All day hunt at 1800s ghost town with Bob, Nate and Don-feeling old!

[Danimal]

We decided to once again try our hand at exploring a ghost town that I have been researching for a while. Several deer hunters I met told me about the area and on our first expedition there we were hampered by deep snow. At that time the only coin find was a 1918 Buff by Nate, and Bob (Mirage) had found a Knight's Templar-engraved lid to some type of tin.
Today's conditions were much improved from then and this time our friend Don (from DFXonly) joined in. We all met up at 7:30am and piled into Bob's van with all our gear. The drive there is about 1-1/2hrs and ends in a series of dirt roads. Today I wish I still had my old Ford Bronco because we could have literally driven right up to the hunting spots rather than hike. I think we covered about 4 miles altogether hiking but in association with all the bending and standing it felt like much much more (on top of me carrying my overkill backpack )
With the snow cover gone two things were quickly apparent:
1) Finding details like cellarholes, wells and such is MUCH easier!
2) People are PIGS. These areas have been used by hunters for decades, and it shows. Trash was EVERYWHERE and it was, at times, sickening. One cellarhole we found must have been one of the grander homes in the area long ago because of it's size and diversity, but was filled 3 feet deep with modern trash. We could not begin to hunt in the immediate area because of the ear-numbing volume of shallow trash.
I found a bottle dump near one hole and while the others moved on I stayed and dug, hoping for an intact bottle because there were GREAT looking pieces and parts everywhere, but alas it was not to be. Still got some cool bits. One area I hunted while hiking the mile back to meet the others had a really neat old heart-shaped seat made of concrete with inlaid seashells just sitting abandoned in the woods near two big pine trees.
As we were about to leave and find a place to eat, I talked them into driving further down one road because my 1903 map showed another home and I figured we would only stop if it was obvious where it was. Bingo...big trees, etc.
I found there my first "fattie" IH, but this sucker's rough rough rough. I did a few things to try and bring out detail, but corrosion was too rampant. Since you CAN see the shield on the reverse, it's not an 1859....
Here's some pics. Enjoy!

Unloading the van

Don firing his DFX up

Don hoping for a coin!

Collection of cool glass bits

Awesome loveseat w/seashell trim!

Detail on old loveseat

Trinkets layed out during lunchbreak

Stone lined well

Another well with cap propped up

Finds cleaned up

Closeup of fattie (told ya it was rough)


Dunno if we'll be back there. Lotta driving and hiking and so far the coin "density" leaved MUCH to be desired. Don't get me wrong. I am thrilled to have dug my oldest IH to date...it's just that between us today we hunted 40 man-hours and came away with three coins. I'll let the others say what they found. Time to keep trying new areas.

HH all

 

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[DANGLANGLEY]

Nice finds there. I'd love to have that concrete seat here in Tennessee. It's a real shame about that purple bottle. Thanks for sharing and better luck next time!

 

[Danimal]

Nice finds there. I'd love to have that concrete seat here in Tennessee. It's a real shame about that purple bottle. Thanks for sharing and better luck next time!

Thanks Dang. I actually thought for second about relocating that loveseat but then I tried to budge that sucker....and that's when my one-second though ended

 

[TreasureTales]

Thanks for all the great photos. Those bottles would have been beauties. Too bad people have to destroy everything just because they can! "PIGS" is right. I guess dropping a magnet into those wells wasn't on your list of things to do? LOL, I'm always trying to come up with ways to get more treasure.

 

[shadow0966]

Well at least you got an IH and did you check for loose rocks in the wall of those wells because it has been known to bury money in the well .I can't remember where I read it but if you find a loose stone in the wells wall check it out !

 

[staceysallaboutu]

Great finds and thanks for the picures..

It's a real shame about that purple bottle.. (I second that statement)

Stacey

 

[KenPa]

Sounds like a great spot to hunt. You found 3 coins so I would bet there are alot more waiting to be found. Good luck if you decide to go back there

 

[twister]

Still looks like a great day to be out and some interesting things to see.

