Relic Hunters Make Presentation to Wood County Commission | News, sports, jobs

Brian Kesterson, a local Civil War expert, shows a bag of bullets found during a search at Fort Boreman Park in Wood County in October by the 35th State Relic Hunters and the Mid-Ohio Valley Relic Hunters. The artifacts were presented to the Wood County Commission Monday morning. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

PARKERSBURG — Artifacts, many dating back to the Civil War era, found at Fort Boreman Park in October were turned over to the Wood County Commission Monday morning.

Among the relics found by the 35th State Relic Hunters and the Mid-Ohio Valley Relic Hunters was a friction primer, a device used to ignite the gunpowder in a muzzle-loading cannon.

The primer was found near the flagpole up at Fort Boreman, said Jan Hunt of the Mid-Ohio Valley Relic Hunters. Using a metal detector, Hunt discovered the artifact in the ground.

“I had an idea it was like that.” he said.

“I was pretty excited” Hunt said. “I was the first person to touch it in 150 years.”

One of the artifacts found at Fort Boreman is a friction primer used to ignite the gunpowder in muzzle-loading artillery pieces (center). (photo provided)

The hill on which Fort Boreman sits was a Union Army fort during the Civil War overlooking the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers. Originally named Fort Logan, the site was later renamed Fort Boreman after West Virginia’s first governor, established in 1863 after the western counties ceded Virginia, which sided with the Confederate rebellion.

Numerous Union camps surrounded Fort Boreman, said Brian Kesterson, a local Civil War expert, historian and writer. Items were found as far away as Lubeck Avenue from Fort Boreman, he said.

“There were numerous troops stationed throughout Parkersburg.” Kesterson said.

Artifacts were found during searches in October, Kesterson said. Eight to 15 hunters will participate, he said.

The items were not concentrated in one particular area, Kesterson said.

A Civil War-era Matic and file found at Fort Boreman Park. Fort Boreman, originally known as Fort Logan, was a Union post overlooking the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

“They were scattered everywhere.” he said.

The items included a pistol, a file, bullets and musket balls of various calibers from the period, eyelets from a poncho and an eagle button, a spoon and an object believed to be part of a musical instrument, Kesterson said. Other items found were more modern, including a military pin from World War II and coins from around 1900, he said.

“We found a few little things” Kesterson said.

Kesterson thanked the commission for their permission and the commissioners thanked the hunters for their presentation.

“You can read the back of this button” said Commissioner Bob Tebay.

One problem is that over time, the acid in the soil erodes the surface of the metal, eventually making it unidentifiable, Kesterson said.

Other hunters have used metal detectors over the years to look for artifacts at Fort Boreman.

said Commissioner Blair Couch. The recent finds demonstrate the effectiveness of newer modern metal detectors, he said.

While the user’s skill is a factor, the best search method is to keep the detector as close to the ground as possible, Kesterson said. Some were found 2 to 3 inches deep in the ground, while others were up to 12 inches deep, he said.

Raising the detector several inches above the surface reduces the depth it can reach into the ground, Kesterson said.

Detecting metals is generally prohibited in the park unless permitted by the commission. Previous searches of the park by Kesterson also yielded finds from the 35th State Relic Hunters.

Artifacts found during previous searches at Fort Boreman are on display at the Judge Black Annex on Market Street.

Jess Mancini can be reached at [email protected].