In the quaint village of Yarker, nestled in the heart of Ontario, Canada, I recently embarked on an extraordinary hunt that would uncover some of the forgotten history of the village.

I had heard rumors of an old 1800’s property in Yarker that once belonged to the railway’s station master. Intrigued by the tales of hidden treasures and historical artifacts, I set my sights on obtaining permission to explore the property. As it turned out, I was fortunate to find out the property in question was very familiar to me as it was the property directly across the street from where I live, and I just so happened to know the owners

Driven by my love for the hobby, and adventure, I approached my neighbours, who had purchased the land over 2 decades ago. I explained my passion for metal detecting and expressed my desire to uncover the remnants of the past that may lerk below the surface on their property.

Impressed by my enthusiasm and respect for history, my neighbours granted me the permission I requested to explore their property. Very grateful indeed, I set out on my quest, eager to unlock the secrets of Yarker, and of the train master’s past.

As I scanned the earth, it was only moments before I got my first signal. Ringing up a 47 on my Legend Detector’ VDI screen, this number usually indicated a copper Penny I thought to myself, could it be an old turn of the 19th century’s Large cent I wondered? Nope, it was no large cent, it was a much more modern, A 1998 USA copper Quarter.

The first find was indeed a coin. one that had been around for the past 25 years.

Not the treasure I was seeking however it was still a decent find nonetheless. As I was cleaning off my first find of the hunt, the homeowners approached to tell a tale of an old tree on the property that was well over 150 years old and when the township built the roads, the residents of the village fought to keep the tree alive. There was such turmoil over this tree, when the town decided to build a road on the street, they built the road around the tree to keep the residents pleased.

Approximately 1 year after the road was installed, the tree itself, died and was cut down. Today, you can still see a hump in the boulevard covered by fescue, where the tree once stood proudly. The earth around where the tree once stood had not been touched for at least 150 years. A small, narrow boulevard which had great potential to unearth a bit of Yarker’s history.

Excitement coursed through me as I carefully examined the area of this old tree, if the tree meant that much to the residents of the town, then a fair amount of activity must have taken place there decades ago. I am well aware that when metal detecting you always check out the base of significant trees because that is where many treasures have been found by many detectorists over the years.

realizing it was a rare artifact from the early to mid 1900s. I imagined the station master relying on this very watch to ensure the trains ran on time, connecting Yarker to the rest of the province and making Yarker an important part of Canadian History.

Motivated by this discovery, I continued my exploration. My metal detector beeped and whistled, leading me to various spots on the property. With each find, I unearthed a piece of history—a rusted railway spike, 145 years old,

an old telegraph wire, and fragments of silverware that I was sure once adorned the station master’s dining table.

One sunny afternoon, while detecting near an overgrown garden, my metal detector signaled a strong signal. Digging carefully, I uncovered a small, weathered , & what looked like an old button buried beneath the soil. What had taken place here all those years ago?.

With trembling hands, I carefully cleaned it off it to reveal our suspicions were correct. An antique 1800’s military button A mid Victorian era militia cuff button. Research revealed that this particular button was made in Limerick Ireland. A company by the name of Peter Tait & CO wielded the button and sold to a family member in 1870 when the company changed its name. And since Canada was only official in 1868 and the business changed names in 1870 this dated this particular button between the years of 1868 to 1870 considering the button had the word Canada written on it.

Soon afterwards The finds came fast and furious.

An old Lantern or pieces of it anyway, a few old coins dated back to the early 1900’s , along with a few modern ones as well. However 2 items came out from the soil depths that really interested us. First was a small pocket Knife.

Had this old knife possibly once belonged to the watchman of the train yard himself? Or was it more modern than that? I would need to do some more research on this old relic.

Suddenly, a loud piercing sound echoed in my ear indicating of another item covered by the earth beneath my feet. As I carefully dig so as to try and not hit the item as I dug it out of the ground, a very strange item indeed. at approx 7 to 8” below the surface I pulled out a small yet fairly heavy object and put it into my hand. As I wiped my sweat from my brow I accidentally smudged my glasses and couldn’t see the item too well. So I enlisted the help of my colleague Dave Arnold to help me identify the item.

Dave’s look of complete puzzledness had my excitement bursting at the seems. I had to know what it was. Dave confirmed that the item seemed to have the outline of a face on it. I immediately took the item to have it cleaned with water and lightly brushed with a toothbrush to indeed reveal I had unearthed a very old figurine of a Buddha. Had the old train station master been a Buddhist? Was that the reasoning of this item in the yard? Or maybe a more recent occupant of the property had it in their possession. Either way it was fun to think of the hidden stories that this piece hides.

Word of my discoveries soon spread throughout Yarker, attracting the attention of historians and locals alike. The village became alive with newfound appreciation for its rich history. Inspired by my passion, I then approached the community about organizing an event to showcase the artifacts I had uncovered.

The new local historical society of Yarker Ontario was now in the works and curated an exhibition, displaying the treasures I and my club colleagues had recently found, alongside photographs, maps, and other memorabilia from Yarker’s railway era. The exhibition brought the community together, fostering a sense of pride and unity as they celebrated their shared heritage.

My journey not only revealed the forgotten stories of Yarker’s past but also highlighted the importance of preserving history for future generations. My dedication and love for metal detecting had unearthed a treasure trove of memories, connecting the present with the past.

And so, as the sun set over Yarker, casting a warm glow upon the village and its newfound appreciation for its history, I continue my metal detecting adventures, eager to unravel more secrets and breathe life into the forgotten tales of the past.