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Posted: 6/29/2020 12:21:32 PM EDT
A few people have said I should do a thread on my big project, which I've been working on for over a year now. Now that I've restarted the fort's garden, I definitely appreciate the input of this knowledge base.
Basically, I found a circa 1770 log cabin fort blockhouse inside a big old plantation house, turned big old farmhouse. I expected the original log structure to be inside it when we bought it, and thankfully it was.   Here's some background on the fort - Byrnside's Fort.  How it looked when we bought it vs. how it looked in the mid to late 1800s:  I tore out most of the old plaster walls myself, which covered the old hand hewn white oak logs.  Got it painted last summer/fall and re-sealed and painted the old standing seam metal roof.  Here's the old vegetable garden, in use for a couple hundred years. Last year I just mowed it.  This year however, I jumped into getting it back going.  Attached FileHere's a link to some of the photos of finds out of the yard and from inside the house. The house was occupied from 1770-2018, so there's quite a bit, including this folding knife I dug out of the yard. I had a master knife maker, Scott Summerville, make me a bench copy.  Here's a 2 part TV segment a photo journalist did on what I was doing. The second half has footage of the fort, including some drone footage.  Scavengeology's awesome two-part TV segment which aired on WCHS and WVAH by Brad Rice |
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Posted: 6/29/2020 1:32:12 PM EDT
[#1]
Very cool project. Lots of history.
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Posted: 6/29/2020 3:07:37 PM EDT
[#2]
 Attached FileHere’s the vegetable garden as of a few days ago, and a nice little arrowhead a found in it this weekend.  Attached File |
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Posted: 6/29/2020 7:45:26 PM EDT
[#3]
That is awesome. Definitely cool to see. Show us lots of pictures as you update
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Posted: 6/29/2020 8:02:05 PM EDT
[#4]
Awesome!
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Posted: 7/2/2020 2:16:20 PM EDT
[#5]
Very neat. My kids are 9th generation on our place. Here’s a few pics through the years.
1940ish  Attached File Attached File Attached FileYou can see through the window on the right and see this wall.  Attached File |
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Posted: 7/2/2020 2:17:32 PM EDT
[#6]
This was part of the original cabin, which was added to over the years.
 Attached FileGreat thread dude! Very interesting these places are. |
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Posted: 7/2/2020 2:17:55 PM EDT
[#7]
You also have an amazing view!
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Posted: 7/3/2020 1:28:37 PM EDT
[#8]
LawyerUp shoots.... HE SCORES!!!!!!!
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Posted: 7/3/2020 2:03:51 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: This was part of the original cabin, which was added to over the years.https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/439986/60F8C907-0984-4276-8E02-16520FCFD6AC_jpe-1486485.JPG Great thread dude! Very interesting these places are. Nice. One thing's for sure, they don't build them like they used to. I'm just thankful they used board and batten siding. The original early 19th century boards are still pretty much 100%. Still dust dry on the inside, where you can see through the logs from the inside. That was some good stuff. I think a lot of it is chestnut. The old pics of the house showing changes over the years are some of the cooler things we've found.  Attached File Attached FileAnd this was pretty cool. The father of the elderly lady who last lived here, here's a pic of him sleeping on the porch, and his WWI helmet and gas mask, patches, and some German bring-backs. Different German infantry buttons in an empty German bino case. He had deployed to France. Found these in a drawer.  Attached File |
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Posted: 7/3/2020 2:08:01 PM EDT
[#10]
Neat! Full of history!
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Posted: 7/3/2020 2:10:07 PM EDT
[#11]
Very cool!!
Thanks for sharing |
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Posted: 7/3/2020 9:23:05 PM EDT
[#12]
Awesome stuff
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Posted: 7/3/2020 9:35:40 PM EDT
[#13]
Well, that's about the coolest thread I've seen this week. Awesome house.
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Posted: 7/4/2020 1:08:19 PM EDT
[#14]
That is amazing!
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Posted: 7/4/2020 6:13:43 PM EDT
[#15]
Wow! Impressive. Subscribed to your channel too.
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Posted: 7/4/2020 6:21:14 PM EDT
[#16]
Congratulations on a very nice and interesting place- thanks for sharing the pictures. Keep them coming!
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Posted: 7/5/2020 12:26:58 AM EDT
[#17]
That’s Gods country down there brother.
Very nice. |
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Posted: 7/6/2020 7:51:41 PM EDT
[#18]
Neat! Thanks for sharing.
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Posted: 7/6/2020 7:56:32 PM EDT
[#19]
This is a very cool thread. Please continue it
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Posted: 7/6/2020 8:05:09 PM EDT
[#20]
Awesome! Thanks for sharing! And a stunning view.
