2 part Question..OldHomesteads

[Holly_squirrel]

I've asked before, but can't seem to find the post to look back on it. How again would one go about finding old homesteads? I had good suggestions about historic maps n such , but can't find that thread.
Ideally what I would like would be to go to a forest where I had a hint of an idea that there was indeed once a house... But have it be a place I don't need to ask permission. In person, I'm pretty shy initially. How do you find out if a patch of woods somewhere is owned by anyone? It seems around my way every inch seems to be owned by state or land preserves or private owners. Here is the thing with all tbe public preserved and such.... It gets past the metal detecting question, by posting on rules ( on line), ...Nothing is allowed to be disturbed, moved, removed , or in any way effected. Leave it as it is.... That's the jist of it. So obviously digging and removing anything is off limits.
I'm surrounded by incredible history and no where to dig! I blew it on a house I been lusting after. Built in 1760 ! Been on sale and vacant 2 years! Got tbe nerve to look up the realtor's number and saw it was now under contract



I'm sick about it. I have always felt that place was suppose to be mine. I go sit in the driveway sometimes n just look at it. That's weird, lol... I know. The price was 94,000.... That's it.... That is dirt cheap for around here. It's got a moss covered wooden shingle roof and the windows are crooked from settlement. Anyhow , now strangers are buying my house... Lol.
Sorry, got side tracked. So here is my thing.. I absolutly can not get the nerve to go to a door and ask a owner if I could detect. That's way out of my comfort zone . It would ruin it for me to be watched while I hunt ... I prefer privacy. So I do have the guts to try asking a realtor over the phone.... What would be the most convincing way to broach the subject?
More than 2 part question . Sorry. 1. How to find old abandoned or no
Longer standing homes, by use of maps and such. 2. How to find if a patch of land is owned by anyone 3. How to talk to a realtor about detecting at a vacant property they have for sale.

 

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[spartacus53]

hmmm, a 2 part question, with 3 questions asked

I'll take a shot at #1 and I bet you'll like my suggestion, especially since you're the shy type

Hunt ghost towns

There are many websites on the internet, so I'll give you 1 for free

Have fun, and don't annoy any ghosts


List of ghost towns in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Jay In NewKen]

I can really only speak for your first question. I would look for old pomeroy or sanborn maps in your area. Some can be found online, other via library. These maps are fairly old, 1800's in some cases. Also, old topographical maps work well too as some will show approximate locations of houses, mills, etc. Try historic aerials.com. I like the site and might get you started. There are others like it also, historicmapworks.com is another. HH

Jay

 

[JABBERWOCKY]

In my area there is a G.I.S. map available. There maybe one online for your area too.
it will tell you who owns any given land plot and other info like soil types ect.
GL&HH!

 

[Backbacon]

Contact a local museum or historical society in order to obtain the knowledge that you seek. They will have invaluable resources available to you and usually aren't too full of people if you're the shy type.

 

[vpnavy]

I've asked before, but can't seem to find the post to look back on it...

Enjoy! How would i locate old homesteads? (Apr 04, 2013 - Apr 08, 2013)

 

[BryanM362]

Holly, that is a beautiful old house! Lots of character! It can't hurt to still ask the realitor. Or, maybe wait till the new owners show up.

As far as asking the Realitor on the phone, I would just be polite, honest, and non-assuming.

Maybe something like:

Hi I'm Holly Snow, Sorry to bother you, but I was hoping you could help me with something. I am really excited about my new Hobby, metal detecting, and I was wondering if you knew of any cool-old places that I might be able to detect? It's really hard to find good places. I promise I won't damage anything and will leave hardly any evidence I was there, I'll fill my holes and be very careful..... How about that old 1700's house on XXX road?

 

[mcb]

It can't hurt to ask the owners. I was nervous too and avoided it for a long time. Eventually I pulled up and asked an owner who's home I was checking out for a long time. I explained it was a hobby and if I found anything of value I'd split it, also show any finds regardless. The owner was more then happy and walked me through the woods showing all his acreage so I knew where his land ended and began. I was nervous I'd be watched too but wasn't and really have never been. Normally its warm and the owners and family are doing there thing while I'm detecting. I've only had two odd home owners out of about 50. The first was weary like I was going to rob them and said no, but their neighbors said yes LOL and they just watched me on their neighbors land for a hot second before they relaxed. The second was so hell bent on what if I find an Indian head, they're worth so much they won't split anything. Okay whatever I never went back out of their own stupidity. Once you open up and ask one owner you'll be asking many. Maybe the first guy I asked was abnormal I don't know. He has over 7 acres and I've gone back to his property for the past 3 summers. He's always friendly and happy to see me and leaves me be. Sometimes he doesn't even care when I'm leaving, I approach him with my finds so he knows what's up. His home is an old 1800's farm house.

