So how do you find spots to detect?

Younghunt

Full Member
May 14, 2011
141
5
Clarkesville ga/ Ringgold ga
Detector(s) used
bounty hunter fast tracker, now garrett at pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

TreasureWriter

Full Member
Nov 13, 2011
147
72
Primary Interest:
Other
Gosh I'll bet you wish that you had paid better attention in high school history class now!

When I was teaching, I could have my students on the edge of their seats by interweaving a lost treasure tale into my lessons.

Finding sites to search really comes down to research...research...research.

I know of probably more Pennsylvania ghost towns than anyone else. At least anyone else that I've ever run into. I'll never be able to visit them all...forget about searching them.

I find these sites by cross referencing old maps. These may be land grant maps, railroad maps, sanborn maps, caldwell's atlases and even old road maps. When you notice that a particular town no longer appears on a more recent map; its probably become a ghost town.

Learn all that you can about the local history. Go to the historical societies, museums etc. Find out who the authorities are on local history and talk with them....record or take plenty of notes.

If you're looking for civil war relics....research old forts and encampments...marching trails and battlefields. Some of these areas will be off limits to detecting but never fear.....what you really want to look for are the retreat trails of the soldiers; these will be outside of the immediate historic areas. As the soldiers retreated they would discard almost everything as they were being pursued. Look at the terrain to determine the easiest avenue of escape and search there.

Once you begin to research and it begins to pay off you'll be hooked on going to the historical societies and locating texts that were written as first hand accounts of events. Don't bother reading school books and such....after reading true first hand accounts and comparing them to a school textbook you'll think that you were reading about two entirely different events. Always look for first hand knowledge or news accounts of the period.

Stop by and check out the Pa Ghost Town Group and my personal album to see some of our finds. I've been at this for nearly 50 years. It's been a lot of fun!

Good luck
Cheers
:occasion14:
 

Last edited:

rossman85

Full Member
May 14, 2012
213
20
harrisburg, pa
Detector(s) used
garrett at pro, pro pointer, lesche digger
Treasure writer.... Where is your old ghosttown group located? I live near harrisburg
 

A/CMan

Hero Member
Apr 2, 2012
590
105
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Battle of Ringold gap is where I would start first , check out your local library for old maps and books, and talk to the older residents .
 

OP
OP
Younghunt

Younghunt

Full Member
May 14, 2011
141
5
Clarkesville ga/ Ringgold ga
Detector(s) used
bounty hunter fast tracker, now garrett at pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A/CMan said:
Battle of Ringold gap is where I would start first , check out your local library for old maps and books, and talk to the older residents .

I was just looking at that today? Where would i start!?!?
 

OP
OP
Younghunt

Younghunt

Full Member
May 14, 2011
141
5
Clarkesville ga/ Ringgold ga
Detector(s) used
bounty hunter fast tracker, now garrett at pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
TreasureWriter said:
Gosh I'll bet you wish that you had paid better attention in high school history class now!

When I was teaching, I could have my students on the edge of their seats by interweaving a lost treasure tale into my lessons.

Finding sites to search really comes down to research...research...research.

I know of probably more Pennsylvania ghost towns than anyone else. At least anyone else that I've ever run into. I'll never be able to visit them all...forget about searching them.

I find these sites by cross referencing old maps. These may be land grant maps, railroad maps, sanborn maps, caldwell's atlases and even old road maps. When you notice that a particular town no longer appears on a more recent map; its probably become a ghost town.

Learn all that you can about the local history. Go to the historical societies, museums etc. Find out who the authorities are on local history and talk with them....record or take plenty of notes.

If you're looking for civil war relics....research old forts and encampments...marching trails and battlefields. Some of these areas will be off limits to detecting but never fear.....what you really want to look for are the retreat trails of the soldiers; these will be outside of the immediate historic areas. As the soldiers retreated they would discard almost everything as they were being pursued. Look at the terrain to determine the easiest avenue of escape and search there.

Once you begin to research and it begins to pay off you'll be hooked on going to the historical societies and locating texts that were written as first hand accounts of events. Don't bother reading school books and such....after reading true first hand accounts and comparing them to a school textbook you'll think that you were reading about two entirely different events. Always look for first hand knowledge or news accounts of the period.

Stop by and check out the Pa Ghost Town Group and my personal album to see some of our finds. I've been at this for nearly 50 years. It's been a lot of fun!

Good luck
Cheers
:occasion14:

Haha im not done in school yet! Only 15! Livin life to the fullest thanks for that awesome comment!
 

Apr 13, 2012
368
106
Maryville, Tn
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Go to the library and research, research and research the area your in . Most libraries will have a local section of the history of the town they are located in and just research it and look at old maps and pics of the town OR I think your pretty close to Don Dodson the owner of North Georgia Relics.... just stop by and see him.. he is a super nice guy and could probably give you some good leads.
 

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