historic 1700s home search

[bergie]

Good news today. I stopped by and found the owner of this historic (stone) home at home today and he was nice enough to give me permission to search the property (we'll set up in the coming week or so). Click link below and scroll alphabetically down left side for "Denning House"--it's a documented location where George Washington stayed several times and there's an escape tunnel built under the house to a creek area around 100 yards away. I was all fired up about searching the tunnel, but I heard it's all closed sealed up. I do hope to learn where the tunnel came out by the creek, in order to search that area if it's allowed. Also, there is a "smokehouse" made of stones about the size of a small cottage, but taller, in the backyard. The owner introduced himself to me as "Denning" so this house must be in the family since the start. He did say some relatives had checked it in the past with a metal detector, but nothing extensive, so I am hopeful. Any thoughts on ways to search the house, things to look for (where they dumped stuff, etc.), let me know. Thanks.
http://www.presidentialmuseums.com/Locations/1.htm

 

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[lab rat]

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity-- hopefully you've worked out any agreement in advance as to how the values (if any) will be split. Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[diggummup]

You got me all fired up when you mentioned that tunnel.I'm sure it was to be used as an escape route,if ever neccessary.But then that makes me wonder,as an escape route were there supplies or armorment and weapons possibly stored in the length of this tunnel,hmm?Try,although i'm sure you have been,to research this,maybe you can actually find an old map of this tunnel.Try talking with the homeowner about this some more,he can probably give you a little more info. on this subject.GOOD LUCK and keep us posted!H.H.

 

[Darren in NC]

Great spot, Bergie! Make sure you check the floor of the smokehouse (if allowed). Never know what might have been cached over the years.

 

[bergie]

Any keys to finding privy site(s) for this home, if the owner isn't aware of it?

 

[bergie]

Thanks, everyone for the feedback. I am going there this afternoon for a few hours for the first time. I'll give a report tonight. I don't have some of the equipment Buckram mentioned for today's search, so will have to put that aspect off for now.

 

[bergie]

Well, it was good news, bad news and good news. Good news--I started looking in the woods around the house and found clam shells and pottery shards and coal or burned wood and got fired up. Bad news--Unfortunately, didn't find anything around that area except various unidentifiable pieces of iron. Loads of iron signals I didn't dig at that point. I did find an old green bottle (intact) with no markings, a copper door hinge. Searched in front of the old stone porch that runs the length of the house in the backyard and was surprised to have no luch there. Searched around the smokehouse with no luck. The owner had to leave and let me keep searching, so I didn't get to ask about the tunnel in detail or if he would let me search it if it's even accessible any longer. I suspect he wouldn't want the liability, but I'll ask. Anyway, got annoyed and decided to head back to the old swimming hole nearby. Good news--found a standing liberty quarter 1925 (not in great shape), a 1944 Merc and a 1948 Rosy (both in good shape). Salvaged the day nicely at the end. (Oh, the home owner did tell me they were chopping down big old trees a few years ago and found hinges embedded inside the trees from years earlier. Any ideas?)

 

[Bob B.]

Several years ago (around ten) a friend of mine bought an old farm house in Ohio, along with it came about forty acres, anyway at one time there was a barn on the property that burned down in the mid 1800's and was never rebuilt instead the owners used the area for dumping their trash. Now that area is a gold mine he's always finding some fairly rare pieces (along with junk but the junk is over 100 years old. So look for an old dump site if the property had one. Good luck.