Evidence of early settlers can often be found near old homes, schools,
churches, and barns. A careful dig will unearth many treasures from the
past. There were typically sites set aside for the disposal of unwanted
glass and pottery, usually not far from a water supply or former
foundation. Some local relics discovered in the Brush Creek/Ross
Township area include crocks, perfume bottles, medicine bottles,
antique doorknobs, syrup bottles, wall sconces, marble accented table
legs, religious medallions, goblets, beveled glass frames, decorative
glass, antique tools, arrowheads, and endless beverage bottles.
A favorite hobby of mine is "treasure hunting",
an activiy comprised of searching through the woods for all types of
artifacts. Artifact is a generic term I use for "that which is scrounged
out of nature and deemed interesting". Old dump sites are a bountiful
jackpot. Strange as it seems, the sight of an old outhouse is a great
spot to find old glass. Not to mention anything else that may have been
dropped inside by accident (would you stick your hand in there?! bye bye
bracelet!). You can recognize and old "privy" or outhouse by the rich
black dirt within a small depression in the ground - near an old home
site. Please be careful not to be cut on anything or trespass on ANY
private property.
Below are some of myrecent
finds!
These shards were unearthed at a dumpsite on our property. I refer to this as the
"new dump", most of the relics being from the 1940-1970 era.
A broken vase, made of lime green depression glass, etched with the popular
"Sylvan" parakeet and bamboo pattern. Though it was broken into many pieces, the
lovely lime color was too interesting to pass up. Depression glass often glows under
a UV lightsource, supposedly due to it's uranium content.
This bottle is the prized piece of my bottle collection! I believe it to be from sometime during the
1860-1880 period. This was found near the original Roach foundation that neighbors the boundry of our farm.
These old glass marbles were found in various places on our land - one in the hayfield, one in the woods, and there
have been others found near the barn. The stained glass pictured here was found within the ruins and foundation of the Yellow
Creek Methodist church, which was burnt several years ago. Not only did it survive a fire, but also nearly 150 years of
elements. This glass came from the front window of this church which was built in 1858!!
These dishes (the orange one is 1930's Homer Laughlin China) are modern treasures unearthed where an outhouse once stood.
