| Archive for Back to the Web Site |
| KingsMtnMan |
How to hunt a particular property, farm or old house?Ok, it's brain picking time! Couple of questions: What determines where you hunt? Does it have to be a "history" worthy spot or can it be anywhere that has evidence of habitation in the past 100 years or so? Let's say I know of an old house that burned down 40 years ago. The home was inhabited by a family of lets say less than upper class folk. The home and grounds were basically abandonded but remains in the same condition as it was the day it burned (obviously just rock pillars , some old looking small bricks, etc. , and never bull-dozed) Would it be somewhere to hunt? Here's another: I know of an old school building that last operated back in the 60's. It's still standing but the windows are boarded up and vegetation is taking over. Worth coin-shooting?Another: A swimming hole I went to on a sand bar when I was a child...yeah probably 45 years ago. It was a big deal for us and was frequented by many people back then. I actually went by it the other day and eye-balled it. Most of the sand bar is missing and has been taken over by vegetation but I remember it well as a regular summer hang out when I was a kid. Any suggestions are welcome. I'm new to this stuff and I'm looking to "branch out" beyond the tot-lots ,school yeads, sports complexes, etc. Thanks, Curt |
| CJ Tuffy |
Hi Curt,
“History” Worthy spots most times are famous and are either off limits because of their historical status or folks have been all over them with detectors. There can be pickings/finds left on the fringes of these sites, but you have to make sure it’s ok to detect there and it will be far and few. With detecting you want to maximize your field time by doing good research to see where the peoples movements were coming and going to these sites. Did they camp close by or spread out from the original location a bit. I would go for the 40 year old house. Although the folks may have been poor they inhabited the location for a while and may have lost things. There may have been a house on the site before that one. Just be prepared for a lot of trash. If you don’t have time to deal with tons of trash, I would “cherry pick” for silver around large trees and near the sidewalks. Other good spots would be around clotheslines, front and back doors, driveway and paths. By cherry picking for silver only you may miss copper coins especially old ones and tokens. Also brass buttons, lead bullets and gold items. I would suggest a good starting point would be a map of your area from at least the 40s showing where all the houses were. I have one (everyone else too!!) for Union County NC from 1905 that shows all the property owners for the whole county as well as mills (good meeting locations), taverns, schools and churches. Some of the places are now empty fields. I have a lifetime of hunting locations. Please research who owns the property as bullet holes leak a lot..LOL Here’s some links for good map locations. Your local library also has them and you can pay $10 bucks for copies. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome.html http://terraserver-usa.com/image....Z=17&X=149&Y=1196&W=2 http://www.historicmapworks.com/Atlas/US/12295/Cleveland+County+1954/ http://www.censusfinder.com/mapnc.htm I can go on forever but it’s difficult to type with two fingers and you get the idea. I hope this helps and good hunting…CJ |
| nc-joe |
Charlie summed it up pretty good. No there does not have to be an known 'historical' past. But research is the key to know what you are looking for. Suprisingly, we tend to find more coins and overall better finds from low to middle class home sites. Sure, they had less money, but they were usually more careless in behaviors and they children lost more stuff.
Take the time to find you a good hunting partner from the club that can show you what to look for and how to read the land. What you learn from that will be far more valuable than any of the finds on your spots. |
| cadit |
Hi Curt: Charlie and Joe made good comments which pretty much sum it up. Just to add a little; in looking at old homesteads, remember that in days past people were more family orientated than today.
If a home site that had the room, the family member of that house would host family reunions. They would have large cook out, rows tables to eat from, a field where a ball games was played, a close by hill where the kids played and slide or rolled down the hill. There's no end to what took place at these gatherings and as Charlie and Joe stated, many things were lost over the years. Good Hunting Henry |
| yotman1 |
KingsMtnI use old maps from my area, I have them from 1829, 1854, 1866, 1876, 1903 covering the exact same county. A comparison to modern maps makes it easy to see where to hunt. Just find them old houses. [ar at least where they use to be].Tim |