septic tank in the middle of nowhere

[deere755]

Today it was so nice I decided to trim back some trees along the back side of the field and it was dry enough I just decided to drive back in my pickup. The field is a half mile back to the tree line and I would say that at the 1/4 mile line give or take a few feet I dropped the front of my pickup off in a big hole. I thought it must be a broken tile hole but I couldn't see it until I got my truck out of the hole. I called my wife and she brought out the tractor and a chain to pull me out, thats when we discovered I had fell in a old septic tank. I later talked to my mother in law about our find as she has lived on the land for 73 years. I asked her if their used to be a house there and she said not as long as she could remember. I know it had to be an old septic tank, it was a square concrete tank and the smell told the rest of the story. I can not imagine why it was placed there. It is to far away from any house to have been used by anyone. Any ideas on why a septic tank would have been placed out in the middle of a 40 acre field?

 

[LBrown59]

Today it was so nice I decided to trim back some trees along the back side of the field and it was dry enough I just decided to drive back in my pickup. The field is a half mile back to the tree line and I would say that at the 1/4 mile line give or take a few feet I dropped the front of my pickup off in a big hole. I thought it must be a broken tile hole but I couldn't see it until I got my truck out of the hole. I called my wife and she brought out the tractor and a chain to pull me out, thats when we discovered I had fell in a old septic tank. I later talked to my mother in law about our find as she has lived on the land for 73 years. I asked her if their used to be a house there and she said not as long as she could remember. I know it had to be an old septic tank, it was a square concrete tank and the smell told the rest of the story. I can not imagine why it was placed there. It is to far away from any house to have been used by anyone. Any ideas on why a septic tank would have been placed out in the middle of a 40 acre field?

This is odd.

 

[txdon]

"...dropped off in a big hole..."

Did your tire break a concrete lid? In Texas I have seen old square cattle dipping vats.

 

[HappyCPE]

How long has your area been settled? My little farm has been inhabited for 200+ years and there are surprises everywhere. Illinois isn't one of the original 13 but your MIL's memory of 73 years doesn't cover the whole potential. Concrete has been a popular building material since the 1890's.

A septic tank doesn't sound too exciting, and it was a PITA getting the truck out I'm sure, but it might lead to other finds. Any rectilinear depressions or ridges nearby [indicating foundations]? Could there have been a barn or some kind of manure receiving pit near?

 

[Soundguy]

Was there ever a barn out there.. I've seen s-tanks added to barns.

Another though would have been an old cistern or spring box .. but you'd know if there had been an old river there.

Lastly, any chance it was used as a 'vault'?

One of the paranoid farmer/survavilist types in our area ordered 6 septic tanks and burried themon his farm in 1999 and stocke dthem with dry and canned goods and supplies in prep for the end of the world in 2000.. he now uses them for storage...

Soundguy

 

[MossRoad]

...Any ideas on why a septic tank would have been placed out in the middle of a 40 acre field?

Because there used to be a house, barn or other structure nearby. Only plausible reason. Go to google maps and zoom in on your area. Then hit the HYBRID link to the right of the screen. This brings up satellite imagery. See if you can see any old roadbeds, foundation depressions, treelines, etc... that will help you imaging what might have been there in the past.

 

[rdln]

There has been a time or two when i am outback and find the walk home too long. been wanting to drop in a 500gal outhouse myself. if'en therer ar no pipes sticking through good chance it relied on gravity.

 

[KentT]

Anyone ever have a house trailer there? They don't leave much visible evidence...

 

[Highbeam]

rdln has a good point... any pipes leading into or out of the tank? I have found that stagnant water can get a really nasty smell to it in the right conditions even if it weren't used as a septic tank. Also, in 73 years any septic tank morsels would have been long digested and the smell would be minor.

I'm guessing spring box, cistern, or something associated with water for either irrigation, a home, or animals. Was the tank in a low spot?

 

[bones1]

I'm with Highbeam.Maybe you could get a previous owners tax map or plat showing any structures although they are probably not recorded that far back.