Stumped on this one

[ironsight]

Been researching a long gone late 1800s stagecoach stop & post office. Problem is far as i can tell from old maps it was off an old trail that no longer exists. The trail only shows up on early 1800s maps with no useful reference landmarks to pinpoint it.

Anyhow, i triangulated the possible location from all available information to a 1/2 X 1/2 mile area, now cornfields and wooded hills. I got permission from the land owner to search that area and found a possible site in the middle of some remote woods which would of been near that old trail.
The first clue was an area of nails. Eventually found a harmonica reed and a corroded woodworking chisel, dozens of nails and something i'm hoping could date and possibly connect to that site. No doubt some cabin or homestead stood there at one time.

Its about 1-1/2 inches high. Its not a belt buckle as the back shows that it was crimped all around something maybe leather. The front looks like it might of had something glued to it at one time. Thinking something to do with a saddle or horse harness? Any ideas?

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o273/moparado/FindFront_zpsc1e68669.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o273/moparado/FindBack_zpsc3891302.jpg

 

[Grubstake]

That's the bottom of an old Lard can, .Grubstake

 

[ironsight]

Thanks for the reply Grubstake.
Last thing i would of thought of. Probably the bottom? Would of been a wierd looking can!
Looks like i gotta research old cans and see if i can date this rust bucket to the late 1800s.

 

[Grubstake]

I've found a few of them intact, and that is the bottyom, all from the late 1800's early 1900's, and the ones intact, say lard on them or wheel grease. Grubstake

 

[ironsight]

I've found a few of them intact, and that is the bottyom, all from the late 1800's early 1900's, and the ones intact, say lard on them or wheel grease. Grubstake

Thanks again Grubstake. Do you have a picture of one of those intact cans?
The time period you mentioned is right in the ballpark i was looking for.

I researched antique tin cans and found none with those types of flap joint seams. The only non-round cans were cracker, tobacco, etc. and all had modern rolled type seams that i could see. The lard cans were all round also with modern type rolled joint seams. Gonna try again and search grease cans.

1880 is when that stagecoach stop/post office first showed up on a couple old maps. It disappeared on a 1916 map along with that old diagonal wagon trail.
The 1916 map shows actual perpendicular roads still in existence today but unfortunately no where near that site or where that old diagonal wagon trail would of been.

The new roads apparently made the wagon trail obsolete along with the stagecoach stop.
That old wagon trail shows up on a crude 1830s map which basically connected a few larger settlements and towns in the area.

 

[Grubstake]

No, I don't have any pictures, I put a few in our local museum, When I get my camara back, next month,I'll try to take some picture of the ones in there. Grubstake

 

[ironsight]

Would appreciate a pic of that can as i searched the web for a couple hours and found nothing even close.
Must be one heck of a unique can.

By the way FWIW, searched that wooded hill area again yesterday this time with my small coil.
Found more corroded nails 4 to 8 inches deep, a broken hook, another harmonica reed and TICKS, lots of TICKS.
The coyote poop i seen there last time made me strap on a sidearm yesterday. Thorn bushes too, not an easy site for detecting.

No real tell tale signs of past human habitation other than nails and harmonica reeds, all in the middle of nowhere.
I'm convinced the nails weren't dumped there as trash because a lot of them aren't bent and they're spread out in roughly a 30 X 10 sqr. yard area.
Very puzzling.