Brick What????

[Dimeman]

Found this in an area that was an old recreational park in the 1900-1920's.
Used to be in an area with a pavillion, carnival type rides, and game stands.
( An old post card from the same area shows this)


Being a city boy, all I can guess is a cistern?? About 25 feet across.

Any other guesses??
Should I dig out the center to see what might be in it

 

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[capt_t]

an old pond/foutian/wishing well? couldnt hurt to see whats in there

 

[wolfmanjoe3]

The walls appear to curve in on the left and right sides. The block or concrete may form a basin that held water for a fountain or other decorative purposes. You may find only 4-8" of dirt and leaves in the middle of that thing. I doubt it was a cistern.

 

[TheDane]

Could it be a foundation of a windmill ??

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Horse/ox watering trough? Pick-the-Lucky-Duck water game? Fire-fighting cistern?

I know of a slightly larger one outside of Triangle, NY that I believe was a "make work" project for the CCC and was allegedly to be used as a fire-fighting cistern for a tree farm they planted (from talking with locals). Now that's optimism.

 

[aa battery]

Fish pond

 

[TreasureTales]

25 ft. diameter seems kinda large for a wishing well or fountain in those days. I'd guess a koi (gold fish) pond. Or maybe a kids' wading pool.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I dont have a picture of it, but I know of one similar in front of an old Casino from the 20's-30's that was a goldfish pond. (trying to get permission) It may also be a fountain/wishing well.

 

[relic lover]

what do you mean should I dig it? an't you done yet? I would probe it first to feel for bottles & such.

 

[TreasureTales]

If it isn't deep, just take a rake and scrape around looking for bottles and things of that size. Then you could detect it or even screen if you chose to. It's not too big to screen the dirt in the whole thing. Marbles, bone buttons, etc. could be in it.

Are those really bricks? Look like stones to me. Could make nice walkway pavers.

 

[Dimeman]

If it isn't deep, just take a rake and scrape around looking for bottles and things of that size. Then you could detect it or even screen if you chose to. It's not too big to screen the dirt in the whole thing. Marbles, bone buttons, etc. could be in it.

Are those really bricks? Look like stones to me. Could make nice walkway pavers.

They are stones, and what looks like a thin coat of concrete on the inside, for it to be smooth, possibly to hold water.

 

[junkdigger]

People throw coins in fountains.....detect it!

 

[silverswede]

Gazebo?

 

[Jeff G]

In parks they used to occasionally surround drinking fountains with wading pools... We had one in our home town, but it was concrete. It was built in the early 1900's though...

 

[Rich]

Horse/ox watering trough? Pick-the-Lucky-Duck water game? Fire-fighting cistern?

quite a few of these are in NY "Upstate" usually next ot buildings,I say its a Cistrine.....look for the celler!,,,,its very near unless its filled...

 

[LadyDigger]

If you can get to the local library, they should have the towns newpapers on microfilm. I would research the newspapers for that time period (yes, it is time consuming)...but you may find something on the recreation area, may even have photos. Ask the library if they have old photos somewhere of the rec park or if they know where in town, maybe the historical society. If you can find photos with that object in it, it would answer your questions. Not sure if the court house would hold any photos of the rec park, so try the historical society and/or library first.

Good luck!!!!
HH, Annmarie

 

[davesx]

Dig it...Inside and around the outside.

good luck dave.

 

[DCMatt]

To me it just doesn't look broken or destroyed - simply abandoned. Uniform height of the walls and lack of debris around it tell me that it was probably NOT any taller. I say "wishing pond" or Koi pond.

DCMatt

 

[MD Dog]

Would anyone believe a cow bath, In early 1900s fairs quite often like todays fairs had livestock showing as a main attraction. But getting bessy down the road to the fair was a much different affair than it is today, and keeping her looking good as well as odor free was important not just for looks but to keep fly control down at the event.

 

[relic lover]

To me it just doesn't look broken or destroyed - simply abandoned. Uniform height of the walls and lack of debris around it tell me that it was probably NOT any taller. I say "wishing pond" or Koi pond.

DCMatt

Maybe it had a wooden wishing well on it. Sounds like a nice gig that "wishing" well business, maybe I could build one in my front yard. Everyone can stop by and toss in their best finds and make a wish!