My little field and the branch still have wood pipes made from logs, the one through the field being about three feet underground to carry runoff from the mountain through the field without washing the soil away. It must have been here for at least 80 years.
I enjoy viewing structures or ideas from times gone by....north of town a ways, there are the remnants of what appears to have been a trough for sending water or sludge and water around the upper portion of the mountain.
I remember back in 96 when I went back to Ohio, we visited an historical site where John Brown had lived/oversaw an estate. One of the relics was an old, old spinning wheel--the wheel part was huge in diameter--not at all like the wheels made today.....egads, but I had a hard enough time using todays' modern, perfectly engineered and crafted wheels, trying to treadle and 'draft' the wool at the same time.....oh well....it was actually more fun to raise the critters and be involved with the wool after it was shorn off.
Going back to our discussion, though, I am impressed with how our ancestors made good use of what was available. I'm sure other states have examples, but I believe the stone fencing in Kentucky's Bluegrass country is marvelous and another example of the stewardship of our ancestors.
There is still a lot of redwood water and sewer line under Chicago that was put in just after the great fire. I imagine that is true of other cities as well.
So9