HH Twister

 

[Danimal]

Well at least you got an IH and did you check for loose rocks in the wall of those wells because it has been known to bury money in the well .I can't remember where I read it but if you find a loose stone in the wells wall check it out !

I'll add checking the wells out better to my list of things to try next time out there.
After a good sleep now, going back doesn't seem like such a bad idea. I was just completely exhausted when I wrote that up last night.

 

[Trash Digger]

Thanks for all the great photos. Those bottles would have been beauties. Too bad people have to destroy everything just because they can! "PIGS" is right. I guess dropping a magnet into those wells wasn't on your list of things to do? LOL, I'm always trying to come up with ways to get more treasure.

I agree, most people are nothing but inconsiderate slobs. Those sites still might have great potential, but it looks like you will really have to work for it, though. And, of course, be careful around those old wells.

Mike

 

[Michiganne]

Great trip pictures! What is the white egg-shaped object on the left side of the pic of the cleaned items?

 

[oldcoyote]

JMHO - I am fond of 4 x 4s, very extremely unfond of open holes in the ground. Black Widows and rattlers like them, however. Not sure about Copperheads. That area is definitely worth looking over more, with caution.

 

[MEinWV]

Looks like you could spend many long hours,days, & weeks in a place like that!

Good luck!........HH............Love that sun colored amethyst glass.

 

[Danimal]

Great trip pictures! What is the white egg-shaped object on the left side of the pic of the cleaned items?

LOL...It does look egg-shaped in that photo, but it's actually round. I THINK it's a door knob, but the backside doesn't have the usual looking hole, etc. It has more of a key-shaped hole.

 

[Mirage]

Dan,
Trip pretty much turned out as I had expected. But of coarse you never know unless you try. This was another character building hunt. Plus Don needed proper initiation. The real reason you do these type of hunts is so that you appreciate parks and mowed yards!

The biggest problem besides lack of coins were all the thorns - prickers everywhere. As far as feeling old - I felt pretty good at the end of the day. Definitely tired by 10:30 but didn't need any pain medication.

I still think that the lack of coins was more due to the type of houses that were here. Smaller homes with smaller families. If all the foundations were like that last one we did I think it would have been a lot better off.

Bob

 

[Trash Digger]

The biggest problem besides lack of coins were all the thorns - prickers everywhere. As far as feeling old - I felt pretty good at the end of the day. Definitely tired by 10:30 but didn't need any pain medication.

I still think that the lack of coins was more due to the type of houses that were here. Smaller homes with smaller families. If all the foundations were like that last one we did I think it would have been a lot better off.

That sounds like most of the places my research turns up.

Mike

 

[ZoSo71]

Congrats on the IH...

About how deep was it?

Glad you guys made it out.. The weather was great and the place looks alot better without all the snow.

I really like the Concrete Bench..

My DFX will be back on Monday or Tuesday. I ordered a few goodies from Southern Treasures too..

ZoSo71

 

[Danimal]

As far as feeling old - I felt pretty good at the end of the day. Definitely tired by 10:30 but didn't need any pain medication.
Bob

I think now that baseball season is upon us, I won't have to be catching my son and the others 2X/wk at their pitching sessions, so maybe that's why I have been so sore lately. Besides Bob...I AM older than you

Here's a few more pics that Bob took and sent to me from the day. Let me explain the first pic. This area we hunted is in Ohio, but you must first travel across to another state and then back over into Ohio on dirt roads. Right after you cross into the bordering state you come over some RR tracks, and you see the following grafitti....it ALWAYS cracks us up!!

Here's me and Don...Don is there to lend Sunray probe support (maybe I DO need one)

Here's me trying to clear a corner of a foundation of trash and get down to the original dirt floor. I ended up giving up disgusted with the trash.

Here's me, Don and Nate, trying to act casual

 

[halfdime]

Get back there in June or July and get some Black Raspberries!

 

[ModernMiner]

Dan,
Looks like a fun time even if you didn't find many coins. Love those bottles. Great pictures too.
By the way, what kind of dog bisquits did you bring with you this time?
-MM-