I was just trying to fix a patch of uneven grass in our backyard when my shovel hit something hard. At first, I thought it was a rock, but as I brushed away the dirt, I uncovered a weathered granite post standing upright in the soil. We live in an old house—built in 1799—that once served as both a tavern and a doctor’s office. So when I saw the hole in the post, perfectly shaped for a metal ring, I realized I had found something special: a hitching post from the late 1700s.
Curious, I kept digging and soon uncovered a circular arrangement of stones surrounding the post. At first, I assumed it was some kind of drainage, but then it hit me—this was a water trough for horses. Back then, travelers would have tied their horses here before stepping inside for a drink or medical treatment. The idea sent a shiver down my spine. I wasn’t just looking at an old stone; I was looking at a piece of daily life from over 200 years ago.
As I carefully cleared more dirt, I found rusted metal fragments—likely what remained of the hitching ring—and a sturdy foundation of bricks and packed stones. Whoever built this wanted it to last, and it had. The whole structure felt like a time capsule, hidden just beneath the surface.
Most people dig up junk in their yards—old nails, broken glass—but I had stumbled upon a real piece of history. There was no way I could just cover it back up or turn it into a garden decoration. Instead, I decided to preserve it, maybe even add a small plaque explaining its significance.
It’s amazing to think that this relic sat unnoticed for centuries, right under our feet. Finding it made me appreciate the layers of history beneath us, reminding me that the land we walk on has stories to tell. That hitching post isn’t going anywhere—it’s staying right where it belongs, a silent witness to the past.