 

[CoilyGirl]

I think if you feel more comfortable talking on the phone than face to face just call up the realty company and ask them if they would check with the owners and see if its alright for you to look( preferably before anyone moves in)Google Earth is also helpful if you want to just get a good overhead view of areas where you think there could possibly be some fallen down buildings or even depressions in the dirt that were garbage pits or even outhouses were.

 

[AU Seeker]

Holly,

In the future or present if you ever need to find a topic/thread you started or any posts/replies you've posted, go to your profile and look under your profile page picture and click on either "Find latest started threads" or "Find latest posts" and you'll get a list of your activity on the forum, you can also go to anyone's profile and do the same for their activity.

 

[hunter_46356]

If your areas is as you describe then all the above answers will get you started. Ultimately you will more than likely have to ask someone for permission. After following several of your post this issue is mentioned many times. I think everyone here would love to find a vast piece of property that once held a turn of the century house, school, church, ghost town, etc. that nobody owned or no body cared if you detected it, to have all for ourselves. It's like looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Sooner or later if you intend to make this a lasting hobby your going to half to overcome something else first and do a lot of research. Good Luck and Happy Hunting

 

[Peyton Manning]

If your areas is as you describe then all the above answers will get you started. Ultimately you will more than likely have to ask someone for permission. After following several of your post this issue is mentioned many times. I think everyone here would love to find a vast piece of property that once held a turn of the century house, school, church, ghost town, etc. that nobody owned or no body cared if you detected it, to have all for ourselves. It's like looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Sooner or later if you intend to make this a lasting hobby your going to half to overcome something else first and do a lot of research. Good Luck and Happy Hunting

ever notice how wise Hoosiers are?

 

[Peyton Manning]

ok thinking out of the box, but have you thought of advertising on craigslist? or a newspaper ad? Just say metal detector hobbiest looking for property to search. will share finds with owner. use your email address to protect your privacy

 

[DiggItUp]

Holly, what part of PA are you in?

 

[Tucson Dan]

I have seen a few things about talking to a realtor. This will only work if they get permission from the owner. They will probably not have the authority to tell you yes on a property they don't own. Holly, if you're willing to talk to a realtor, then knocking on a door should get easy after doing it a few times, even with "no" responses. It's like jumping out of an airplane for the first time and being scared crazy. After that, it's not that bad anymore.

 

[BryanM362]

ever notice how wise Hoosiers are?

Now that you mention it.... No Never!

 

[Holly_squirrel]

Thanks every body sorry it took e so lo g to reply.. Crazzzyyyy day

 

[Peyton Manning]

hush Bryan

 

[Subchaser]

Holly that was me that mentioned the Historic Map Works site and also Google Maps. I also use Google Earth, nice thing with that one is you can look back and see an area at different years and different times of the year. It's heavily wooded here and I was having a tough time in Google Maps finding the trail I was using and getting my bearings to finding a possible old home site shown on an 1868 map. Couldn't see through the trees...so I used the time slider thingy and was able to see the area in the winter when the leaves were all fallen.....could make out the trail really well.
Another site I found was a town site that shows all the property boundaries and the names of the property owners.
That's a great looking house btw....understandable why you'd be drawn to it. My Sister-In-Law lives in Pa and I've been down there a lot over the years....she lives in the Downington/Essex area......PA is old country and I see prime hunting areas all over down there!! So my advice is to take a look at old maps, the ones that list homesteads and the head of the household......I look for the places on public land where the roads no longer exist and there's nothing there anymore. Hope this helps you out a bit.

 

[Subchaser]

Try this...just find your county, locate the map for your area, or the one you're interested in hunting, click the overlay button below the map(if it has one, not all do), click the hybrid satellite option to the right and then zoom in...also on the right is the resolution slider you use to fade the map in and out...most useful.

Pennsylvania Antique Maps and Historical Atlases - Historic Map Works