Parks to hunt in Sprinfield area?

[hollywood13185]

Heys guys, wondering what your favorite parks in the Springfield area are to hunt. So far Ive dug wheaties at Phelps Grove, 2 silver dimes at Fassnight park, and nothin at Doling. Ive also hunted the Ozark park and found nothin but clad. Wondering if Im in the right areas. Any input or thoughts would be great. Thanks

 

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[godisnum1]

I just found a '46 wheatie at Doling this afternoon... and a pair of crushed glasses & some trash metal. I have found an old key there once, as well as what appeared to be a crushed brass ring.

I've been meaning to go out to Fassnight, but haven't got to it yet. I did detect a large open lot across the street from there by the cemetary... but found nothing really good.

I have been out to Ritter Springs and found lots of brass rifle cartridges... and a broken part of an arrow. That's about it.

And I also found some rifle cartridges out Busiek State Forest too.

Bran <><

 

[hollywood13185]

Ya you'd think you would find all kinds of silver at Doling park since it used to be an amusement park. It must be deep or just hiding under years of trash.

 

[godisnum1]

Ya you'd think you would find all kinds of silver at Doling park since it used to be an amusement park. It must be deep or just hiding under years of trash.

That's what I was thinking after seeing all of the old photographs of the amusement park... but every time I swing by there, I never really find much. I also try to steer clear of where they tore down the old community center.

If the weather will be nice a little more, I may try to go back down to the old drive-in theater on Kearney, past Glenstone. I got permission once to detect there, but it used to be too grown up to really even be able to swing. And there were lots of snakes. I hate snakes.
Anyway, I noticed a couple weeks ago that someone bushwacked the whole lot, so maybe it's a good time to go back out there again.

Bran <><

 

[hollywood13185]

That would be a good place, keep me posted on any good finds. My dad and I also got permission to hunt the fair grounds but they seem real strict on when you can go. Theres always sumthin goin on there and we just have never made it out. Probably tons of trash there too though.

 

[godisnum1]

Yep, I thought about there... but figured there would be tons of trash as well.
I really want to get access to some open fields here in the area, since there was so much civil war activity in and around Springfield.
There's one spot on my way out to Ritter Springs that I was thinking about seeking permission for. It's an open cow pasture that has a small stream running right through it. I just seem to get alot less frustrated when searching for relics than I do when I'm coinshooting at parks or school yards.

I found out last school year that the property my college (BBC) is on used to be a park back in the day. And since the was school founded & built in 1950, I'm pretty sure there would be some good finds here. I just know that I could never get permission to dig, with as much time as the maintenance people put into keeping the place nice.

Bran <><

 

[hollywood13185]

Ya some people are touchy about their grass. I too get less frustrated relic hunting. Almost any signal could be sumthin good, even iron. Ive thought about the field behind my work at Grizzly but no one Ive talked to has been able to tell me if it was backfilled or not.

 

[godisnum1]

Yeah, I was just looking at the Sat images of the field by your work. Have you thought of trying at the Nathaneal Green Park, a little north-west of your job, on South Scenic Ave? It's by the Japanese Stroll Gardens. I've thought about detecting there in the past, because there are huge open fields and semi-wooded areas. If you'd like to get together and detect sometime, let me know!

Bran <><

 

[moholedigger]

If you want to do some work, here are a couple of areas that could be interesting for relic hunting. I grew up (1970) in a place that was considered Strafford at the time, but is now part of Springfield. If you take Kearney east past 65, and it will roll down a hill and then as it starts to go up is an old motel (or what is left of it). Not sure if it is still inhabitated or not. Anyway, the middle of the circle drive was a pool at one time. To the west is a little open spot near the road. My dad sold cars there for several years. In front of the main house is a second portion of the circle drive. As kids we made snow forts in between the two areas. Also to the west side of the main house is where a lot of outside activity occurred. We hade some people that rented that area a put a mobile home there for awhile. They BBQ a lot. Now behind the property (if you see behind the motel their is quite a bit of open acreage), I can tell something is built up there. Smack dab in the middle of whatever is built back there now, used to be woods. As kids we went back there a lot on family walks. An old barn used to be about where something now sits, BUT an OLD and I mean probably 1880-1900 homesite was probably 300 feet east of that barn site and another well (home) was probably another 200-300 feet north and east of that home site.
Also, a good friend of mine moved about that time as they were prepping for the highway (65)... they knocked down his house.. further back up Kearney toward 65. It sat back off of a road to the north. I'm sure it would show up on some maps prior to the building of Highway 65 (1968 and prior). Anyway, he lived in an OLD two story colonial type house.

