HISTORY OF CULTURAL FEATURES AT THE SANDY STREAM SITE

1830s  

·         Tannery pits were dug (1 meter below the present ground level. Lined with “blue clay”, abundant on this side of stream as outwash from the glacial delta.

·         Clay from pits used to make bricks. Kiln located around ( 12,5). Bricks stored in an 18x18 pile around (72, 18). ( 18.5 feet  is the length of a perch of bricks, the standard measure in those days.)

·          Bricks used to make lower walls for tannery building, wood for the upper structure and roof.

·         Tannery building extended from about  (5,0)  and (5,30) in the south to about (65,0) to (65,30) in the north.

·         Chimney built around (30, 18) for steam engines.

·         Dam of stone and earth built to raise water level and deflect it towards the tanning pits.

1860s

·         Tannery abandoned in 18___;  pits began to be filled in with sediments from floods.

·         Tannery burned shortly afterwards during Civil War. Fire destroyed wood and broke down brick lower walls.

1860-1895

·         Rough stone wall built  (16,4) to (16,12), set below frost line and into previous features.

·         Barn basement built (“the Pit”) around (24, 30)

·         Earth and stone works built (0,14) to (16,14). Line of stones (under a fence?) at (0,-6) to (0,8).

Probably all these are features of a farm.

 Before 1895

·         In the “Northern Complex”, an earlier structure: partly brick, partly wood. A workspace.

 1895-1940s

·          A later structure in the Northern Complex: a solid masonry platform with furnace and large chimney. A metalwork shop. Continuously used-- firebrick added 1921-1942.  Probably also used for storage of other rough items (stained glass, striated glass, barrels, shovel for coal or sawdust), perhaps at a different time. Metalworking tools (file, pocket knife, engineer’s ruler) and parts (axles, bolts). Very little slag and no coal. Some bottle glass associated with 1895-1930. Probably associated with Harding’s garage, which stood on the same piece of property in the first half of the 20^th Century on the site now occupied by Anne Reynold’s house-trailer and garage.

20^th Century

·         Cast iron pipe from stream to uphill, 4” diameter, (53,0) to (53,48), probably associated with Harding’s garage.

·         Cement storm water cistern (36, 40)

·         Road dug in the 1950s from the upland to streamside near the western bridgehead, supposedly to extract gravel.

2011 

·         Pedestrian bridge constructed.

Documented but not located

·         Fairbanks’ mill (mentioned in Taber) on the site of the tannery. Presumably a water-powered sawmill for light joinery and coffin-building. Burned; rebuilt and operated on electricity in late 1890s.