Well hunting.

[coin_diver]

I don't recommend this for anyone but then I can't help looking for new cache's. Anybody pumped out, excavated or entered these old wells? There are some very interesting artifacts in there and act as a time capsule. We use pumps, cameras, etc. and really enjoy the challenge.

 

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[fossis]

I have often thought about the wells, there has to be a lot of things in them, I have even heard of a robbery stash being thrown in an old well when the posse got too close.

Fossis...................

 

[TreasureTales]

It would be fascinating to see some pix of your tools for well hunting. What's the best thing you've ever found in one? I know of one well that I am curious about, but there is no way I could get out if I got in. LOL

 

[coin_diver]

First of all, I'm a dark water diver that doesn't get rattled by much but I'll tell you, I sure do alot of planning before going down these pits of hell! It's only the thought of whats down there and knowing, "it's virgin" that makes me do it.
A recent well only 24" in diameter at the 12' bottom produced some stoled silver pieces, a plate, pitcher and couple of utensils. It is very hard to pump out the remaining water that builds in the bottom and you need someone on the surface to lift the spoils using an a-frame. When we can't go down I drop a camera w/ a hook, othertimes we'll pump. So, every one is different and I will see if I have a couple of pics to post.

 

[TreasureTales]

First of all, I'm a dark water diver that doesn't get rattled by much but I'll tell you, I sure do alot of planning before going down these pits of hell! It's only the thought of whats down there and knowing, "it's virgin" that makes me do it.
A recent well only 24" in diameter at the 12' bottom produced some stoled silver pieces, a plate, pitcher and couple of utensils. It is very hard to pump out the remaining water that builds in the bottom and you need someone on the surface to lift the spoils using an a-frame. When we can't go down I drop a camera w/ a hook, othertimes we'll pump. So, every one is different and I will see if I have a couple of pics to post.

Truly fascinating. Please use the utmost caution, but have fun!!! You've got a whole niche almost to yourself with the well diving. Cool. Pix would be great, thanks.

 

[Gribnitz]

Those old wells are bad news. Gas that can kill you, swamp lung, not to mention collapsing walls. Too much risk for too little return IMHO.

 

[bearbqd]

What is swamp lung? Something from the fungus on the rocks? I have a perfect opportunity in the yard of the house where I grew up. There is a well on our hill that is the old iron hand pump type. It has the date on the handle of Jan 18, 1812. I have always wanted to explore it. It is about 6 foot diameter and about 30 feet down. It looks like the water level is about 3 or 4 feet max at the bottom and is crystal clear. There is some debris at the bottom of stuff I threw down there as a kid, but I can see the small area at the bottom and to the side that opens to the aquifer. I plan to take my dad's large house painting ladder next spring and go down it. I will check the whole wall with my detector and check for loose rocks for a cache. I will also check the hole leading into the aquifer. There should be at least an old coin or two underneath the debris at the bottom. Should I wear a protective mask over my mouth and nose when I go down?

 

[coin_diver]

In your neck of the woods? Wow, I'd devise a plan and be down there. Our wells here are only 2 - 2.5ft in diam. If you're afraid of inhaling something, use a 3m mask as there is no chems to inhale.
Oh, and have a ground person to spot. Have fun and let us know!

 

[Rowdy]

Should I wear a protective mask over my mouth and nose when I go down?

I'm certainly no expert, but I'd be worried about gas, lack of oxygen. There were several people killed locally not long ago whrn they entered a manure pit and were overcome by gas. The first guy went in to try to clear a drain and collapsed, then a hired hand, then the wife, then another person I think. All DRT!

That was determined to be methane, but any low spot can collect gas, or simply have no oxygen. Be careful!

 

[bearbqd]

I think there should be plenty of airflow as the well is so big. There used to be civil war camps right over this spot and all over our town. I also found a 1787 Connecticut copper in this yard along with civil war relics. I'm confident there has to be at least one good item down there with all the historical activity around it.
I wish I had been around in the late 60's right before they built the neighborhoods there. Old timers of the town recall being able to walk through the fields and pick up all kinds of civil war relics right off the top of the ground. Funny thing is, our local historical society is oblivious that our well even exists. The original barn of the property was still standing behind our house when we moved in in 1973. It was soon torn down to build more houses. I would love to hunt all of my neighbors yards.

 

[LadyDigger]

That sounds so exciting....finding things in a well. My neighbor has on her property, an old well that belonged to the family that once owned this land when it was a farm, now all houses since 1965....would be awesome to see what's in that well....

Also, we were at Jamestown when they were digging things up from the well....it was so amazing...a woman's shoe, a child's shoe...OMG...so many things and to be there when it was pulled up from the well!!!!

Good luck, but be careful...always remember the BUDDY SYSTEM!!!!!!!

Happy Findings,
Annmarie

PS: would love to see some pics of what ya'll have found. Thanks.

