# Where do "creek" bottles come from?



## Mattkoz (Jun 5, 2007)

Hi All,

    This is Matt's dad.  Matt's only 12 years old and is new to bottle hunting.  He has alot of questions and alot to learn.  I'm going to help him get this whole forum thing down.  Take it away Matt:

    Hi,I've been looking at a creek near me and i'v been finding old bottle shards.They are coke,medecines,milk bottle shards, emersons,old plates,marbles,and lots of  a flask lip and botton,a pontiled canadian bottle bottom and even an insolator and what i think is black glass.I want to know what to look for if i want to find a bottle dump where they are coming from.And what was the soil like where they dumped it.It a very rocky creek with old dams.And there is a large cliff. I was wondering if it was dumped from my school,it was built in 1869 and i was wondering if the school dumped it there.Any help would be great. thanks               mattkoz


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## richf (Jun 5, 2007)

Hi Matt and welcome to the forum!
 Historically, creek banks are great places to find dumps, as people often used them years ago. If you want to find the dump, follow the trail of shards - it should become thicker and thicker the closer you get.
 Good luck and let us know what you find!
 Rich


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## FIGGINS DIGGINS (Jun 5, 2007)

Hey Matt, a big How do ya do and welcome to the forum.  I may be newer to creek hunting than you are because I just started about a year ago after moving to Tennessee.  There have been some places that I just can't figure out where all the shards are coming from.  In almost a hundred years creeks and creek dumps can change a lot I think if nothing keeps it in place.  Stuff gets uncovered ,reburied and moved almost every time it rains here.  That stuff can move a long way from where it started and it can also get deeply buried if a bank gives way.  The one place where I have been finding bottles in a creek is near a road and amongst a bunch of bricks.  Those bricks don't move much and kind of help keep the good stuff in one spot.  They also break a lot of bottles but every once in a while I find one nestled in there just fine. Following those shards upstream is really good advice, I would just add that you should try to find a spot that doesn't look like it has changed much or been moved around a whole lot in about a hundred years.  Good luck to you, be sure to let us know how you do and post some pics if you can!!!


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## Bixel (Jun 5, 2007)

hmmm.. your creek sounds interesting.....pointeled Canadian bottles.....insulators...... can you post a pic of both, im curious...


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 5, 2007)

*yes Matt people used to dump next to a creek and in the creeks and river, I have found and dug out, many creek & river dumps, summer is a good time to do this, with hip boots or  just in shorts make sure you wear old boots when your just in shorts, we used pitch forks to locate bottles in the water, because you cant see to really dig in most rivers or creeks, sometimes when you think the glass is being swept down to where your finding it, it is right in front of your nose in the water, we have a 1870 dump we have to do yet, its in a bigger river and we are waiting for the water to go down a lot before we try to get bottles, any way hope you get some good stuff from your (creek dump) sounds good! 1869... that would be a killer dump. RickW*


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 6, 2007)

We used to think the shards where coming from (up stream)  we would go back and check the river every flood, and there was all ways new shards but it was in a span of about 60 yards then stopped, so we got a hard rake and dug out in the river and pulled in a bunch of 18070s shards,starp sides ect, most times the dump is in the water right in front of you, where the shards are washed up. Rick


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## Lordbud (Jun 6, 2007)

I started digging around 12 years old and dug creekbanks exclusively for years before I ever helped dig my first privy.

  The two best type of sites along a creek are where an old road forded or crossed the creek.
  Whenever a stagecoach, or horse rider, or someone on foot crossed the creek this is where they'd throw away
  their empty bottles (and other trash).  Oftentimes this would be a regular stagestop where the passengers could
  get out and stretch their legs, the horses could have a drink in the creek and again the empty bottles would be tossed
  out here.

  Another type of creekbank dump would be the place folks living in the nearest ranch or farm would go to take
  a load of trash, since back then there was no garbage collection once a week like today.  In this case, old maps
  of your area would be helpful, often available at the local library's history room, or online at the Sanborn webpage.

  When locating creekbank dumps it is helpful to be hiking along the creekbed, although not absolutely necessary.
  Check for signs of rust and/or glass showing on the surface.  This can be the sign of a dumping area, although a few
  test scratches with a potato rake are usually needed to confirm the viability of the site.

