Clearing a Path

[Jaybr]

On this new to us property there is an old house/shack in the woods with an overgrown road leading to it. There was a fallen tree across it when we bought the place, and then an ice storm a couple weeks ago took down a few more across the old road. I started working on clearing it last weekend and got around to finishing it this afternoon. Main reason I'm even posting this is there are a couple really big oak trees by the old shack that I find impressive. No idea how old they are but I'd have to guess at least a couple hundred years.

 

[Jaybr]

The path still needs some cleanup but since I titled it clearing a path I guess I better post a pic of that too.

 

[ultrarunner]

I wonder the history of the dwelling?

It does appear old but still standing.

 

[Jaybr]

I wonder the history of the dwelling?

It does appear old but still standing.

Good question, the wife has been trying to find the history of the property.

There is also remnants of an old barn and outhouse on the property, along with a graveyard with a stone wall around it with dates in the 1800s. I've also found bricks and a concrete structure half buried in the pasture.

I don't think the structure in the pic was the main house, more likely slave/worker house as it's a couple hundred yards from the area that I think was the original homestead.

odd thing is there is also a dilapidated metal shed next to that shack that looks like something from the 70's

 

[Gordon Gould]

That is a neat old building. It can be interesting digging into the history.

We have an old cellar hole with rock foundation, rock hearth base, and a rock lined well on our place. There is no trace of the house except for a lot of forged nails and broken pottery we found. We were able to trace the land owner history back to the late 1700's when they incorporated the town but could not find any info on a house being there. The town historical society became interested and did most of the record searching. I wouldn't have know where to start. If you have one they may be a big help.

gg

 

[RobertEH]

have you dropped into that hole and looked around? very interesting!

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Main reason I'm even posting this is there are a couple really big oak trees by the old shack that I find impressive. No idea how old they are but I'd have to guess at least a couple hundred years.

You may be able to find a forester and borrow an increment borer. Then count the rings. Kinda neat to think back when it was little what part of history it was in. Kinda pricey tool at approx $250 but can be used multiple times...

 

[Milo]

...... Main reason I'm even posting this is there are a couple really big oak trees by the old shack that I find impressive. No idea how old they are but I'd have to guess at least a couple hundred years.

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I like the large trees and old building you have there!

I have 2 large oaks just like that on the property. They are not beside where the original house, spring house, and out buildings were, but in what is now woods just across the dirt road. My guess is the area was cleared many years back but they left those oaks for a reason, shade perhaps? I believe it was cleared opposed to just timbered because of the piles of rocks. Without competing trees, those trees they left really got to fill out and grow.

 

[Gordon Gould]

have you dropped into that hole and looked around? very interesting!

It's only about 18" in diameter. They must have dug it out big enough for a man and then laid the rock and back filled the perimeter on the way up. It is a little over 15' deep.

gg

 

[Jstpssng]

I was talking to a logging contractor a couple of years ago who had an old well on a piece of property they owned. He said that a game warden had called asking for help because a moose had fallen into it. They had already shot the animal to stop it's suffering, but apparently didn't want to contaminate the water table.

I don't know what eventually happened to it.