Growing up in rural Maryland in the 1960s, while hunting, I frequently encountered abandoned farms and homesteads due to the encroachment of housing developments brought on by the post-World War II baby boom. Often, their structures were virtual time capsules and contained artifacts left in place by the previous owners.
To the chagrin of my friends, I would frequently spend more time exploring these buildings rather than beating the bushes for a rabbit or covey of quail.