Well in the bottom of an old drained pond

kmcneil · Feb 5, 2009

I don't have any pictures as of yet, but what I found was an old limestone lined well in the bottom of an old drained out pond. The pond 's dam is about 12' high, and had been cut to drain the pond many years ago by the looks of it. The pond is in a very deep valley, I myself would not want to tote water back up the surrounding hills...The well's bottom is only about 5' deep, and dry as a bone. There is no signs of a homested in the vicinity. I'm really puzzled...but I will take the MD'er, camera, and my trusty E-tool on the next visit. I do have permission to be in the area, so thats not a problem. The landowner has no idea of what it was/is

? If i find any goodies I will post .....any ideas of why someone would build a pond on top of a well

??

DigginThePast · Feb 5, 2009

Welcome to T-Net. Not sure why someone would do that but I'd very interested in seeing the pics.

Woodland Detectors · Feb 5, 2009

Here is a tip partner, google earth that spot and take a close look around the land near the water. If there was a "house" there you should see the existence of the "seat" good luck!

seger98 · Feb 5, 2009

Welcome to TreasureNet, glad you stopped by. It's always nice to see pictures to go along with a story so we can see what you see. Sounds like a very interesting site to hunt.

Chris

kmcneil · Feb 5, 2009

I promise I will get pictures

..(I know it's hard to picture, without a picture :tongue3:

)....Thanks for the Welcomes!!! I google earth'ed it but to many trees to see anything

.. This site is in a valley that is at least 100' deep from the ridges of the surrounding hills..........I will look closer for a homesite and take pic's tomorrow

Woodland Detectors · Feb 5, 2009

very cool! just have fun here thats what its all about! I hope you have some success there.

MUD(S.W.A.T) · Feb 5, 2009

Are you kidding me !!

You could have a very very good find in the bottom of that well. :thumbsup:

I presume it is in a town somewhere not just out in the middle of no where. Most towns would use one well... Why would you have a good find?

Is lots of community wells were wishing wells too. :icon_study:

Dozens of people would toss coins into wells and make a wish for good luck. :icon_sunny:

If you can dig a little maybe 12 inches or more on the bottom of that well. You could find yourself with a whole bunch of coins..... (Gold, Silver, Pennies, nickles,) :icon_scratch:

all from the time of the well.

Their are stories of people finding wells with 5 inches of old coins all on the entire bottom of the old wells. I wish you have such a wishing well !! :thumbsup:

Keep @ it and HH!!

Copperhead · Feb 5, 2009

The home where I grew up was built on some divided farmland that was originally 100's of acres...there was a small shallow pond on the property which in the summer would all but dry up....One summer...it did in fact dry up... revealing an old well in the middle of it... about 10 feet deep...Probably my best find ever(with or without a detector) came from poking around it...We eventually had the area dug out which resulted in a nice watering hole we fished from in the summer and skated on in the winter...As to why the well was there...Since the original homestead was nowhere near this well...I'm guessing its purpose was to provide water for livestock and the site chosen because the water table was closest to the surface of the ground in that area....Definitely worth checking it out... :thumbsup:

jgas · Feb 5, 2009

Yep that sounds like a great spot. Can't wait to see the pics of it and the surrounding area. Just be careful out there. Take a TX with ya and a buddy. Goodluck....jgas

kmcneil · Feb 5, 2009

This is in a unoccupied area, nearest homes are 3/4 miles away......It may have been used to water livestock "back in the day" .... You guys are getting me all pumped up.......I'll be out there at daybreak..if not sooner :tard..

.. So, Copperhead what was it, may I ask

What is a TX

?

Copperhead · Feb 5, 2009

Apologies for keeping you in suspense kmcneil.....Unfortunately...It's one find I prefer not to share... 8) ...I wish you well(pun intended) with your search though...

.....Welcome to Tnet

kdismuke1 · Feb 5, 2009

SEARCH IT GOOD. AND ALL AROUND IT. AT ONE TIME WATER COULD HAVE BEEN 50FT. AROUND IT. [ HAVE HUNTED AREA LIKE THAT AND FOUND OUT A ONE TIME IT WAS A PLACE TO SWIM. FOUR OF US FOUND A FEW RIGS AND ABOUT 500 COINS. TOOK ABOUT TWO MONTHS HUNTING IT.
WATER LEVEL WOULD FALL. IN A COUPLE OF YEARS IT WOULD COME BACK UP. BEST OF LUCK ON YOUR HUNTS. :thumbsup:

seger98 · Feb 5, 2009

I see now that you're from Kansas, anywhere near Holton or Mayetta......not asking you to reveal your spot at all.

Cheeko · Feb 5, 2009

Welcome , please post some pics

NGE · Feb 5, 2009

Take a big ( Boar) gun with ya, and wear snake boots! And here's wishing you well.........NGE

texan connection · Feb 5, 2009

Very intresting Id dig it, Could it be the bottom a cistern or well, ( a cistern or well could of been dug in a lower area of a Homestead so as not to dig so deep, and ij softer ground.) then Later dug into a tank, (that means pond for ya'll up north). Def dig it out and post some pics here. Id also say look for a close by homstead.

fasttracker · Feb 6, 2009

hmmm could be the site of an indian village if the well acted as a spring and filled the pond...it could have provided water for previouse existences...i would check for flint chips or pottery flakes

Rob in KS · Feb 6, 2009

Welcome to T-Net

Since it's in the bottom of a pond, I'll bet there is a LOT of silt in the bottom. BE CAREFUL. The bottom may actually be covered with many feet of mud.

Is this in a pasture? If so it may have been dug just to water cattle and there wouldn't be much in it. But you never know.

Since you didn't have any luck with Google Earth, try Terraserver. Download Terraclient (Google it) Most of the images in my area of central KS are from 1991. It might give you some information. Here is another tip... try historicmapworks.com they have 1903 and 1921 plat maps of my area and show house locations. I've also got topo maps of KS on CD.

I'll bet we are about due for a hot dry summer since we've had a couple of wet years. This year might be a good time to work this site. Detecting around the well might be interesting too. The stuff you find will tell you something about the land use.

Here is a post about wells
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,213829.0.html

I'm in McPherson county. I'm researching sites in several counties near me. If I can be of any help, send me a PM. I've got a lot of information around this area.

allen · Feb 6, 2009

maybe the well was there first, then it went dry, so they dug the pond and then it went dry...

kmcneil · Feb 6, 2009

Went back to the well......didn't find much....old rusty nail, and a pull-top can. I'm think'n it was for watering livestock....someone had suggested that :icon_scratch:

I think they are right on the money!!!! Here's the well - about 5' deep