite images of this area are terrible for some reason. Always have been. So, in short...the satellite images offer very little. I have checked on a county atlas (dated 1878) and it shows a homestead on the lot where the 25 foot wall is on the cliff...however, the house (limestone and still standing) is a huge distance from this wall, and on the other side of a creek. The owner of the lot settled there in 1826 and was at one time the Reeve of the Township. On the atlas, there is nothing noted where the stone wall is...so, it was either built after 1878...or predates 1878, and the structure as it was, was long gone by 1878. Anyones guess.

Wess