NEA Farmer
Junior Member
Nice finds! Are the cartridges center fire? The one looks like .25 auto.
A forgotten little town!
- Thread starter Dan B.
- Start date
There is a 22 Short Round unfired on the left side of the cartridges. The two cartridges to the right side are both rimfires they are larger than a 22 they say u.s. on the bottom I do not know what caliber they are.
AirmetTango
Forum Supporter
Thanks, Dan, for inviting me out to hunt the site with you! You really did do a nice job not only researching, but also in securing permission to hunt! Truly generous of you to offer to share all of that hard work, and hopefully I can return the favor soon.
I was able to join up with Dan on Monday morning for a couple hours - and despite a strong, constant, and biting wind, we had a nice time hunting together. The site really does have wonderful potential - when you can eyeball porcelain buttons right on the surface, you know it's just a matter of getting your coil over the right spots!
I didn't have the luck to get over the IHPs like Dan did, but I found a few interesting do-dads and headstamps before I had to hit the road to take my old hound to the vet.
Here's a shot of the interesting keepers, including a piece of a harmonica reed, a watch gear, a complex grommet, a buckshot ball, and several headstamps:
The buckshot ball is pretty interesting, since it's clearly handmade. You can see a crosshatched imprint at regular intervals all around the ball, either from the molding tool used or some sort of fabric while the ball was still soft enough to leave an imprint:
The headstamps are always interesting to me because a lot of times they can be researched to come up with dates, which always helps give an idea for how and when an area was in use. The top two headstamps in the picture below ("Winchester Repeater No 12") have a wide date range, but the details imply it was manufactured between 1896-1900 or 1921-1927. The one below those two really helps narrow the date range down - it's hard to make out in the picture, but I can make out "Winchester Blue Rival" on the stamp, which were only manufactured from 1894 to 1904, fitting nicely into the age range for the tail end of the town. I'd be willing to bet that the top two are from the earlier date range as well:
The big ol' brass "Winchester No 10" casing has a wide date range, but it's just flat out cool - and it's my first 10 gauge casing! They were manufactured between 1878-1949:
All in all, it was a fun time at an interesting site - there's no doubt there will be some silver to find there in addition to the neat relics and IHPs!
I was able to join up with Dan on Monday morning for a couple hours - and despite a strong, constant, and biting wind, we had a nice time hunting together. The site really does have wonderful potential - when you can eyeball porcelain buttons right on the surface, you know it's just a matter of getting your coil over the right spots!
I didn't have the luck to get over the IHPs like Dan did, but I found a few interesting do-dads and headstamps before I had to hit the road to take my old hound to the vet.
Here's a shot of the interesting keepers, including a piece of a harmonica reed, a watch gear, a complex grommet, a buckshot ball, and several headstamps:
The buckshot ball is pretty interesting, since it's clearly handmade. You can see a crosshatched imprint at regular intervals all around the ball, either from the molding tool used or some sort of fabric while the ball was still soft enough to leave an imprint:
The headstamps are always interesting to me because a lot of times they can be researched to come up with dates, which always helps give an idea for how and when an area was in use. The top two headstamps in the picture below ("Winchester Repeater No 12") have a wide date range, but the details imply it was manufactured between 1896-1900 or 1921-1927. The one below those two really helps narrow the date range down - it's hard to make out in the picture, but I can make out "Winchester Blue Rival" on the stamp, which were only manufactured from 1894 to 1904, fitting nicely into the age range for the tail end of the town. I'd be willing to bet that the top two are from the earlier date range as well:
The big ol' brass "Winchester No 10" casing has a wide date range, but it's just flat out cool - and it's my first 10 gauge casing! They were manufactured between 1878-1949:
All in all, it was a fun time at an interesting site - there's no doubt there will be some silver to find there in addition to the neat relics and IHPs!
Vermonster
Elite Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2014
- Messages
- 9,477
Keep at it, gotta be some great stuff hiding there!
Vermonster
Elite Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2014
- Messages
- 9,477
Very cool! I have found 4 all brass shells, including a 10, 12, and 16 gauge...... They're always cool to find!
RayK
Senior Member
When you say a little town, just about how many building are you talking about? Is any of the town not in the plowed field area?
I am waiting on the silver to start popping up.
Ray
I am waiting on the silver to start popping up.
Ray
graybeard
Elite Member
Two other coins that I forgot to mention are the 2 cent piece and 3 cent nickel. Also look for clay marbles and buttons made of clam shell.
Digger-Dave
Forum Supporter
Keep up the good work!
zeemang
Forum Supporter
Nice job researching, spots like that are awesome!
The plowed field had six buildings that used to exist there. The main part of town had a dozen or so houses and businesses such as saloons and hotels. That portion is owned by 4 people. The main part of the Old Town or the businesses existed is owned by one person it is my goal to try to get permission for that portion of property. Nothing standing there except a mobile home and a horse barn.
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Perquimans
Forum Supporter
Research pays off... Great story and great finds 
AirmetTango
Forum Supporter
Forgot the thimble!
Somehow I forgot to include one of my best finds from the Forgotten Town hunt in my pics above - a cool, old thimble! It's thoroughly flattened, but it's the first one I've found - all the better to know it's likely late 1800s vintage:
Somehow I forgot to include one of my best finds from the Forgotten Town hunt in my pics above - a cool, old thimble! It's thoroughly flattened, but it's the first one I've found - all the better to know it's likely late 1800s vintage:
ROBOTCOP13
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2015
- Messages
- 1,434
Any rivers, lakes or water crossings in the area, swimming holes, etc ?
shuvelrider
Junior Member
Those rimfire cases look similar to .32 rimfire, I used to find them randomly in the woods when I lived in Illinois.
