Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas? Solved

[briankb70]

Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas? Solved

Came across this concrete formation out in the woods of "The Ozarks " in Arkansas.Any ideas as to what it is or what it would be used for?

 

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[Charlie P. (NY)]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

?

It's invisible. No image.

 

[briankb70]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

oops, picture is too big .give me a second .

 

[briankb70]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

sorry it took so long

 

[savant365]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

The only thing that comes to mind is a silage pit but I don't think it would be out in the timber like that. Is there a water source nearby?

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

I've seen similar pits in folk's garages to work under vehicles. In fact, I used to mooch a neighbors because they are great (especially the ramped ones so you can wheel heavy stuff under the car).

But out in the middle of the woods?? Rake it out and see if there is oily soil under the leaves.

 

[briankb70]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

The only thing that comes to mind is a silage pit but I don't think it would be out in the timber like that. Is there a water source nearby?

there is a real small creak at the bottom of the hill and also pasture/farm land to the right of the picture and about 30 yards away from this spot.

 

[Montana Jim]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

Someone just recently posted this exact type of thing...

I can't find it through search though... lots of speculation but it seams someone knew it was a though for dipping cattle.

 

[ClonedSIM]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

I ran across something similar at an old farm site. As I recall , the deep trough was filled with ?insecticide?antibiotic? and cattle were run through the pit to keep them healthy.

 

[Ken from Atlanta]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

yup a cattle dipping trough, you wouldn't be near Mountain View would you? There is one just like that in the woods there near an old cabin site on my uncles land.

 

[chrisplay2004]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

I've seen similar in Indiana, was told used for underground railroad...this one may not be old enough...

 

[Ken from Atlanta]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

the steepness of the ends is from years of accumulated leaves and other trash filling it up. It would be a good idea to hit it with an MD though, I've heard rumors of things (money) being stashed in or near them by moonshiners. There is one just like it on my uncles land, and I've seen a few others as well over the years.

 

[Ken from Atlanta]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

No there are 4 concrete edges most likely, but not vertical walls, I would imagine the narrow ends are angled down into the trough, they would have done that because you can't lead cattle up and down a bare mud slope into water for too long before it completely collapses. Also they were made narrow like that so the cows can't try to turn around in the middle.

there should be evidence of a fence around the site that would have funneled the cattle into the wash. There would probably be a small dump site nearby as well with the cans or glass jugs that contained the pesticide. These were mostly for flea and tick prevention, as well as other parasites that would attack cattle in wooded areas.

 

[d2]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

It's a dipping vat for cows. Back in the 20's or 30's the gov't paid to have them built. They were filled with water and creosote. Once a week the cows in the community had to be run thru it and as they came out they were hit on the head with a paint brush with paint on it. Also at this time lots of folks ran their cows loose and in the woods, they were not all fenced in. If the range rider came thru and came across cows that didnt have the proper color paint on them the folks that owned 'em were fined .25 cents a cow which was a chunk of money back in the days of the depression. It was to try and get rid of ticks. It didnt work I have been getting ticks on me for the last 2 days...d2

 

[briankb70]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

yup a cattle dipping trough, you wouldn't be near Mountain View would you? There is one just like that in the woods there near an old cabin site on my uncles land.

The picture is in Cederville, Arkansas. I need to find the landowner to the farm below this hill.I'm hoping that is fence is inside his property line and not on the line. The trough could be in the Osark National Forest. If so what a bummer.

 

[ac385]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

Compare the width of the dog to the width of the “vat”, I don’t think a full grown cow is going to make it through there, too narrow. Three of the sides look to be vertical so how could you run a cow through it?

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

Someone just recently posted this exact type of thing...

I can't find it through search though... lots of speculation but it seams someone knew it was a though for dipping cattle.

Usually when you're dipping cattle or sheep the pit is ramped both ends. Cattle ain't got no reverse gear a'tall.

V1 rocket site from the Civil War?

 

[stefen]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

I've seen similar in Indiana, was told used for underground railroad...this one may not be old enough...

Someone was yanking your chain...the underground railroad is referenced to moving slaves to the north (freedom)

 

[nhbenz]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

The vat description at the below site seems to match... but I don't understand why they would want the sharp drop off at one end? Maybe so the animals would splash down into it, assuring that their heads got covered with the stuff too?
http://farmasyst.ifas.ufl.edu/farmasyst/fs8F.pdf

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Not your typical "What is it?", any ideas?

The soil around those old cattle dips are highly contaminated with DDT, BHC, chlordane and toxaphene among others. Most of these chemicals bioaccumulate, are suspected human carcinogens (cancer causing agents) and persist for long periods in the environment... Many are classified as hazardous wastes under federal regulations.

Just think, they built houses on land where these vats used to be.

You are right Ben on the vat description.