Old Colonial Road and Inn 25-26 Apr 2013 Pennsylvania Part 1

DocBeav

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Jul 8, 2012
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All Treasure Hunting
Old Colonial Road and Inn 25-26 Apr 2013 (4 SILVER) Pennsylvania Part 1

For the LONGEST time I have been itching to get back up to Pa, the area I grew up in, to do some hunting around the house and property of some good friends who gave me permission a while back but I was never able to get to it until now. The house dates back to the 1700's and was once a Tavern/Inn along an old colonial road that branches off of the Old Easton Road which was once the main drag between Philly and Easton Pa. I didn't find too much in the way of colonial artifacts (another excuse o go back and hunt some more!) but I did get some great finds there, many firsts for me! The first target I dug was right next to this tree by the barn:
IMG_1395.JPGIMG_1398.JPGIMG_1400.JPG20130425_173508.jpg20130425_173458.jpg

A 1943 Mecury Dime in GREAT shape!

Here are a few pictures of the old, overgrown colonial road the used to continue past the property and drops down into the woods and stream below.
IMG_1402.JPGIMG_1401.JPGIMG_1452.JPGIMG_1405.JPGIMG_1409.JPG

Found this buried in the side of the road about 50 feet from the stream:
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3 Merry Widows condom container (empty)! Really good condition, dates from the 1920's-1930's.

This was found on the side of the road, about 1/2 way down to the stream:
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It is part of an old oil lamp (quite possibly a carriage lamp as it looks smaller than usual) and the stem that advances the wick had the work "Erfurt" on it but the rest was pretty toasted. Looks VERY similar to the stem I found on a beach here in Va

(http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/334730-09-feb-2013-hunting-near-big-rocks-couple-what-they-finds.html)

so, it could be from the same company (Koppliner and Sons in Erfurt, Germany who mad oil lamps in the mid to late 1800's)

Next cool find was a pocket spill of coins along an old trail that cut down behind the house in into the woods:
IMG_1414.JPGIMG_1415.JPGIMG_1416.JPG20130425_173525.jpg

A 1951 SILVER Quarter, 2 SILVER dimes 1963, 1964 and 2 pennies all in the same hole! Spoke to one of the owners on the phone afterward and she told me that the path I was on, led down to an old quarry (where the got the stone for the house, barn, paths etc, back in the day). She told me that the family used to take that path down to the stream for picnics and that her father always kept the path clear. She could just imagine him pulling out the handkerchief (that he always carried) to dry his brow and may have dropped the change when he did so! Don't ya love it when you can get some info that leads you to how something ended up somewhere?

Just down the hill, off the path from where the pocket spill was, I came across this and and am still scratching my head over these:
IMG_1419.JPGIMG_1420.JPGIMG_1421.JPGIMG_1422.JPGIMG_1423.JPGIMG_1434.JPGIMG_1433.JPGIMG_1424.JPGIMG_1425.JPGIMG_1432.JPGIMG_1429.JPGIMG_1426.JPGIMG_1435.JPG

My first thought was that the carving was made by Indians in the distant past (Leni-Lenape was the main tribe in the area) but then I saw the rock with the boreholes in it and realized I must me in or near the quarry I was told about. Didn't see any other "carvings" in the immediate area but I didn't stay there to search too long as I had to get moving. Looking for any thoughts from all of you here to see what you think....Indian carving or newer? Signs or direction marker?

Last target of the day was up near the house that I dug right before leaving:

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Spoon, not that old I don't think but still a cool find!

Here are some pictures of the whole haul:
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All in all, it was a GREAT hunt! (except for losing my pinpointer along the old road somewhere!) I really do appreciate the owners (D & M, you guys are GREAT! I'm buying the wine and scotch next time we get together!) who allowed me to hunt there and when I'm up there next, and they are in town, we will hopefully get together and take a little "guided tour" around the place some more and down in the woods to find more cool history! REALLY looking forward to it! Thanks for looking and any comments or ideas on the carving (or anything) is appreciated!

Lastly: Out of all the treasures I found during my visit this is my favorite and most precious: My Niece Abby who I have FINALLY had the chance to meet! She's a little apprehensive around people she doesn't know but I hope to see more of her in the future! Beautiful little angel. Good job Jer and Amy!

