Last updated on December 2nd, 2011
EVER FOUND BURIED TREASURE ON YOUR PROPERTY? If you live in the Northeast, I’ll wager you have. Here at A Garden for the House — pictured above, in a sketch from 1878 — I’ve found all kinds of scrappy artifacts. But the “treasures” I discovered yesterday, while endeavoring to plant a small rhododendron in the Woodland Garden, came as a complete surprise:
With the first plunge of my spade, I realized I’d discovered the remains of some ancient, stone foundation. Whether this foundation was for a house or barn, I haven’t a clue. But it was located precisely where I wished to plant. As fate would have it, I couldn’t just pry out one massive stone. For it was intertwined with other, equally massive, flat-topped boulders. Thus a 10-minute planting-project turned into a 5-hour ordeal, and the required tiny hole for my tiny shrub grew into a 3-feet wide, 4-feet deep, and 6-feet long crater. Most of the stones are still underground; the picture above shows only the stones I removed.
Next, in the midst of digging and crow-barring, I came across the green glass bottle pictured up top. Does anyone know how to date an old bottle? It is completely unmarked.
Further exploring revealed the decorative iron piece above. (Is it any wonder I kept digging?) The thing looks like it might be part of a Victorian gate, or perhaps a segment of an iron fence around a widow’s walk (this garden overlooks a Hudson River tributary).
I haven’t a clue as to what I’ll do with either the bottle or the iron piece. The stones, however, will be put to good use. I’m always needing such pieces for retaining walls, and water features, like fish ponds.
Have you stumbled upon any interesting artifacts while gardening? If so, tell me what you unearthed. And, if there are any history buffs or archeologists reading this blog, can you give me your thoughts on the iron ornament?
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The Woodland Garden
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Adele says
Kevin, I don't envy the job removing all those stones! But as you say, they can be handy to have for other projects.
And that iron piece looks, at least to me, to be Victorian. How deep in the ground was it?
My house is not nearly so old as yours. I've found nothing but rocks (small, thank goodness) when digging new beds.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Adele – small rocks I can deal with!
The iron thing was about 2 feet below the surface. I have to find some creative use for it!
Erin says
How Fun!!
Brigid says
Kevin, I am as impressed with your ability to dig such a deep hole, as I am with your spectacular finds.
My house is on an old apple orchard but at some point, my street was a race track during prohibition, three times around the loop is one mile. Maybe I can find some mobster memorabilia.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Brigid – A race track during prohibition? Fascinating! Next time you dig a new flower bed, be on the look-out for a Carrie Nation Prohibition pin (I've seen one on Ebay — it's shaped like an axe), or maybe an old “hootch” barrel!
Lucille N. says
Hi Kevin..I think the wrought iron piece is fantastic use it as a center piece in your next bed…check with a restoration company that restores wrought iron pieces..bet you will find an interesting history about yours…
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Lucille – that's a wonderful idea. I'll do just that.
maureen says
Hi Kevin-I bet there are more treasures and good rocks waiting for you to discover them. Jake and Seth helped me put in a stone path last year. They found old wrought iron pieces that appears to have been part of the old barn-we also found intact horseshoes, old bottles and pieces of glass that may have been knobs to something. I was excited about the rocks.-also found a milestone and a half. It was all fun.Like your project, ours ended up taking much longer. Some of the rocks were too hard to move far so they are on display along the path.Our best finds out here remain the arrowheads ,spear heads and skin scrappers from the Indian field.Cheers. Maureen
Katreader says
That iron piece is great! Sadly the only things I've found from past residents is garbage-plastic bags, broken glass (modern)…
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Maureen – Yes, gardening on an old property is akin to an archeological dig! What did you do with the iron pieces, horseshoes, bottles and glass pieces?
And you're right: I've found yet more “loot” in the Woodland Garden: bits of pottery, including Limoges and what appears to be Delftware; also, half of a porcelain doll's head! I'll post photos later.
Katreader – Be glad that's all you found! Once, I rented a newly-built duplex in NYC, which had a tiny, never-before-planted “garden” out back. Unfortunately the builders had (illegally) buried all their debris there: chunks of cement, tons of gravel, broken bricks, bent nails, and countless ripped garbage bags. I still made a garden there — in raised beds filled with potting soil!
Anonymous says
This article is amazingly prescient! Eleven days after its appearance, while planting a Zepherine Drouhin climbing rose (one of Kevin's recommendations), I made a startling discovery. My shovel encountered a hard object, at first thought to be simply an odd-shaped stone. Upon closer examination this object proved to be nothing less exciting than a small revolver! This very rusted relic has now become the inspiration for many dramatic tales spun by family and friends. Seems to me there may be a B-grade movie in the works: “A Rose from the Dead: The Mysterious Murder of Zepherine Drouhin” — pretty creepy stuff, yes?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Welcome, Anonymous. What a find! Creepy, yes, but in a fascinating way. Any idea how old the revolver might be?
Anonymous says
As for the revolver's age, I have no estimate as yet. Presumably it is not loaded. (In fact upon finding it, I thought I was loaded!) I had visions of crime-scene yellow tape everywhere, arc lights blazing through the night, a Fox News crew camped out on the lawn and forsensic diggers completely destroying my little landscape. All quite unearthly! The garden would be history! Seriously, the revolver is heavily oxidized, so much so that the maker';s information will probably never be legible. Why haven't you told us how dangerous gardening can be?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Anonymous – I just spit my coffee out.
But you forgot the great “crime buster,” Nancy Grace, reporting live on the scene. Now THAT'S a nightmare!
MaryB says
Kevin, I love your finds. I live in a 1965 high ranch, so what we’ve found has been in the house, and not overwhelming. A picture of the previous owner, (we’re the second owners), a carving knife from Korea and a ratty dial telephone. My husband was going to dig out a big rock that we had in the backyard, and kept digging. Soon it became apparent that the largest part of this rock is underground, still. Like the Titanic iceberg. The new owners will have to do the digging out of that one, because we’re not.
Carole says
We purchased a rowhouse in Columbia, PA as an investment. When rebuilding a closet, we discovered a tri-fold book tucked up on the shelf with a collection of old nickels. This was an estate sale, so the money could not be returned to the previous owner…darn.