Does anyone have any suggestions on establishing the approximate age of a chain link fence??ÿ I have a project in which doing so would be useful in determining length of occupation.?ÿ I've only seen a couple of photos of the fence so far so I don't have any specifics.?ÿ I figure that I'm not the first one to ask this question, and my initial web searches haven't pointed me at anything useful (yet), so I thought I'd pose the question here.
Thanks!
Parol information would be vital.
Where's Kent when you need him?
First thing I would look at is whether the 'chain' was galvanized before or after it was woven.?ÿ GBW (galvanized before weaving) chain link was manufactured in the last twenty years.?ÿ Prior to that the galvanization occurred after the chain link was woven and is evident upon visual inspection.?ÿ Other than that I would look at the wall thickness and material?ÿand the posts;?ÿboth of which has steadily thinned and cheapened over the last fifty years.?ÿ The incidental hardware could?ÿbe an important clue, but could also?ÿhave been replaced over the?ÿlife of the fence as maintenance.
Suggestion:?ÿ Snap some pics and take them to the oldest guy you can find that has?ÿbuilt fences all his life.?ÿ As HC also stated parol evidence can be extremely definitive.
The concrete used is another tell as to the senior fence.
Its probably a long shot,but chain link fences seem like things that would found in fairly developed areas, i.e. not open range land and out in the whoop whoop. I'd venture a dare that if its in a subdivision or PUD, or similar,it probably?ÿ required a permit( as if people ever care to do such a thing). Or if you were lucky enough to find one of those little tags the fence builders seem to leave on their proud work somewhere along the fencing. ?ÿ Or a big fencing company may have records ( less likely) to determine if they ever did work there.
Just trying to think outside the box.
Good luck.
Not chain link but barbed wire fences came in a wide variety of designs after their invention in 1865, and the age of a barbed wire fence can be definitively?ÿ shown to be "no older than" X based on its particulars.?ÿ There's an early sixties(?) book on the subject which was an essential part of any surveyor's library if you worked in cow country.?ÿ My copy is in storage so I can't quote its name?ÿ specifically.
I do not know if?ÿ a comprehensive tome covering chain link fences exists.
Not chain link but barbed wire fences came in a wide variety of designs after their invention in 1865, and the age of a barbed wire fence can be definitively?ÿ shown to be "no older than" X based on its particulars.?ÿ There's an early sixties(?) book on the subject which was an essential part of any surveyor's library if you worked in cow country.?ÿ My copy is in storage so I can't quote its name?ÿ specifically.
I do not know if?ÿ a comprehensive tome covering chain link fences exists.
The book name I believe you are referring to is Barbs, Prongs, Points, Prickers, and Stickers by Robert T. Clifton.
?ÿ
Yes, that's it!