We got to poking around (again) around the edges of this semi-permanent feature down the valley and around the bend from the house. We were told by an long-time resident of Goose Creek that this was once a tobacco barn; and by others that a man and his son lived here, the latter killing the former.
Whatever the story, there was once an old cast-iron stove there, that is now in pieces.
Maybe it was used to keep the cabin’s residents from freezing in the winters of the late 1800s. Maybe it was used to create more heat than our cold valley could muster, to dry tobacco.
Whatever its use, its end was by fire, paradoxically, indicated by the overheated distortions visible in pieces like the one on the right, that identifies the stove as a Woodland, No. 32.
We plan to do more extensive hunting in the fall, when an old blog friend brings a metal detector to the task.
Have fun sleuthing!
Fred … I received a new metal detector for last Christmas. I placed all the required batteries in it, went out in our back yard and tested it. It worked great! In fact, there was more signals evident than I was willing to dig. I haven’t used it since, however, I would sacrifice some of my body to help you on your adventure and I think that is what would happen if I tried. Good Luck!
Clarence