✅ SOLVED Hunting relics - Couple unknown, interesting items

[nigelrex]

My backyard forest is kicking a ton of random iron out of the ground, but keeping at it. These items seem more interesting than most of the hunks, starting with the first two. They found under the same huge, uprooted oak that has produced some really cool items. I recheck the big boy after every rainstorm. The iron tank cover was dug out from under a pile of these bricks. I'm curious about the cover (doesn't seem that terribly old) and the bricks, which seem homemade to my untrained eyes. The RR stake was found under a different oak tree near other relic finds, including a mini.

The tank cover inscription says:

G-18-20-70(?)
Caution
Keep tank filled


Thanks to you guys who regularly answer my questions - you're the best. I appreciate the education.

 

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[ticndig]

I would say that plate is off of a boiler , maybe even off of a steam locomotive if you're near the tracks.
big train yard at the end of leeland rd during the civil war.

 

[ARC]

Your "RR spike"... may in fact IMO... be a concrete tool.

OR stone masons chisel... or some other form of spike.

Not RR though IMO.

 

[nigelrex]

We're about a mile or so from where the old Potomac RR passed by on the way toward Leeland. More winter camp than on top of the tracks. I wonder if the plate was grabbed for some other purpose in the camp. The bricks are a mystery. Even if this particular spike isn't RR, I have another one that more likely fits the bill.

Thanks

 

[nigelrex]

Our subdivision is ~20 years old so it'd have to be around that age or quite a bit older probably going back to early 20th-century farming. I could be wrong.

 

[ticndig]

the spike could be RR or a chisel .
that stretch of rail was torn up and rebuilt no less than 3 times during the civil war and hand crafted spikes were in use . there is lots of info on the web about that area to study there was a big turntable for the RR at the creek. I've dug lots of good relics there years ago.

 

[dognose]

I find old metal in the fields sometimes.

I have one similar to that spike I found a few years back, my theory was it was from an old farm implement used to chisel the field prior to planting.

 

[dognose]

I took two photos, not really showing the item well.

You can see the tip where its been worn down over time. This also led me to think it was worn down over years of use ripping through the dirt.

Just a possibility I guess.

 

[creskol]

Spike from a spike harrow

 

[ticndig]

harrow tooth is a great guess creskol and dognose.

 

[Gare]

The RR Spike as you call it could be a Blacksmiths spike for making and picking up hot horse shoes

 

[nigelrex]

Given what I know about the area, I think you are right. Thanks