Clearly, these could be anything ... but the general shape and the 
fact that they are pierced reminded me of early strap iron rails for 
very early railroads ... ca. 1830s or maybe 1840s.  In these cases, 
the rail was simply a ca. 2-3 inch wide by ca. half inch thick iron 
bar spiked to the top of a wooden rail.

The examples you have could have been manufactured on site, or 
perhaps even salvaged for re-smelting, which might explain bent and 
broken examples.

I don't have access to the several samples I've recovered over the 
years, but that was my first thought ...

Not a great thought, but ...

Mark
-- 

Mark C. Branstner, RPA
Historic Archaeologist

Illinois Transportation
Archaeological Research Program
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
23 East Stadium Drive
Champaign, IL 61820

Phone: 217.244.0892
Fax: 217.244.7458
Cell: 517.927.4556
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