Dear Nichole,
maybe an icehouse? We have one at Meadow Brook Hall- a small stone structure
with a small door about that size. Ice tongs would be used to pull out the
ice. You didn't give the structure's dimensions.
regards,
suzanne

On Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 10:59 AM, Nichole Sorensen Mutchie <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hello.
> A colleague has been working on a site in Frederick, Maryland and
> uncovered an interesting building.  We need your help figuring out what
> the structure could be.  Her description is below, pardon the
> lengthiness.  Please email me if you'd like to see pictures.  Thank you!
>
> ---------
> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Based on historical documents and information about other structures in
> the immediate vicinity, this structure was built between 1800-1832. It
> is constructed of limestone with locally sourced sand mortar.
>
> The structure's foundations extend 80-90 centimeters below historic
> ground surface.
>
> The longer walls measured approximately 24 inches in thickness, the
> shorter walls about 18 inches.
>
> The stones were faced and the exterior of the building was whitewashed.
> The structure was buried in the 1930s when the area was being leveled to
> build a concrete block factory; from the time it was completed until
> 1939, the entire structure was above-ground. The stones on its east side
> are an outcropping of bedrock. The structure was not built into a bank.
>
> There is no evidence of multiple building episodes - the structure
> appears to have been built this way on purpose. The stone slabs and the
> mortared top were integrated into the walls of the structure - these
> weren't added later. The slabs' sides were faced and mortared like the
> other wall stones, and they were also whitewashed.
>
> The three stone slabs across the top of the structure were covered with
> mortar, the holes filled with smaller stones, the entire thing covered
> with more mortar and topped off with large flat pieces of slate. Each
> slab weighs almost half a ton - these were HUGE and had to be removed
> with a Gradall.
>
> The only opening in the entire structure is in the west wall. This
> consists of a small iron door, like an oven door, which offers an
> opening of about 1 foot square. There is no chimney or other outlet
> anywhere.
>
> The interior of the building is open space - there is no evidence of
> shelves, kiln or oven furniture, or a brick or stone floor. The floor is
> dirt, and seems to have a normal soil profile. There are some artifacts
> inside but these appear to be related to a rat or mouse nest that was
> located inside the building - i.e., chewed animal bones, small bits of
> pottery and glass, etc.
>
> The interior shows no evidence of burning - i.e., soot, blackening or
> other discoloration on the interior of the building, ashes, charcoal, or
> coal. None of the artifacts appear burned.
>
> In summary, this building, made of hand-shaped limestone blocks, was
> painstakingly constructed and was not modified. It is essentially a
> limestone box with only one small door, but wouldn't have worked as any
> of the following (as far as anyone can tell so far):
>
> Storage/Granary/silo/cold cellar/root cellar: the opening is too small.
> It would have been impractical to try to get anything in or out. Most of
> building was above ground.
>
> Kiln/Oven: No chimney, no internal structure, no evidence of burning.
>
> Springhouse: Again, the size of the opening makes this unlikely. Nobody
> could get inside to store anything. Also, according to the Maryland
> Geological Survey, NO SPRING.
>
> Drying house: these were typically frame structures and had a particular
> design - this is no good for that.
>
> Smokehouse: No burning, no way for smoke/heat to get out to smoke
> anything. Opening too small.
>
> Barn foundation: No good - this building stood 6-7 feet above ground.
>
> Privy: Too big, not deep enough, and how would anyone get in?
>
> Wellhouse/wellhead: couldn't get water out?
>
> Crypt/burial: The residents were founding members of the local cemetery
> and are all buried there. No burials inside.
>
> Summer Kitchen/Bakeoven: No chimney, dirt floor, totally enclosed
> roof/top, limited access, no burning.
>
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Nichole E. Sorensen-Mutchie, M.S, RPA
> Archaeologist
> Maryland Department of Transportation
> State Highway Administration
> 707 N. Calvert Street, CLL-4
> Baltimore, MD 21202
> 410-545-8793 (office)
> 410-209-5046 (fax)
> [log in to unmask]
> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>