T-Post Dates

Well, I'm not authority on the subject, but we've been using them since 1977 to mark boundaries with (33 years). Only recently did we switch to 1/2" steel rods, 5 feet long, to mark boundaries with. Cheaper and easier on the shoulder when hiking it in.

Wikipedia says around 1926 for "Y" posts but gives no dates on the "T" posts but says that the names are interchangeable.

Thanks, Kris.

> When did metal fence posts, known here as T-posts, come into existence? More than 30 years ago?

Yes, definitely more than 30 years ago. The oldest T-posts I've seen were used to fence a railroad right-of-way. My vague recollection is that at the time I thought they were probably pre-1940 vintage. The style of posts are one clue as to age. That is, not all t-posts are identical.

I have to agree with Kent. I recently surveyed a tract that had t-posts as corners. These are used for corners in this area in many cases. Over time you can see the different "styles" of t-posts, and can begin to tell roughly the era in which they were set.

The posts I found on this particular tract were much smaller in cross sectional dimensions than the ones in use today.

I would imagine that it would be similar to the past barbed wire discussions we have all had.

One thing to do would be to look at old Sears & Roebuck catalogs. Or old hardware supply catalogs. Or old farm supply catalogs. I haven't looked on Google Books, but you might find something there.

Thev've been around for a long as I can remember. They were in existance when I was a kid growing up on the ranch in Montana in the 1930's.

- A little off topic -

I recall a situation years ago (mid 80's maybe) that a survey was conducted on a large hilly / mountainous type property. The property corners were marked by or accessorized by T-Posts.

After closing, the new property owners, with survey in hand walked the property to locate and find the bounds of their new acquisition. After spending many hours looking for one particular corner in a very remote and steep part of the property, they saw a large painted post several yards down hill from themselves. The husband became excited and began to run toward the corner. He stumbled, fell and impaled himself to the T-Post, and killed him.

I was told the surveyor who set the post was help liable for his death.

Wow, that is horrible.

Thanks all. That is great input. T posts started showing up here about 35 years ago as I remember. I was trying to date a fence.

I remember seeing advertisements in "Surveying and Mapping" back in the 1970s-1980s regarding a (new) book that detailed all types of barbed wire and metal fence posts manufactured and/or used in the United States. Might be available from a used book seller.

The Interstate highways in Oregon were built in the 1950's and miles of their right of way are lined with t-post fences.

You might be able to find the patent on them. there should be a US patent.

US patent search The records go back to 1790.

This won't give you a date they showed up in your area but you might be able to match the type fence post to the patent to get a pretty good idea as to how old they are.

I was looking through the fence post patents. There are a lot of them.

As I have nothing better to do I would be willing to help you look through them if you could post detailed pic of the t-post you are searching for. There are many variations.

We are in a region where historically all the posts were cut from hedge trees (Osage orange, bodarc, bois d'arc) which are in over abundance. However, in 1964, at age 11, I helped my dad build a one-quarter mile stretch of new fence using steel 'T' posts for everything but the corners, braces and gate posts. That was our first significant use of them. I know they have been around much longer than that, but, the ready availability of hedge posts makes them a far cheaper, stronger and longer lasting alternative.

2010 minus 30 = 1980 is all I need. I think that is a no-brainer after thinking about. Hard to believe 1980 is 30 yrs. ago!!!!! Dumb me.