Took a walk in the woods yesterday and came across this

[artemis moon]

Took a walk in the woods yesterday and came across this..updated with photos

As you see, there's still a bit of snow on the ground here in VT, but it was nice enough to get outside yesterday, provided you wore your muck boots. I came across what I think is a foundation with this enormous hunk of rusted iron. I'm pretty sure that it's a furnace, and not a locomotive, which is what my daughter suggested. What I'm wondering is if someone can confirm my suspicion and also give me an idea as to how old it is, which will help me figure out how old the foundations are. Thanks!!

 

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[mical66]

wonder if its a steam boiler ?

 

[DCMatt]

Check out this page:

Anatomy of antique steam boiler construction.

DCMatt

 

[artemis moon]

Check out this page:

Anatomy of antique steam boiler construction.

DCMatt

Thanks DC Matt- turns out that my kid's guess was closer than my own! So, this steam boiler would have powered an old tractor?

 

[GMD52]

Do you know any of the history of the area. A boiler of that size heated a decent size building, or shop. It would be interesting to figure out what was there.

 

[cw0909]

maybe a maple sugar boiler evaporator,missing the tray?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TOhPLwaD...AAAAA/PvMgz2ZDvUI/s400/maple-syrup-boiler.jpg

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Need some more photos, but it's definitely a steam engine, could have been from an early tractor, or a stationary engine to run equipment in that building. There may be a makers plate on the side of the boiler if you're lucky.

 

[Subterranean]

Submarine still?

 

[artemis moon]

I'm researching land records trying to figure out who owned this property before the turn of the century. I can't imagine what this could have been. Lumber was a big industry here, but I would have expected a lumber mill to be on a river. I suppose that it's possible that the boiler came from another location and was simply dumped in the woods after is outlived its usefulness. I'll keep you posted on what I find.

Do you know any of the history of the area. A boiler of that size heated a decent size building, or shop. It would be interesting to figure out what was there.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Id hit that old wall around that steamer with a MDer in a heart beat if u can!

 

[artemis moon]

I can't wait for the ground to firm up a bit before I get out there!!

 

[NOLA_Ken]

I would guess it was a steam powered sawmill. Yours is missing a lot of parts and the wheels, but probably looked very similar to this one:



Steam-powered sawmill churns out history, sawdust in Indian River - VeroNews: Indian River County Spotlight

 

[clovis97]

I agree. Most likely a steam powered engine running a sawmill.

If you can't find a build plate or a maker's mark, there are websites devoted to these engines.

 

[Boomer-1]

The iron, cone shaped item to the left of the boiler in the first picture interests me. It looks like the smoke chamber stacks for old locomotives? I've never seen one with a stack like that, but who knows? There's enough ruble for it to have been a boiler to heat a building as well.

Old steam engines are brought out to a lot of the pioneer days here in Alabama. I've seen them used for powering, tractors, saw mills, sock machines, as power for various artists, etc. A

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I would guess it was a steam powered sawmill. Yours is missing a lot of parts and the wheels, but probably looked very similar to this one:

View attachment 780455

Steam-powered sawmill churns out history, sawdust in Indian River - VeroNews: Indian River County Spotlight

Cool video. Vero is a great town.

Here is a pic of myself standing on top of a huge pile of sawdust, in an otherwise flat landscape, left behind from one of these portable sawmills, near the ghostown of Sears, Florida..

 

[artemis moon]

I spoke to the elderly gentleman who owns the property that the steam boiler/foundation sits on. Turns out his father and grandfather owned an apple orchard (I noticed what I thought were apple trees growing around the property) which produced cider and also maple syrup on that site into the late 30's. He gave me permission to detect the site. If it ever warms up here (it's 38 today), I may just get out there and have a more in depth look.

 

[mical66]

awesome,, bet ya find a bunch of old nails
but also bet ya find some goodies ,,,

 

[liftloop]

you lucky bum

 

[mustangpalmer1911]

It has some legs on it to stand it up. Old steam engine converted for maple syrup production?

 

[mical66]

so i guess it was a steam boiler to help heat the sap into syrup.