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Posted: 7/7/2020 2:10:26 PM EDT
[#21]
Totally awesome project.
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Posted: 7/7/2020 2:23:01 PM EDT
[#22]
Here's the garden a few days ago. I tried the 3 sisters method with some of the corn. But so far I haven't planted the other 2 sisters.... Corn seems to like it though.
 Attached File Attached File Attached FileDid a little cleaning in some of the rooms.  Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 7/7/2020 2:24:26 PM EDT
[#23]
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Posted: 7/7/2020 2:27:21 PM EDT
[#24]
 
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Posted: 7/7/2020 2:39:57 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryLol. I thought I recognized her. I showed that movie to my kids for family movie night not that long ago. I had forgotten how inappropriate it was. Oh well. 
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Posted: 7/7/2020 2:48:39 PM EDT
[#26]
Cool project. Thanks for continuing to share with us.
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Posted: 7/7/2020 4:24:11 PM EDT
[#27]
What do you plan to do with log walls? Just cover them up? re-chink them up with something? leave them as-is?
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Posted: 7/7/2020 5:06:37 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What do you plan to do with log walls? Just cover them up? re-chink them up with something? leave them as-is? I'm going to re-chink them. Since the goal is historical preservation, rather than creating a home to live in, I'm going to try to save as much of the old and original chinking as I can, including the stones. Usually wood blocks were used. This was the first time I've seen stone used, which makes sense, as far as making it as bulletproof as possible. I want to leave the stones right where they're at, to the extent possible. Usually you would take all the old chinking out, then insert insulation, then some sort of wire mesh and chink that. The mixture I intend to use is 1/3 sand, 1/3 lime, 1/3 portland cement for the chinking. It will hopefully look about like this, which is the interior of a my father's cabin I helped work on when I was in college. Also has board and batten on the outside. So like this, nobody would necessarily know it's a log cabin until you go inside.  Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 7/7/2020 5:12:22 PM EDT
[#29]
Maybe this one is a little more accurate as to how it will look inside. Just bigger. This is a little cabin we moved. No electricity or anything.
 Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 7/7/2020 5:25:32 PM EDT
[#30]
It still has the original plantation smokehouse - though they replaced the original stone foundation with cinder blocks in the 40's, and now that is starting to crack and settle. So we're looking at ways of reinforcing it. It still has all the hooks on the inside for hanging meat. They definitely butchered a lot of pigs here, given the amount of pig bones I've found. Pretty much any hole you dig. Under the clapboard siding is the original board siding, which would have matched the house.
 Attached FileWe realized the door on it is way older, and repurposed, and cut down from somewhere else. Possibly from the fort. It's built with rose head nails, which indicates 18th century. Also it predates the "Z" style door design. But who knows for sure.... We happened to find a ginormous 18th century skeleton key a couple yards from the door. And it was a perfect fit. Looks like a fort lock to me....  
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Posted: 7/7/2020 6:10:31 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: And this was pretty cool. The father of the elderly lady who last lived here, here's a pic of him sleeping on the porch, and his WWI helmet and gas mask, patches, and some German bring-backs. Different German infantry buttons in an empty German bino case. He had deployed to France. Found these in a drawer. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/277223/0A47A0BD-312E-4151-AC53-04156FCBF7EA_jpg-1488062.JPG Not a bino case - that's the pattern of ammo pouch used before the more common/classic Mauser triple pouch design was adopted |
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Posted: 7/7/2020 7:08:26 PM EDT
[#32]
I could only imagine the fun you could have out there with a metal detector. There’s probably a lot of history in the ground out there.
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Posted: 7/8/2020 9:16:21 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Not a bino case - that's the pattern of ammo pouch used before the more common/classic Mauser triple pouch design was adopted Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: And this was pretty cool. The father of the elderly lady who last lived here, here's a pic of him sleeping on the porch, and his WWI helmet and gas mask, patches, and some German bring-backs. Different German infantry buttons in an empty German bino case. He had deployed to France. Found these in a drawer. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/277223/0A47A0BD-312E-4151-AC53-04156FCBF7EA_jpg-1488062.JPG Not a bino case - that's the pattern of ammo pouch used before the more common/classic Mauser triple pouch design was adopted Ah, ok. That would explain the lack of binoculars.
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Posted: 7/8/2020 9:29:52 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I could only imagine the fun you could have out there with a metal detector. There’s probably a lot of history in the ground out there. You could say that.  Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 7/8/2020 10:15:44 AM EDT
[#35]
Awesome Thread.
