What is the best way to go about digging an old house site?

[CoilyGirl]

The house has been torn down,sidewalks are left(so obviously I would look on either side) but any other areas I should concentrate on? It's hard to tell exactly where the footprints of the house were and there is a lot of junk around a concrete foundation block. How can I get by without digging a billion nails and get to the good stuff?

 

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[Old Dude]

I am no expert, but the sidewalk gives you a starting and stopping point. I assume you can tell where it starts? Does a road or driveway still exist? The other ends at an entrance to the house. You'd just have to spread out from there. If it is a modern poured concrete sidewalk, I'd bet there are footers maybe just under the ground. If you find them you have the lay of the house. Good luck, CG. I want to see your finds

 

[BigWaveDave]

If the house is torn down, chances are good that there would be less trash in what would be the back yard, dragging out the debris through front of property more likely... Also prolly used to have a clothesline in the back yard.. any traces of a driveway?

 

[Old Dude]

Also, if you find traces of burned trash, you've probably found the back of the back yard. Most old sites burned the garbage in the same spot for years.

 

[NJcigarman]

Look for where the out house might have been. The dropping of drawers causes many spills.

 

[CoilyGirl]

No traces of a driveway per se but I remember the house before it was torn down and all I remember is a small sidewalk which probably was poured after the original house was built. The back yard does have pieces of glass and old bricks scattered about which makes me hopeful. This house backs up to an area in an old part of town where I once found an old blob too soda base which really has got my excitement level up! Old Dude I will be sure and post what I find if its good .

 

[gleaner1]

Set the scrim a bit high and the sense a bit low and dig anything that sounds remotely good, have at it Coilygirl.

 

[cw0909]

you can try these, sometimes the maps may still show the house
and what gleaner1 said HH cw
--------------
plug in the addy, im assuming you are looking in davidson county
click parc ID or addy or name, at the next pg pick one of the maps
at the top, sometimes map will still show you an img of house
or maybe an img is on the pg, test your addy out to get the gist of it
Patriot Properties WebPro


if you cant see the house in the above, plug addy in and pick a year, zoom in
you need windows silverlight to link or copy, or just use your print /scan key
NETR Online • Historic Aerials


and sometimes this will show the house even though not there now
Note: Davidson (Nashville), Hamilton (Chattanooga), Knox (Knoxville), Montgomery, Rutherford, Shelby (Memphis), Williamson, and Unicoi Counties maintain their own sites. Links to those sites can be found in the Help section.
TN Property Viewer


more Interactive Maps
Nashville > Planning Department > Mapping and GIS > Interactive Maps

 

[CoilyGirl]

you can try these, sometimes the maps may still show the house
and what gleaner1 said HH cw
--------------
plug in the addy, im assuming you are looking in davidson county
click parc ID or addy or name, at the next pg pick one of the maps
at the top, sometimes map will still show you an img of house
or maybe an img is on the pg, test your addy out to get the gist of it
Patriot Properties WebPro


if you cant see the house in the above, plug addy in and pick a year, zoom in
you need windows silverlight to link or copy, or just use your print /scan key
NETR Online • Historic Aerials


and sometimes this will show the house even though not there now
Note: Davidson (Nashville), Hamilton (Chattanooga), Knox (Knoxville), Montgomery, Rutherford, Shelby (Memphis), Williamson, and Unicoi Counties maintain their own sites. Links to those sites can be found in the Help section.
TN Property Viewer


more Interactive Maps
Nashville > Planning Department > Mapping and GIS > Interactive Maps

Thanks for the great map sites,I'll get the mister right on it. He has a few sites he uses,not sure which ones.I just show up with my metal detector and a smile. Gleaner thanks for the tip,may have to go to setting 3 on my Minelab to notch out pull tabs,iron,etc. if my detector is squealing too much or I'll just have to see when I get thereof the site seems really junky.

 

[chopperdog]

I live in Indianapolis where there are approx. 1000+ vacant homes waiting to be razed or repaired. Have probably hunted 50 to 100 of them. I would hunt against the sidewalk, or in a area where you think people routinely walked, / street to front door, back door to garage, (if it had one), sidewalks leading from front to rear of house. Another good place is around the old clothesline areas. (things drop from pockets )---- If the house was bulldozed, there is a good chance that fill dirt was brought into fill the crawl space / basement, which pretty much ruins chances of finding anything within the 'footprint' area of the house, and maybe as much as 2 to 4' to the outside of the foundation.------- If the house had a concrete block foundation, (not brick), it probably dates to the very late teens (1915) or newer. -- If the remaining sidewalk seems to be sunken into the grass by 2 to 6 inches it is probably original, or at least old. Probably not a lot to be found (at least from my experience), I definitely do better in old schoolyards, and old churchyards. Good luck with your hunt!