ebinmaine 67,434 #1 Posted November 27, 2022 Me n BBT and our friend had a GREAT day hiking across the street from the house today. We visited the drover's road again. Followed it downhill a bit to its end. At that point we found the first of four old cellar holes. That area was a small cluster of houses back in late 1700s, early to mid 1800s. Here's a video showing the first two and their proximity to each other. Here's a video showing a water hold back wall on a stream. Never seen anything like this around here, much less this early in the settlement years. Here's the track we followed: Here's a partial map: BUNCH of other pics... 3 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 7,305 #2 Posted November 27, 2022 That wall took considerable effort, there must have been some kind of industry there. My thought is that there may have been a tannery that used the stream water. Do you know if the area has ever been explored with a metal detector? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,434 #3 Posted November 27, 2022 1 minute ago, lynnmor said: That wall took considerable effort, there must have been some kind of industry there. My thought is that there may have been a tannery that used the stream water. Do you know if the area has ever been explored with a metal detector? I'd had the thought of a mill or factory. We believe the walls were sheep holders. A tannery is absolutely possible. We have very little knowledge of the area. I've lived here near to 18 years and just recently learned we were able to access that side of the hill this easily. Metal detector around the cellar holes has likely been done because there's good access by vehicle to the sites. Around that stream wall though... Who knows. It's not near any old home sites we could find. That was odd. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Newbie 7,069 #4 Posted November 27, 2022 What is the name of the map app ? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 7,305 #5 Posted November 27, 2022 When I saw the square rooms with the divider in the center it reminded me of the ruins of a tannery that I visited. There is also a site in PA that was a tannery and there is almost nothing left of the business and village, which shows that even a small stream can level things in a century or two. I would search with a metal detector starting well downstream of the ruins and allow for some shifting of the original stream bed. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,535 #6 Posted November 27, 2022 Nice photos!!! I noticed wise decision to wear orange... BBT was shopping early for Christmas and picked this out for your future walkabouts during deer season: Hunters orange is always a good call this time of year... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,434 #7 Posted November 27, 2022 11 hours ago, Horse Newbie said: What is the name of the map app ? All trails. 10 hours ago, lynnmor said: When I saw the square rooms with the divider in the center it reminded me of the ruins of a tannery that I visited. There is also a site in PA that was a tannery and there is almost nothing left of the business and village, which shows that even a small stream can level things in ONE STORM. I would search with a metal detector starting well downstream of the ruins and allow for some shifting of the original stream bed. The double square rooms and/or center chimney are fairly common up here. Large farm families or travel inns would have a central kitchen with dining areas to one (or even both) sides. Above and around the cooking bricks/stones would be the heating chimneys. Quite often one fireplace per bedroom so the chimney is obviously quite large. The house cellar holes are not in proximity to the stream and its stone hold back walls. That's the part that surprised me some. There HAS to be a building site near the stream or no one would have taken the time to make the walls. It's a standard issue mountain run off stream that sets in a notch the whole way. Its path can't change much but a hellacious storm would certainly threaten the downstream area. I don't believe this particular little setting has ever experienced that though. It's simple physics that these walls haven't had the incredible water destruction of some of the hurricane damage we've seen over the years. There have been ½ dozen or more major weather events in Maine just since the 1930s. The idea of starting at the lower end of that stream with a metal detector is excellent. I see a future outing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,434 #8 Posted November 27, 2022 1 hour ago, SylvanLakeWH said: Hunters orange is always a good call this time of year Yesterday was the last day of rifle season here. Another week or two for black powder. Trina keeps an eye on hunting seasons all year. We have spring and fall to be aware of for different reasons. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites