Is this indicator of old homesite?

[Nathan W]

There’s an old homesite behind my work off of our bmx trail. I can’t seem to find anything much except this fence post and barb wire inside the tree. How old do you think this might be and possibly related to the house area? House was on 1907 map. Wanted to know if I was on to something or this is just put there later

 

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[ARC]

I wouldn't say an indicator of anything more than a fence line for cattle.
And that could be hundreds of acres from where a home site could have been.
Who knows,

 

[robertk]

Looking at the wire and the fence, I'd say the fence isn't that old. But looking at that tree, the wires have been there a while. But like Arc said, that doesn't mean anything more than that there was a fence there, most likely for cattle or other livestock. Maybe there was a house nearby, or maybe not.

If you have a map that shows a house there, compare the map to a modern map and you should be able to get pretty close. Look for landmarks or natural features, compare scales and distances, and you should be able to narrow it down.

 

[Nathan W]

I wouldn't say an indicator of anything more than a fence line for cattle.
And that could be hundreds of acres from where a home site could have been.
Who knows,

Looking at the wire and the fence, I'd say the fence isn't that old. But looking at that tree, the wires have been there a while. But like Arc said, that doesn't mean anything more than that there was a fence there, most likely for cattle or other livestock. Maybe there was a house nearby, or maybe not.

If you have a map that shows a house there, compare the map to a modern map and you should be able to get pretty close. Look for landmarks or natural features, compare scales and distances, and you should be able to narrow it down.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Mackaydon]

Based on three strands of barbed wire have been 'consumed' by the tree, I'd feel safe in saying the wire was there during the time the home was there in 1907.
Don in SoCal

 

[ARC]

Based on three strands of barbed wire have been 'consumed' by the true, I'd feel safe in saying the wire was there during the time the home was there in 1907.
Don in SoCal

there actually is a way to date that barbed wire... err or at least narrow it down timeline wise.

 

[Bucket Lister]

You could cut the tree down and count the rings... 🙄

I've got a tree and post just like those in my back 4, a quarter mile from the house.
It was just a property line fence (which also happens to be the town line).

 

[Nathan W]

You could cut the tree down and count the rings... 🙄

I've got a tree and post just like those in my back 4, a quarter mile from the house.
It was just a property line fence (which also happens to be the town line).

I think I will pass on taking the tree down . Just going to work the ground from the area out in a circle and keep going maybe there is something there. Will wait another month or so , the horseflies are bad

 

[The Rebel]

I would not say it's part of a homestead but more likely to be the property boundary.

 

[Nathan W]

I would not say it's part of a homestead but more likely to be the property boundary.

Well I guess that’s somewhat good, from map I’m in the area

 

[Almy]

You could make an increment core of the tree, using a forester's borer, near one of the wires rather than cutting it down. The number of rings from the wire to the outside would be the approximately the number of years the wire has been in the tree. The borer leaves an almost unnoticeable hole which soon heals.

 

[Bucket Lister]

You could cut the tree down and count the rings... 🙄

I think I will pass on taking the tree down .

You could make an increment core of the tree, using a forester's borer, near one of the wires rather than cutting it down.

Geez, Guys, I was being facetious about cutting the tree down! 🤪

Bad choice of emojis on my part, I guess. Mea culpa. 😳

 

[pepperj]

I need to ask you what kind of tree is the barbed wire running through.
Up in these parts a Manitoba Maple, Ash grow quickly.

 

[Gene Mean]

I would focus on finding the house location from the 1907 map. It could have been built on an earlier foundation and might not be on the maps. How far back do the maps go where you are? I use historicmapworks.com. They go back to 1873 here in NJ. The homesteads go back much earlier.

 

[Nathan W]

I would focus on finding the house location from the 1907 map. It could have been built on an earlier foundation and might not be on the maps. How far back do the maps go where you are? I use historicmapworks.com. They go back to 1873 here in NJ. The homesteads go back much earlier.

I figured the house was way older than 1907 , going to research more when I get back in town

 

[ncsuwolf]

I need to ask you what kind of tree is the barbed wire running through.
Up in these parts a Manitoba Maple, Ash grow quickly.

From the bark it’s in the red oak family. If a red oak that’s 40+ years of growth….if a pin oak (willow oak) could be 20

 

[pepperj]

From the bark it’s in the red oak family. If a red oak that’s 40+ years of growth….if a pin oak (willow oak) could be 20

I cut a 18" Red Oak down in my Lane way.
118 yrs old.

 

[Nathan W]

I need to ask you what kind of tree is the barbed wire running through.
Up in these parts a Manitoba Maple, Ash grow quickly.

No clue , with that bark maybe oak not sure it’s rather large

 

[Nathan W]

I cut a 18" Red Oak down in my Lane way.
118 yrs old.

Dang

 

[Bucket Lister]

We lost a lot of mature (100+) oaks & maples in the ice storm of '91. The weird thing was, the ice took down all the live trees and left the dead ones standing--result of the weight of the ice on leaves & needles vs. dead branches & twigs.

It's been over 30 years and it still breaks my heart. 😢