  The best bottle in my collection a one-of-a-kind western patent medicine was found by me in a borderline pontil
  era creekbank dump near where the 1850 stagecoach line ran from San Francisco to San Jose.  I spent everyday
  after school for nearly a year digging this dump and found numerous artifacts including an old axehead, scissors,
  buttons, square nails (yeah I know backeast square nails are a dime a dozen but out here in California one doesn't
  see too many), even a vintage brick...so yeah I saved everything even an old brick.  :')

  Best of luck.


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## Just Dig it (Jun 6, 2007)

You Should Also Check Out the bottom of that  cliff if it isnt  2  large (With your dad only!!!) Remember  to never  dig  or  hunt  alone!!! you can  get seriously   injured by  (cave ins...freak accidents  broken glass ..you can  get lost ...even we like to have people with us but  like i was saying that  cliff may have  been appealing  instead of digging a  hole (farmers or  house owners used  to  dig  a large hole  and  bury their trash) since  trash pickup didnt catch on until about 1890..there is a good chance  there are some bottles  over or around  your  cliff... Dig SAFE and smart Matt..and make  sure  you post your  finds  im really  interested..your pal ericjayy


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## logueb (Jun 6, 2007)

Welcome to the forum Matt,  I hope you have good luck in locating that dump.  Check the banks and go upstream from where you found the shards.  I have found that they don't usually travel very far from the dump. Most of the dumps here are on creeks, rivers, and wet weather areas (areas that could not be farmed). They bulldozed the dumps,  sometimes right into the creeks. Look for those shards on the creek bank and start scratching with that potato rake. Be very careful trying to locate bottles in creeks where you can't see.  I,ve got some nasty cuts and got a thumb trying to heal up from the last creek dig.  In my excitement I grabbed the broken end of a soda underwater.  My fault should have had some type of gloves on.   Ckeck out my post on the Chero-cola dump in this section, and you will see that bottles go from the bank right into the water.  Again be safe, don't dig alone.  Take Dad he'll enjoy.


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## Mattkoz (Jun 11, 2007)

Here's the pics of the insulator and pontiled Canadian bottle.


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## tfredrich (Jun 11, 2007)

Hello Matt! 
 I enjoy sharing my experiences while hunting for bottles with anyone but especially younger collectors. I once attempted to find "creek" bottles too! It seemed however that everything on shore was always broken. I decided to put on an old pair of tennis shoes and wade around feeling things out with my feet. Be sure that the water is not too swift and that you wear a life jacket if you ever (I stress when you are older) and try to do this. I am now a certified advanced open water diver and use scuba gear to obtain bottles from rivers and lakes. Where I concentrate my efforts is downstream from a train bridge where the cars used to dump the trash right off the bridge into the river. The debris which dates back to the 1870's  is scattered for up to 2 miles downstream. Here are just a few of my finds there in the past 2 years. Again Good Luck with all of your future hunts!
 Tom


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## tfredrich (Jun 11, 2007)

*More creek finds*

More finds


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## tfredrich (Jun 11, 2007)

*RE: More creek finds*

Some glass bottles!


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## tfredrich (Jun 11, 2007)

*RE: More creek finds*

Yet a few more, You get the idea! Good Luck!


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## tfredrich (Jun 11, 2007)

*RE: More creek finds*

Lastly an ULTRA Rare pontilled Wisconsin soda! 1860's too!


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## Tony14 (Jun 11, 2007)

*RE: More creek finds*

Welcome to the forum Matt!!

 Tom, careful where you flash those pontiled mineral waters ron is lurking somewhere...Great bottles!


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 11, 2007)

I just went to the river yesterday to check and see how much it went down, and it went down a lot!  all new shards on the banks, I dug in the water from land and got some big 1870 80s shards, poetry, and glass, blob tops ect, I have to get wet and dig further out in the river, only problem is it gets a little to deep to dig and see what im digging. Rick


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## muddyfingers (Jun 11, 2007)

Hi Matt, and welcome to the forum and the adventure of botte hunting. 
 I am no expert and doubt I will ever be. Mainly because long ago people didn't center throwing trash in any particular area. Just whatever was cosest or easiest at te time. 
 I do however spend 90% of my time searching for my bottles in creeks. I live in North Florida and there is alot of sand, so what works best for me is usually when I see a bend in the creeks or rivers shards and sand builds up there. I usaully concentrate in that general area and rarely do I come up empty handed. As with everyone else upstream from the shards is always a good rule of thumb too, because wate can be very powerful and move bricks downstream at times. I do agree with everyone be real careful because strange things can happen even to the best of us. Good luck and keep looking down marbles, bottles, and money can be found there so keep a sharp eye.                                             
                                                                          Willy


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