Fierro Fancy Fence Cast Iron

Cast Iron Picket Fence - Fierro (Ghost Town) In New Mexico.

In the 1880s, cast iron fencing was available in a variety of designs, motifs and shapes. Families created unique designs from mass-produced products by picking and choosing different gates, newel posts, picket tops and line posts from a fence catalog.
Owners of historic place ironwork should be aware that there is a growing illicit market for gates, fence sections, benches, and ironwork.
Two key reasons for fencing years ago were to defend their property boundaries or family gardens from wandering cattle-horses. Many states, including New Mexico, have “fence-out” laws that protect livestock owners from certain kinds of claims and lawsuits. A key point is that fence-out statutes pertain to claiming damages against the owner of trespassing livestock. This important context and legal intent may not be apparent to a lay person reading the individual statutes. If your neighbor’s cow barges into your properly fenced garden and eats all your vegetables and herbs, you can claim damages and expect to be financially compensated—and even keep the cow until your neighbor pays for your damages!

Read less