WHAT a view! Nothing beats living in the Country! BIGGER_HAMMER 
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Posted: 7/8/2020 6:16:21 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You could say that. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/277223/44908B45-027C-4941-8EC8-D4ABAF4403EC_jpg-1494859.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/277223/9C94D97E-EC5D-471D-B208-A68E51D97998_jpg-1494861.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/277223/DAAF8A38-755E-49D8-A2BB-BD928B096D07__2_-1494863.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/277223/3A5F123A-418B-450D-AC9B-DB17AD47D2D6_jpg-1494865.JPG Incredible! Thank you so much for sharing the pictures of those finds. |
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Posted: 7/8/2020 7:28:22 PM EDT
[#37]
Nice. That is one fine view and to have so much history of the house, you are lucky.
Hit me up sometime and we’ll do lunch at The Deli in Union. |
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Posted: 7/9/2020 1:37:11 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Nice. That is one fine view and to have so much history of the house, you are lucky. Hit me up sometime and we’ll do lunch at The Deli in Union. Ha, I just had lunch at the Deli in Lewisburg. |
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Posted: 7/10/2020 12:54:40 PM EDT
[#39]
A couple pics from watering the garden yesterday evening. Most is growing pretty well, except the watermelons said FOAD take us back to Florida, and I realized that cauliflower is a fickle bitch. Most everything else seems to be really taking off now.
 Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 7/10/2020 1:17:52 PM EDT
[#40]
Cool project, thanks for sharing
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Posted: 7/10/2020 1:21:54 PM EDT
[#41]
So in! What a beautiful property.
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Posted: 7/10/2020 2:17:56 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: A couple pics from watering the garden yesterday evening. Most is growing pretty well, except the watermelons said FOAD take us back to Florida, and I realized that cauliflower is a fickle bitch. Most everything else seems to be really taking off now. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/277223/14D80F6B-54EC-40AA-98F0-434D90239FA8_jpg-1497670.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/277223/EDA1EF8F-8A44-4E58-889C-C9F41360F059_jpg-1497671.JPG That is a gnarly old catalpa tree. It's just amazing how some buildings stand the test of time. |
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Posted: 7/15/2020 9:47:50 AM EDT
[#43]
A cut-down confederate cavalry boot we found in the attic. You can see repairs to the spots the stirrups came into contact with the boot. A wealthy bachelor lived here during the Civil War and ran it as a plantation. He started off with his own cavalry unit of sharpshooters, with him being the Captain of the unit. Apparently they were disbanded pretty early in the war and he was given orders to stay at the plantation and operate it, since corn, grain, cattle, etc. was more important than him running around the countryside. They ended up pasturing many of the AOs artillery horses and the confederate cattle herd on the property. I have the receipts where he was paid a fortune for all of this. Of course it probably was a worthless fortune if it was paid in confederate money, which it probably was. But he was uber rich anyways.
 Attached File Attached File Attached FileAnd here's an old jug we found hidden in the basement. Due to the markings we were able to track down the maker. It was a crock maker just outside of Richmond, Virginia, who made this circa 1815-1818. Still has the cork in place, almost petrified looking. It could have had whiskey inside, as this place was operating as a distillery in the 18th century. I'm not sure when they stopped. But these were used to hold pretty much every kind of liquid. I'm told they often had linseed oil, which was apparently pretty important.  Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 7/15/2020 9:36:34 PM EDT
[#44]
I love the view from your place, much like the view from my wifes mothers place on Eads Mountain.
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Posted: 7/16/2020 1:10:50 PM EDT
[#45]
this is, bar none, the coolest thread on arfcom
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Posted: 7/16/2020 1:17:44 PM EDT
[#46]
Awesome project! Thanks for sharing!
This is why I love this site! |
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Posted: 7/16/2020 4:21:54 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: this is, bar none, the coolest thread on arfcom I've made it. I've finally made it. 
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Posted: 7/16/2020 4:27:24 PM EDT
[#48]
19th century shoes recently found in the attic and one shoe "last" form for making them, which matches the small one exactly.
 Attached FileThis looks like a Civil War soldier's "brogan" shoe and has the same sort of repairs for horse stirrup wear as the cut down cavalry boot. Maybe he cut the boot to match his other shoe?  Attached File Attached FileAnd I tried out my sand blaster I bought from a shady looking couple on FB marketplace. I guess I found out why they sold it.... 
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Posted: 7/16/2020 8:13:15 PM EDT
[#49]
How did I miss this until today? Awesome homestead. Awesome restoration.
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Posted: 8/21/2020 1:19:11 PM EDT
[#50]
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