Just some thoughts guys, I have no idea about getting permission, but the home site with the barn looked like it was pretty nice at the time it was built. Obviously, it was run down when I lived there and overtaken by the woods, but I remember my folks talking about it being nice for its time.

 

[hollywood13185]

Yeah, I was just looking at the Sat images of the field by your work. Have you thought of trying at the Nathaneal Green Park, a little north-west of your job, on South Scenic Ave? It's by the Japanese Stroll Gardens. I've thought about detecting there in the past, because there are huge open fields and semi-wooded areas. If you'd like to get together and detect sometime, let me know!

Bran <><

Ya once it gets warmer Im definately gona try to get out some more. I think Ive got a good lead at an old empty lot in Nixa near old Main street. Its surrounded by houses that look early 1900s. Could be promising. Josh

 

[godisnum1]

Solid! Well feel free to send me a message sometime when the weather improves... and maybe we can go check it out!

Bran <><

 

[hollywood13185]

Sounds good man Ill keep in touch.

 

[khouse]

I was told by the Springfield parks dept. that I can use a detector in the parks but I can't dig or disturb the ground in any way. Have any of you park hunters been asked to leave? What has been you experience with the parks dept.?

 

[godisnum1]

No, I haven't had any problems or been told to leave from any of the parks. I've always filled in my holes to where you couldn't even tell I dug one. The only time the park department has been around me, they just drove around a bit, then left. Like I said, I haven't had any issues before. I would be happy to leave if someone asked me to. There are so many different parks, and I always make sure to keep the trash on me that I find to show them that I'm cleaning up any surface trash I find in and around the spots I dig and cover up.

Bran <><

 

[hollywood13185]

Ya like Bran Ive also never had a problem and I hunt Springfield parks alot. My Dad called the Springfield Park Board to get permission and they said it was perfectly fine. So we hunt them quite frequently. Fassnight and Phelps Grove are my favorites.

 

[khouse]

I wonder why they would tell me that? I did find in the park rules. Look at d. So I guess they could enforce this rule if they wanted?

(1) Conduct in parks. It shall be unlawful for any person while on property or in buildings under the operation and control of the park board to:
a. Conduct himself in an unusually loud or disturbing manner; use threatening, abusive, insulting, indecent, obscene or profane language; or harass, annoy, curse at or intentionally jostle any patron of any public park.
b. In any way interfere, by the use of physical force or by the threat of such force, with any person peacefully moving in and about the grounds and buildings, except for a law enforcement officer or employee of the parks in the performance of his duty.
c. Throw stones, rocks, sticks, bottles or other similar things by hand or otherwise.
d. Mark upon, tear up, injure, deface, cut, dig or in any other way intentionally injure or impair the usefulness of structures, grass, trees, shrubs or plants, pavement, sidewalks or roadways.

 

[godisnum1]

Yeah, I'm guessing if you properly fill your holes and cover your plugs... you'll probably never have the D Rule thrown at ya!

Bran <><

 

[khouse]

No problem there. Been hunting since 1984. I always pride myself in the surgical removal of targets.

 

[godisnum1]

Hey hollywood... it's supposed to get to 60 degrees out today, you up for some detecting at a park or something??
I'm really tired of being inside!!!

Send me a PM if you get this and feel up to it.

Bran <><

 

[godisnum1]

The high was 64 today, so I hit up Nathaneal Greene Park... only to find a penny, a screw, and lots of can-slaw.
It really makes me want to find a big open pasture and do some relic detecting!!
Anyway, the wind made the temps drop... then the sun started going down and my detector started chattering like crazy, so I shut it off and left.
Maybe next time...

Bran <><