Nat Geo Diggers TV show.......

[JB(MS)]

The local newspaper had an article in it today that said National Geographic is going to film an episode of Diggers at the old Gulf Ordnance Plant in Prairie.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Prairie is a community about 25 miles southwest of where I live, but during WW II a huge munitions plant was built there to make large caliber amunition for U.S. troops. Several hundred women and a few men were bussed to the plant from as far away as 50 miles. One of my Aunts worked there. The only things there now is one store, a post office, a few scattered houses, many buildings that have fell down, some still falling down, a couple of really tall smokestacks and bunkers where the munitions were stored. The building in the photo was the administration building. The smokestack is said to be 300 feet tall, could be as it's a long way behind the tree. I don't like the Diggers TV show. I think it's silly, stupid and makes the hobby look bad, but I'm kinda looking forward to seeing them hunting at Prairie.

[attachment 307603 prairie.jpg]

 

[ironsight]

All i can say is i hope those clowns only find one corroded shell casing after another!

But if that happens, that show would be in serious jeopardy of being air'd on the NatGeo channel!
However, with the production costs and such involved, the show must go on by any means possible if you get my drift!

 

[Hombre]

n/t

 

[GeorgeinSC]

If we are lucky those two Idiots will explode a live shell under their feet. To say that I Detest their show would be putting it mildly.

 

[TabWhisperer]

I get that a TV production company will try to find someone that is interesting on camera. I found Carl Sagan interesting in his day and he didn't have to act like a fool. The trend has been to only find people that act like clowns. Too bad reputable detector companies sponsor them and apparently don't step in to help raise the quality of the content. If these TV shows were the only exposure I ever had to detecting and was asked if someone with a detector could hunt my property for historical artifacts or even casual coin hunting, I would refuse.

 

[GeorgeinSC]

Tab shortly after the first episode of "Diggers" aired I was out working a totlot and two couples came walking down the street. One of the ladies was inquisitive and so I took my headphones off to talk to her.

She asked if I was interested in detecting a property where Confederate Soldiers were reported to have camped. Of course I was all ears. She said that their home was on a one acre lot and I could come detect their property. Her husband cleared his throat and said: "I have seen that show and No One who acts like that is welcome on my property".

I could not convince that gentleman that I am not an Idiot. One television show of two complete and total Idiots ruined a very good invite.

I sent Nat Geo an email expressing my displeasure with their airing such trash. I am also disappointed to see that Garrett brags about them using their equipment. Personally if I were Garrett i would be telling them to find another company to disgrace.

 

[JB(MS)]

The muntions plant, associated buildings and bunkers cover a several miles area and most of it would be hard to hunt because much of it is over grown. What's left of a large park that was built for the workers and their kids is about 3/4 of a mile southeast of where the main buildings were. Back in the late 1990's we hunted the park a couple of times and found a lot of coins and dropped Civil War bullets. The road that goes through Prairie, and by the park, was in constant use by both Confederate and Union troops during the war and based on the number of bullets we found the park area was also used a place to camp. The ammunition made at the plant was large caliber, from 17mm to 67 mm shells for airplanes, tanks and large guns. Mississippi State University has had control of the entire site since the 1970's and use part of it for expermental purposes related to livestock. The railroad that goes through Prairie was used by both sides during the Civil war and many battles for control of it were fought up and down it for most of the war. There are several warehouse type buildings, in photo, there that were used for storage when the munitions plant was in operation, but now are rented by folks for storage purposes or as retail businesses. The area where the building are would be the easiest area to hunt as it's mowed on a regular basis.

http://i61.tinypic.com/25u2o77.jpg

 

[JB(MS)]

About this time two years ago the Diggers were detecting at Elvis Presley's supposed birth place in Tupelo, MS, which is 25 miles or so from where I live. One of few things they found was a Mississippi 1 mil tax token that was in rough condition, but they valued it at $15. I've found hundreds of the 1 mil Mississippi tax tokens, and if they're worth $15 each I've given or thrown away several thousand dollars woth of the tokens. I trashed the ones that were as bad as the one they found, a lot as they don't hold up well in our acidic soil, and gave a lot away to friends and co-workers who had never seen one, but still have several I would sell for $15 each if anyone is looking to buy one.

 

[Jsteel77]

The only good thing about the show is that it got my 9 year old son interested in MD'ing, which in turn got me interested!

 

[ironsight]

Thats also around the audience age that liked that movie 'dumb and dumber'!

They ought to rename that diggers show 'dumber and dumber'! Those two clowns on that show sure act like that!