Mystery Cellar Hole, and Road

[coinman123]

I was talking with a history buff about cellar holes. They told me about a cellar hole, that they have tried to research, but hasn't been able to. They said that it doesn't appear on any maps, from the 1850's to the present. I used some 1 meter DEM lidar, and found what looks exactly like a cellar hole, right off of the rail road track (bike trail now). I also saw what looked to be a road right next to it too, I couldn't tell if it was next to the road, or the railroad. I followed the road, it went over the railroad and intersected with a main road, on the other side of the rail road it intersected at another road. I decided to take a look at the old road on a street view at one of it's intersections. It is around eight feet wide, maybe more, lined with a stone wall on each side. It goes straight through the woods, and looks to have two or three possible cellar holes along it (based on lidar). I told them that I will metal detect there to try to see if I find anything to support any of their theories (cellar hole abandoned pre-1850, or only around for short time). The road or cellar holes don't show up on any maps from the 1850's onward, but the road does show as a trail through the woods on a 1900 topographic map. Could this be a colonial road with cellar holes, abandoned before 1850? All of my current cellar holes were abandoned in the 1930's-1960's, and have so much trash. My one pre-1800 cellar hole was by far the greatest place I ever went to, 100+ buttons and 20+ coppers. Going today, wish me luck.

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Great story and research, good luck finding the cellar hole!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

....All of my current cellar holes were abandoned in the 1930's-1960's, and have so much trash. My one pre-1800 cellar hole was by far the greatest place I ever went to, 100+ buttons and 20+ coppers. Going today, wish me luck.

You mean abandoned by the 1830's - '60s ?

Wow, that single best cellar hole must have been quite amazing! I bet you were "holding your breath" at each penny/dime signal you got !

 

[huntsman53]

Most roads...especially those cleared and/or built and used in the 1800's, 1700's and even 1600's that were lined with stones, usually led to something important or lined the road in a small community. The road may have led to the property owner's home or to a notable place or through the community. In any case, it surely had some significance during the time the stone lined road was created and up to when it was abandoned. There could have been several homes with cellar holes along the road that were burnt by the British and/or their Loyalist allies or even by the Patriots depending upon where the residents of this community loyalties lain.


Frank

 

[coinman123]

It certainly paid off! Nothing there from after around 1800, and very little trash around the cellar hole. I called my parents and asked if they wanted to go, I let them use my spare T2 and they found a beautiful engraved lock plate, and drawer pull handle. My mother also found an interesting button.

 

[Honest Samuel]

# 1. You did good.

 

[coinman123]

# 1. You did good.

Thanks! I can't wait to hit the other lidar cellar holes on that road. None of them show up on any maps.