Research question for those experienced hunters

[jjaddict]

Or any hunter with good information really. I couldn't find a forum dedicated to researching, so I figured I'd ask here. Most...all of the old parks in my area have been heavily hunted, and the good old coins are pretty hard to find. So I'm starting to do some research to find some sites that are virgin grounds or close to it. I was wondering what methods of research tend to yield the best results. I have old Sanborn maps of the area, and have looked for old newspaper articles referring to fairs or events. Are there specific types of events I could search for that might yield some good finds, or good keywords to search? Are there other good methods of research that I'm not thinking of? Any help would be much appreciated!!

Thanks

 

[Digger]

Sanborn maps are good. And I spend a lot of time reading the old local newspapers. I pay particular attention to the editions just prior to, and following, eventful dates. For example, for two or three weeks prior to the 4th of July, the paper has a lot of information on what events are planned, and where they will be held. For the two weeks following the Fourth, reports are given as to the size of the crowds and how much fun it was. Same goes for fairs. In my part of the Country, various types of agricultural based fairs were held from mid summer to after harvest. Newspapers always cover the local events, and fairs use to be one of the major events of the year. Again, for a couple weeks prior, to a few weeks after, papers talked about who won the prize for this and that, and who won which horse race. In several instances, I've found the fair to be held in one spot, and a reference made to "the races were held 2 miles south of town and Mr. Johnson farm." In this instance, folks may have hunted the fair ground. But chances are the Johnson farm still has some goodies! Same goes for swimming holes, church picnics and rural polling places. Just tie an event to a given period of time, and go through the papers. Most of the papers I go through are on microfilm. As my eyes are dripping from trying to focus on the screen, I remind myself that if if were easy, someone else would have already done it! Best of luck in your quest. HH Randy

 

[xwyokid]

Visit your local county land office. See if you can go through old county maps. My brother did that about 15 years ago. Believe it or not we are still working those old maps!. We probably will never finish. Maybe they will photocopy for you at a reasonable fee. Who knows maybe for free!!! Remember you are more or less at their mercy so SMILE. Good Luck.

 

[Digger]

My State has aerial photos online, taken back in the 1930's. I've used them extensively to learn what an area looked like 60 years ago. Check to see if any are available for where you live. HH Randy

 

[detectorbill]

Everyone who responded has great suggestions that i use. I also talk to the hunting clubs in my area. I ask them to look for flowers that are in the middle of the woods, stacked stones etc. My best finds were at a location that William Lowndes Yancey once owned and farmed and is currently leased by a hunting club. Those who know the history of the times that lead up to the civil war would know that name. I looked for two years in several places to find his old homestead to no avail. I then asked a friend of mine that hunts in the general area I was looking if he had come across anything out of the ordinary in his hunts in the area. He told me of an old cellar hole and stone foundation he walks past every hunt. I asked if I could check it out and he said yes. I had to wake up at 3:45 a.m and drive to the location and cook breakfast for 15 hunters, but finding two slave tags from the 1850's and several relics that are in our local museum; it was well worth it.

HH,
Bill

 

[Mtnmn]

Checkout your local area online Historical Society sites and or what any area online genealogy sites have to offer and also checkout any "links" listed and their links too. Some online high school sites have their own online Historical site which can rival anything a local historical society site has to offer. Another good source of information is "Mytopo Historical Maps" for your area, some in my area go all the way back into the late 1800's. Also try typing in "Ghost Towns" or "Lost Treasures" of your state or area and especially follow thru on any links that are offered with those sites. Hope this can be of help... Mtnmn

 

[jjaddict]

Awesome, thanks for all of the great suggestions!! I really appreciate it. It's nice how willing this forum is to help out the noobies.

Thank you,

 

[David]

Good tips! We have historical books done on local towns-villages our area in Libraries. Also in smaller villages there are books where each and every family in the village and surrounding farming area has a personal biography done on these individual families, all about their life in that area, one such book is called the Sodbusters.

The first Rodeo here was in 1919 and there were different fair grounds and older houses starting in 1898 where I know it was at. BUT the problem is that the grass is too high and especially the bushes have grown too thick to swing a metal detector over that area.

Someone needs to make a handheld lightweight-small inexpensive imaging type metal detector unit with a separate small TV type flat screen(or built right on the units housing) that shows the clear-exact(not fuzzy) high-resolution outline of the target, so a person knows the metallic(by different colors) objects size and shape, also how deep in the ground. That will go(see) through vegetation(grass and small bushes) also. These types are already made and available through Accurate Locators(USA Imager and the Dominator) but they are bulky and very expensive.

 

[jreb]

Ride the old backroads or anywhere near water and high ground but don't overlook the obvious downtown sidewalks and yards where house is for sale hang in there be persistant

 

[ringfinder]

copied 5 counties and all the townships from each county. I carry them in a folder and when I am in a Country, Township, I look for the old one room school houses, where church's where at that are no longer standing. Where a spring might have been that travelers might have stopped for the night because of the water. I also look for
old towns that are no longer around. These are great and I mean GREAT places to hunt. I have been hunting a ghost town for over 15 years and I'm still finding some great items
at this site. One of the items I found at this old ghost town was a brass eagle head that was used by Civil War Officers on there saddle. It was a saddle horn. The key here is Research, Research, Research.

I also always like to talk to the old timers. I have been detecting for over 25 years and I'm still picking up hunt sites just by talking to local older people. Like another writer said, drive on back roads, look for sites. I remember before I retired, I would take a different way home every night, looking for new sites to hunt.

Good Luck, hope to see some of the things found at sights that have been recommended to you.

HH< Ringfinder