1800s McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

1liquigirl

Sr. Member
Jun 13, 2005
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13
Bellefonte, PA
1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

I found these items 'yesterday' (sorry for my posting time, but had to clean the pieces up a bit first) in an old foundation known as the old McCoy Estate and apple orchard. There is dirt inside each room with outlying foundation of the house still standing as well (to a height of a few feet, but one has a concrete floor with little troughs, which could have been a barn. To reach it requires a long hike of about 2 miles I'd guess, up the side of a mountain in our valley, some areas are very steep going. Judging the looks of things, I don't believe the sight has been MDed before, although people do camp near there. I found an older Pepsi bottle without its label, with a Nintendo Game Piece cap on it close to the foundation, just laying there. Also, near the path into the estate, there is a pile of rocks, which looks to be an old Indian grave or just a regular grave, with many years of moss growing on it, maybe just a pile of rocks, but the correct size to be otherwise. Good thing the brush was bare so I could see it from the path. I'll post pictures of this and the looks of the foundation on the next trip there, although I need to do some recovering from this one, huff, huff :P. I'm posting a few pics below. I'm not sure what the one object is, there are a few close ups of it. My friend told me, he saw something similar to this at his great grandfather's barn, but never saw one in one piece. He said it could be an item used to hang tools, like wheelbarrows, etc. It was hung over a rail, or track, to move the items quickly. And that on the back (the curved inward side), a wheel would be attached to move it on the track, the wheel would attach to the area furthest away from the ring part. There is a rounded off bolt through the front side that is bent and is folded over touching the iron piece in the back in the correct spot for a wheel. Also there is lettering on it as well, but it is hard to make out. My guess is B(or R)-E-A(or the letters N or R)-D-I-N-G. Does anyone know what it may mean? We do have a town of Reading here in Pennsylvania. Maybe it is just to tell us where it was made, but maybe not. The back curved area looks to be broken off because it is not straight at all there and may have had an identical piece structure on the other side. These pieces were all found within an hour (we were afraid of dark setting in before we made it back to the truck, and it was sleeting on us the whole time we were there), all pieces are made of iron. Thanks ahead of time for any help or oppinions on this piece. ;D
 

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Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Interesting finds! The site sounds like an awesome place to detect. I see many piles of rocks around farm fields here in Germany that look like they could have been a grave, only one way to find out, LOL! I'll bet it's just a pile of rocks though. Look for an outhouse, should be close to the house foundation and would probably be a small indentation in the earth. Dig it out carefully, I have read many nice finds have come from those, even caches, you may even consider sifting the dirt. Is there a well in the area or is it close to a stream? HH and I look forward to more finds from the site, Mike
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Thanks Mike for your advice on looking for the outhouse. There used to be an old manual waterpump in the one corner of the cemented floor area. That was there 5 years ago, and still worked, but it is no longer there now. :-\ Why do you ask? I'll post more pictures when I get new finds, like I said, it may be a while till I go again, not easy hiking.
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Really intresting site with definite potential! Good luck with the search. Vern 8)
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

:) :) :) It sound to me like you found a very interesting site , back in the hills as far as your saying it is possible those folks may have not seen as much traffic from settlers as someone on a main road....so any such finds as coins might be far and few.....but that does not say other relics may not be found......I am interested in how you cleaned your items ....in the pics they look to be quite shiney....Did you polish the pieces with a buffing wheel....I use that method with brass and copper pieces and it cleans them up very well.....I would go back and give that place another working ...........hey you never know!!!!!! nice job.... 8) seeker
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Luiquigirl, Good Hunting, Your Site Looks Like It Holds Great Potential. Best of Luck & Keep us Posted. trk5capt... 8)
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Great site and looks like you are going to have some good finds there...I think it is "Reading" also....make sure you really hunt it good...looking for depressions of former outbuildingg etc....the out
house area like Mike mentioned....Good Luck...would like to see pictures of the area next time you go!!!
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

You made some interesting relic finds there. They cleaned up really nice.
I would say they are prbably part of a pulley system or hoist seeing that
you also found a chain. I hope to see pics the next time you visit that site.
It sounds like it would be worth the effort of a return trip. Keep up the good work.
HH!
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Hey 1lickergirl, I didn't ask anything, only suggested some good tactics for a great site and look forward to the finds. Good luck when you get your smartass up there again! HH, Mike
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Good luck with that site. Here in SW Missouri most of the concrete foundations were made just before or after 1900. Sometimes you find a older homesite with a rock foundation that has concrete put over it at a later date. This might date your site closer to the 1900's. Although I find many times a older homesite existed on the same ground. Whatever the case good luck. Tsgman
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Mike, sorry I ruffled your feathers a bit. I only asked why you mentioned the water pump or well to me, because I thought you were going to give me a few pointers on why I should hunt around that spot or something.

tsgman, the concrete foundation is detached from the main stone with dirt floor foundation. I think it used to be the barn. I did the research on the estate about 5 years ago when I first found it. The tax assessors office computer states that it was built in the 1800's, I can't remember the actual date, and have to go back or find the old paper in my filing cabinets to get the correct date. I really can't wait to go back though.

The cleaning method is water and mild soap with a steel wire brush. I'd love to use a polish, but stuck on what to use. The pictures were taken when the items were still wet from cleaning, that is why they look shiny. Any suggestions on polish all?
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Looks like a cool place 1liquigirl. You know there are some goodies waiting for you. Good luck next time out! Be careful what you clean and how you clean it. Some items lose value when cleaned, or are cleaned improperly.

HH!
TBGO
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

i hope you get to go back soon. i want to see some more pix,s of the place and more of your finds there :). the best of luck to you.
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Sounds like a great site to hunt. I agree about looking for the outhouse. Also, keep your etye out on the edges of the site for any old trash dumps. The dump sites were sometimes covered over with piles of rocks like the one you describe, but if that rock pile is at the entrance to the site, it doesn't sound likely, unless it is the back way in. Good luck and keep us posted as to what else you find. HH!
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

about the rocks or grave i have came on sites before me md,ing , while deer hunting years ago and it might be were they were plowing years ago and they would clean the field,s of rocks and put them in one spot :-\ just a thought.
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

luiqigirl,

Sounds like you've done your homework. You need more time to detect and evaluate the site you have discovered. Take some friends with you (to do the digging & carry the beer) and camp-out for the weekend when the weather is better. Your instinct will tell you where to start. Good luck!!

Smartin
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

Jon, there are a few other pile of rock sites near a fairly clear area, with only a few trees, and past the orchard area. The one rock pile is huge! This may be the dump site and there are just as many regular shaped rocks there as their are flat ones that you could use to make nice footpath walkways out of. Thanks for filling me in on that.

Smartin, We have already discussed the camping idea, as we were leaving in the sleet. Can't wait to get back there again, as the days go on, I forget how steep the inclines are in certain spots of the hike!
 

Re: 1800's McCoy Estate Foundation Findings

No problem, I would have suggested detecting around the well. Another good spot may be on the sunny side of the house where a clothes line may have been. Possibly a trash dump nearby as well. HH, Mike
 

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