 

[Gribnitz]

What is swamp lung? Something from the fungus on the rocks?

Yeah, its an inhaled spore. You can actually get it from digging any damp area, but in the areas that stay consistently damp it's a lot bigger problem. I wish I could rememeber the real name for it, but it is nasty.

 

[AeroMike]

Wow! I didn't realize that there was a danger to entering an old well. Glad I read this post now since I am currently trying to find a colonial well in the woods. So far, I ahve been skunked in two attempts but I know it is there as I talked with the old lady that remembered playing at it when she was a child.

 

[Christ_in_you]

Going to hit this tomorrow, I hope. Its the first of three and the shallowest, since it is filled with old trash. Very bog rattlesnake in the area though.....Hopefully ill have some good pics.

 

[cwdigger]

Hummmm well now from reading all this i guess i wont be trying that, I was hunting up on my grandfathers farm last year and triped on a log and my phone fell in a deeeeeeeeep hole, went and got grandpa and he said that it was an old well dont know how it got there natural maybe? way back in the woods was gonna take the 4wheeler and tie a cable on and go down just to see, but not now.lol

 

[Twisted Fork]

Try a homemade light and camera frame on your cable.

 

[Keppy]

I found a well in the woods back of our house but i don't think i am going in i might drop a magnet down on a long rope and see what comes out......................

 

[Mainedigger]

What is swamp lung? Something from the fungus on the rocks? I have a perfect opportunity in the yard of the house where I grew up. There is a well on our hill that is the old iron hand pump type. It has the date on the handle of Jan 18, 1812. I have always wanted to explore it. It is about 6 foot diameter and about 30 feet down. It looks like the water level is about 3 or 4 feet max at the bottom and is crystal clear. There is some debris at the bottom of stuff I threw down there as a kid, but I can see the small area at the bottom and to the side that opens to the aquifer. I plan to take my dad's large house painting ladder next spring and go down it. I will check the whole wall with my detector and check for loose rocks for a cache. I will also check the hole leading into the aquifer. There should be at least an old coin or two underneath the debris at the bottom. Should I wear a protective mask over my mouth and nose when I go down?

Bear...be VERY careful about moving those loose rocks around...for moving just one may cause the walls to collapse and trap you down there. The dangers of going down into an old well are many and the safety precautions you MUST take before even thinking of going down into an old well are also many. If you do go down, make sure there are many people there to assist if needed, have an emergency plan in place, have some type of self contained breathing device with you, both for potential gases and in case of a cave in. All that said....I wouldn;t go down period...too risky.

 

[DaChief]

I know of people who hunt them. They excavate them much like a privy. I have seen some of the things that have come from wells and that have come from privies and I would say that the privy finds are usually more impressive. The wells were guarded and not used like privies. Privies were often used to keep medicines in and therefore when the medicine was gone, there went the bottle also. You might imagine that many things accidentally ended up in the privy what with the pants and clothing being lowered and raised. Finally when a privy had outlived its usefullness, it was used as a trash dump until it was full. The excrement from a privy is fully absorbed into the soil about 7 years after it is no longer used so any old privy is really safe to hunt. As for wells, I have seen a few coins come out of them but mostly the things lost inside of them were dishes. Most wells that I have seen excavated had dishes in them such as cups and saucers, etc. I guess they were placed on the edge of the well and just fell in accidentally.

Moral to my story here is that if I were going to spend my time digging, I would rather dig a privy than a well. I believe your bang for the buck would do much better that way. One other thought would be to devise a miniature crane bucket type instrument that you could drop into the well open and that would shut when you pulled it upward grasping soil and contents like a set of post hole diggers. Might be a good invention for someone to come up with just for exploring wells.

Anyway, good luck and be careful! I am sure you wouldn't go there without a hunting buddy.

Jim

 

[WV Hillbilly]

Many moons ago when I was younger & much stupider ( is that a word ) I stopped by a friends
house . He had a hand dug well in his yard that had gone dry . It was a really dry time that summer .
The walls of this old well was laid up out of field rock . Anyway he wanted it cleaned out while it
was dry but he was afraid to climb down in there . I told him I'd do it so we tied a bucket on a
rope . After I got to the bottom he was to lower the bucket for me to put trash in . I used something
for a scoop , don't remember what . There was enough gaps in the rock walls to get finger & toe
holds . I climbed down to the bottom & scooped everything into the bucket he lowered . When the
bucket got full he went & emptied it till I scraped solid rock . At that time it never entered my mind
to check what might have come out of the well . I do remember the hole at the top of the well
looked pretty small from about 30 feet down . Never gave a thought to bad air , walls caving in or
anything else . To ignorant at that time to even check for goodies . I know where there are some
old wells where old homesites used to be but I don't think I'll be climbing down into any more wells .