Ditch the STPs for a gradiometer survey at the two loci.  For e.g., see
http://www.ovacltd.com/Geophys_Scofield.shtml.

Al Tonetti
Cultural Resource Specialist
ASC Group, Inc.
800 Freeway Drive North, Suite 101
Columbus, OH 43229
[log in to unmask]
614-268-2514 x3547
http://www.ascgroup.net/

-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marty
Pickands
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 12:29 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: MI Pioneer cabin site

Hello, Kris-

I have no experience on settler's cabins in Michigan, only in upstate New
York. However, as you are probably aware, many New Yorkers moved on to
settle in Michigan. The sites I have seen or worked on dated to the early
19th c. In each case they were located on the highest spot in the area, or
the edge of a drop off, for drainage. Each was surrounded by a thin sheet
refuse deposit with very little glass or metal. The structure was
represented by a fieldstone footing only two or thee courses deep with a pit
cellar 4-5 feet deep in the middle. These were storage spaces under a wooden
floor. Of course, not all cabins had those, but only dirt floors. All were
next to a road, and many had been replaced by a more formal house nearby. 

There was very little metal. Often these cabins, in our area, had bark or
plank roofs held in place by poles and stones. Most were built by immigrants
from New England after the revolution. One exception was a Prussian
traditional two-room log house with a formal stone footing, that was later
was moved to a full foundation with a stone-floored cellar and acquired
clapboard siding, plastered walls and a frame addition, as often happened. A
number of these in New York and Pennsylvania are still not only standing but
lived in- the owners sometimes unaware that they are living in a log house.
These houses were different from "settler's cabins" even when built by
settlers, in that they were built to be permanent. Settler's cabins were
meant to be temporary shelters. 

I'd bet on the rise as the house site. The brick is a good sign. The metal
detector would probably not show anything there except an occasional button
or dropped personal item. The other location may be a shed or small barn
related to it. You might try close interval STPs on that area and the one
where you had the metal hits. Alternatively narrow slit trenches can be dug
with minimal effort into the subsoil to detect soil discolorations that STPs
may miss. They cover more area and do not take a lot more time than close
interval STPs. 

Marty Pickands
New York State Museum
>>> Kris Oswald 11/21/11 7:47 AM >>> 
Morning to all 


I have just begun site testing(stp work) of a Pioneer cabin site in 
Michigan and have a couple questions if I may, the wheat field that it 
is located in is approx 80 acre's and has not been dragged/ plowed or 
tilled in many years and the wheat for winter is resting a foot high. A 
metal detector survey of the site was done a couple of years back with 
some good results but conflicts with the Families story on where the 
cabin was located.I have brick fragments on the highest elevation as 
well at the lower section closest to original road bed where most of the 
personal artifacts have been recovered. I am looking for any resource 
materials on Michigan Pioneer Cabin Excavation. the concentration 
level's of material from the STP's are light at best, is it possible 
that the only remains of the site are articulated across the field?. I 
feel that until the soil has been turned to expose more surface 
artifact my STP work will take forever. Any thoughts on this? I value 
your opinions 
P.S. not sure when the field will be worked again 

Thanks in Advance 

Kris Oswald 
Linden Mi 
WILLIAMS INTERNATIONAL A COMPANY WITH A VISION 

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