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Upvote 3
That site would really get my blood pumping! You've found some nice recent silvers, which likely means it is likely a virgin site. I hope you can get back there soon and go over the place really slow. I'll bet the older stuff is just waiting to be found. Good luck.
 

Nice Finds ! place looks awesome also.

RE:

IMG_1419.JPG



the Markings are Very Cool !

Maybe Road or Property Markers.

Not indian if that is a 12 inside the diamond.

is or was there a route 12 there ?
or perhaps is it 12 Mile from the beginning of the old road.
 

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The carving is very interesting but have no idea what that could have been. The split rocks I have come across recently myself. The method that was used back then was called Plug and feather but it seems to have several names. I actually found a bunch of the chisels and shims used to split the rock. They would drill holes in the rock often by hand with a large chisel type device then add the chisels and shims to split the rock.

Very cool find.

The 3rd one from the left is the type I found at my site:
220px-Keile.jpg


Here is a good write up with photo examples:
Plug and feather - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

Nice finds but even better site and presentation!
I completely agree! Love the site pics. I would have started off down that old colonial road with my detector and lost track of time and eventually wandered into Philly a few days later. :laughing7: Nice finds. :thumbsup:
 

I have to agree those are "modern" drill holes used in quarrying the stones. Such a promising site you have available to you. We truly are blessed here in Pa with wonderful old homesites, farms and as you mentioned-native American sites. I hope this gives you as many treats as you can handle. Just remember this: not all treasures are buried!
 

That site would really get my blood pumping! You've found some nice recent silvers, which likely means it is likely a virgin site. I hope you can get back there soon and go over the place really slow. I'll bet the older stuff is just waiting to be found. Good luck.

Yeah, it was hard to figure out where to start! I wanted to hit it all as soon as I could! I will most certainly be heading back here and to the other site I hunted (Part II) as well!
 

Nice Finds ! place looks awesome also.

RE:

View attachment 787476



the Markings are Very Cool !

Maybe Road or Property Markers.

Not indian if that is a 12 inside the diamond.

is or was there a route 12 there ?
or perhaps is it 12 Mile from the beginning of the old road.

Looked at it again since you mentioned "12". No route 12 nearby, don't think that's what it is in the middle. The part that looks like a dash or a "1" is there but the part that looks like a "2" is not carved into the rock. Think it may just be a raised area that looks like a 2. Good thought on property marker possibility. The "fringe" in the one end of the diamond is what made me think it might be Indian but I really have no experience in reading these things. This rock is not along or really near the road. It is further away and in the opposite direction of the road. The owners have never seen it before when I mentioned it to them so next time we get together I'll take them to it and do more detailed searching around this area. I'd get down into the stream as well (knee to waist deep in spots) and do some detecting there! On the opposite side are some small cliffs and exposed rocks that would be worth checking out as well for more markings but across the stream is a different property so I'd have to do some research on that first and get permission.
 

The carving is very interesting but have no idea what that could have been. The split rocks I have come across recently myself. The method that was used back then was called Plug and feather but it seems to have several names. I actually found a bunch of the chisels and shims used to split the rock. They would drill holes in the rock often by hand with a large chisel type device then add the chisels and shims to split the rock.

Very cool find.

The 3rd one from the left is the type I found at my site:
View attachment 787479


Here is a good write up with photo examples:
Plug and feather - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Great info JR! Maybe I can find some in this area or the quarry that is nearby! Now I know what to look for!
 

Your oldest find of the hunt was the lantern wick turner. Did you check beside the road for a house site that could be older?

-Buck
 

Your oldest find of the hunt was the lantern wick turner. Did you check beside the road for a house site that could be older?

-Buck

Yeah, I was looking but nothing in the area I was in. The road was used from the 1700's till the early 1900's. Just wasn't finding anything super old on this one. I was hunting in discriminate mode as there is alot of iron trash in some of the areas and unfortunately I couldn't stay as long as I wanted. I'd never have left!
 

Awesome finds, Sounds like a great site! HH
 

I love the write up & pictures. Hit that place HARD! Might be a hidden cache nearby with that marker!
 

I love the write up & pictures. Hit that place HARD! Might be a hidden cache nearby with that marker!

Now THAT would be cool!
 

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