What Lies Beneath: Excavating the Concrete Yard
Here’s a note and some pictures from a reader who recently dug up the concrete that had been covering her rear and front yards and found an archaeological trove underneath, including tons of bluestone, pieces of marble and an old cast iron sign. From the horse’s mouth… We started breaking up all the concrete at…
Here’s a note and some pictures from a reader who recently dug up the concrete that had been covering her rear and front yards and found an archaeological trove underneath, including tons of bluestone, pieces of marble and an old cast iron sign. From the horse’s mouth…
We started breaking up all the concrete at the beginning of the month, initially using a sledgehammer and crowbar – Bad Idea! After a day of back-breaking work, we decided to get a jack hammer to complete the job. This was much easier but we still had to move all the concrete and cinder block wall pieces out of the way to allow us access to the bluestone. Anyway, we finished breaking it all in about 4 days. We were surprised to find the original bluestone patio and path in the backyard. A couple of pieces have a fleur de lis design and some have crosses and 1836 stamped on them.
We also found quite a bit of marble (broken pieces), glass, random iron and a lion head sign. In the end, we were able to use all of the found bluestone to enlarge the original patio. We also used the remaining stone to pave the front yard path as you will see in the pix. Everything turned out beautifully – the hardest part was trying to find someone to take away the mountains of debris. We also lucked out by finding Denny Wiggers Gardens, who had a couple of larger bluestone pieces we needed for the front yard. Next we will put down sod in the back and create our flower and vegetable garden. We also have to do the front sidewalk which has cracked and raised pieces.
We also found a lot of bluestone buried on our yard but have yet to jackhammer the small portion (first ten feet or so) that has concrete poured over it. What have other readers found in their yards?
Treasure Found Under Concrete [Forum]
Oh, I forgot, I also found a spent .38 shell casing, but it looked to be a blank for a starter pistol as opposed to a former live round.
Also found, in a wall, a snuff tine from Chicago dated 1904. Must have been left there during a renovation.
Preservationista, I’ll see you one and raise you one: a monstrous-big cast iron radiator buried half a foot down. What did we do with it? Re-buried it, of course? But we did take away the demolished shed and rotting roof tiles, the dead cut-up tree, and the 200 (recent, boring) glass bottles. This was 20 years ago, so the crack vials came later. We have found 1 leg from an old claw-foot tub (where did the other 3, and the tub, go??), and a few cool old marbles. Since our house sits atop what was once a golf course south of the Parade Grounds, I keep hoping for an Edwardian-era golf ball!
I looked it up! Japanese Knotwood, that’s what it is! And it’s kind of edible, according to one source. I think I’ll pass on that one. The scourge has a name. Thanks, Xris!
Apparently all those years of pulling them up by the roots whenever they appear is actually a good defense. Hardy suckers, though.
We also found some interesting bottles, and sections of plain cast iron fencing about 4 feet high, which may have been the original fence around the property line.
We found some weird little pieces of white porcelain – one a small, fat cylinder like a counterweight, the other a little decorative thingy, like a pull from a window shade or an old toilet maybe? Also a cast-iron stove burner, quite beautiful with its layers of rust. And some buried caches of white shells (maybe the previous inhabitants liked oysters).
I found a lovely tombstone-shaped stone with flowers and vines carved into it. Luckily, no body (unless it’s buried deeper than I dug). Unfortunately, my contractor threw it away during a renovation. Also found a large slab of bluestone. And many small plastic toys.
Wow, Jeremy, you win the Dubious Dump Prize. And thanks Xris, for the name. I’m going to look them up, too.
Chrisondecatur, we used day laborers to get the mountains of debris out of the yard. After the rubbish removal guys took most of the concrete we still had lots of dirt & small rocks left. We just bagged it all and paid a man w/ a van to cart it away. Day laborers helped us level out the bluestone. Denny Wiggers Gardens (Paramus, NJ) for additional bluestone pieces needed. We also found a ton of trash under the concrete – a complete bathroom, lots of metal and glass. Can’t wait to have some grass!
Preservationista — are you my split personality? Add to your list endless coke bottles, both plastic and glass, doors, acres of linoleum, an inexplicable number of discarded wacky-patterned shower curtains, whole pieces of furniture (yes, fully submerged under the dirt!), diapers, gas and oil tanks to god knows what long-rotten machine, and my favorite, and entire car’s drive shaft. To top of it all off, all this is tied together by the root system of those evil, monstrous weeds.
I’m glad Xris put a name to them — I’m gonna look them up.
I found some wonderful old things in my walls, but my favorite find was from the 1980’s….crack viles. I’m looking forward to smashing up the concrete now!