Interesting Leads for Northern Lower for spring and summer hunting

[mpostma]

Since Northern Michigan is still either a beautiful white world clean with fresh snow, or still a frozen wasteland with too much ice......,
So, since getting out swinging coil is not an option yet I continue to research.

Interesting items for spring and summer Up North:

1. Found a story on microfilm about a 1904 Soldiers Reunion here in East Jordan. They had a large camp set up. Followed the description for the camp and found where I believe it is. It is still a vacant field, in town. In a remote location, not adjacent to any streets. Nearly pristine.

2. Found out that in 1902, 03, 04 etc. The farmers of Northern Michigan had their own festival. As many as 5,000 camped and stayed in the same area for as many as five days each fall. Still looking for exact location, but the clues are all there.

3. In Kalkaska, MI in 1904 a steam powered dirigible was being invented to compete for the $100,000 prize for an airship that would change forever aviation. The location of the shop area where it was being built just outside of the village is described in one of the articles.

4. Found additional information about King Strang and the treasure he is supposed to have burried on an island in Lake Charlevoix.
He was the ruler of the mormons that lived on Beaver Island. He was shot and killed not long after he was supposed to have buried the silver and gold some of his followers were pirating from boats and settlements along the lake shore. The same island was a picnic site for up to 1,200 people at a time, and had an Ottawa indian camp on it. The island has cottages on it, but is mostly wooded as it was back then.

6. Found an old house in a nearby town that was the home of a prominent senator from Northern Michigan for many years.
The last owner of the house died a couple of years ago and it was put in trust. I have met the caretaker and it appears I will have permission to hunt that property.

7. Found more areas that have become wooded that were part of the fairgrounds I have hunted many times.

8. Found two more old school sites that are just woods now, and two more sites that were used for church picnics and revival meetings.

I am so ready to start detecting! In the meantime I will be back in the Microfilm again on the weekend!

Wishing all of you good luck!

Mark

[Atlanta Mi Dave]

Great research mark! I need to do something similar for the Atlanta, Gaylord, Alpena area. Still stuck down here in Florida for one more month. Can't wait to get home!

[Planet1mars (mike)]

dantheman has the spring hunt all set... so we should set this up for summer,but soundslike a plan . and if anyone lives up there ill stay for a week at higgins and meet up with a few of you

[Mich. Wolverine]

Looks like you have some good spots to detect when the weather breaks. That soldiers reunion and farmers place should give up some nice coins and relics. Good luck. Talk to ya later.

Wolverine.

[mpostma]

Hey Dave,
I will keep my eyes open a little more for Gaylord-Atlanta stuff. Maybe I can find you a little something to dig into before you get home.

Wolverine,
When spring gets here maybe you'd be interested in a little road trip? I just found out that the owner of the soldier's reunion campsite is a customer of mine. Pretty sure permission won't be hard to get on that one.

The Farmer's festival was in Norwood, which is more difficult to get permission, and pinpoint where they had their "sheds".
According to the articles they built two sheds 45 feet wide by 175 feet long, 30 feet apart.

Planet,
I am ready. I feel like Spongebob. I'm Ready! I'm Ready! I'm Ready!!!!!

Good Luck All,
Mark

[Atlanta Mi Dave]

Thanks Mark on the Gaylord/Atlanta area. Any help would be appreciated! I know a guy in Norwood that may know that area somewhat.

[mpostma]

Ok Dave,
I will be on the microfilm tomorrow. Let you know what I find.

Many cool spots in Norwood. Does your friend MD? That is just an awsome area, lots of history there.

Have a great weekend,
Mark

[Planet1mars (mike)]

atlanta is beautiful area. i used to hunt there. i seen elk and bears.. such a beautiful place

[Atlanta Mi Dave]

Nope, my buddy in Norwood does not detect, but he rides a motorcycle like a maniac. I started coming to the Atlanta/Hillman area about 50 years ago, but never thought I'd live here (8) yr's now. but I'm still down here in Florida for about another month. Can't wait to get home!

[Planet1mars (mike)]

Atlanta has a few good spots to hunt, but the only thing that sucks is the dang shells from guns

[mpostma]

You mean spent bullets? Or spent brass and shotgun shells?
Welcome to Northern Michigan! We dig many of both all over the rural areas up here.
What can I say? We hunt, and have for many many many many years.

Good Luck Mike!
Mark

[muleskinner]

Cool research, Beaver Island is how I got the MD fever. If you live in Jordan you already found treasure! I love it up in that country. I don't know much about the country you're in except maybe you need to get wet to find some good stuff.

[mpostma]

Muleskinner,
I can understand getting the fever on Beaver! Whenever I work over there I feel my blood pressure drop when I step off the plane or the boat. I got a chance to hunt there for a couple of hours last year. Spent the time around the lighthouse and the water line around it.
Found many pennies and dimes, all from the 1970s. With the lake level so low I thought I might get lucky.

I've gotten to know some people over there. One of them owns quiet a bit of property, including some of the old cabin sites. He wants to get a metal detector. I thought I'd help him.

The island that is supposed to have treasure on it was where Strang was supposed to have hidden some of the cash he and his bunch pirated from around the area.

I know what you mean about our area. I was born and raised in Grand Rapids. My family moved up here when I was in high school.
Now I'm the mayor of East Jordan, and it would probably kill me to leave here.
If you ever get up this way let me know I'd be happy to have you along on a hunt.
Good Luck,
Mark

[Tomas Frijole]

Love East Jordan, I worked at Boyne years ago and did all my after work partridge hunting in the valley, came across a few logging relics. Wish I was into detecting then. I used to love seeing the East Jordon Iron Works manhole covers in my travels across the states, they are all over!

[mpostma]

Hi Thomas,
Let me know if you want to take a drive up and do some mding in the valley.
I have 2 logging camp sites that I go to a few times a summer.

Open invitation to come on back up and swing a coil!

Good Luck,
Mark

[Tomas Frijole]

Thanks for the invite! Sounds interesting. My mother used to know where every lumbercamp was and loved to dig around them when I was a kid. I am looking at getting up to that area about morel/watercress season to see about working up there. I'll give a shout if it happens. It could be a whole new world again swinging a detector.

Always wondered if there is debris at the bottom of dead mans hill. I seem to remember some ghost towns around Mancelonia, too.

There was a lumber camp about a mile from my house. It was at an Indian "Fort", the lumbermen cut entrances through and corraled their work stock in at night. But private off limits now. Ever nose around the sinkholes NE of Bone Falls?

[mpostma]

There is an old CCC camp up that way I plan to check out this spring.

There is a lot of history underground up here. Ghost towns and old camps are all out there, if you are willing to walk to get to most of them.

Any time you are up this way just let me know.
Mark

[123jerry]

thanks for the info,keep up the good work

[dowser]

Hey Mark, did you find any more Michigan locations on microfilm lately? I'm in Northern Michigan and am interested in any leads you want to check out together.. Mike

[Mike from MI]

All that work should lead to plenty of treasure! job well done!