Rockingham county va

[dsdigger]

Some of my work buddies and I would camp out, drink and burn steaks at a campsite that overlooked the main one that Bridgewater College used to use. They would get rowdy and have fun but never set the forest on fire but it was always a mess after they left and would be a wonder of what might be laying around be we didn't want to be found wandering around there if the Park Service decided to see who was left. The last time I was able to get up there, our campsite was overgrown, the area that they partied had been bulldozed around a bit but was otherwise still they same. Makes me wonder if there were some that were in places that could still be searched. I have an uncle who went to JMU (Madison College then) in the '70s and I need to track him down and ask him if he remembers any places.

 

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[Rebel - KGC]

Well, I was a Grad of Madison College in '77 & Masters in '78; JMU was SIMPLE, then. ALL we had was "The Bluestones"/Front Lawn. NOW...? HA! Wife & I went back in 2000, and... SHEETZ! All I remember was near the City Parks "areas"... Blame it ALL on CoEd & FRATS! HA! I DO remember the student nurses at RMH were HOT!

 

[dsdigger]

JMU now owns the RMH Facility that was next to the campus and moved the hospital out to property on farmland just beyond the Harrisonburg city limits on Port Republic Road. They kept the front half of the hospital and turned it into the University Health Center and I am not sure what else. They reworked the bridge across the road to the Cancer Center and I do not know what that has be come except it is now surrounded by a four story parking garage. They tore up a couple of old houses and a part of the hospital to rebuild but the were gated off so no way to get in to detect. I am sure there were coins, rings and things to find but they have either been plowed under or the dirt hauled off and used as fill at an unknown site, probably under a parking lot, Progress?

 

[Rebel - KGC]

THANKS for the "up-dates". "Progress", INDEED! I know UVA has several parking lots paved over old family cemeteries, UVA Student Union is one; hope family "ghosties" reek havoc there... heh!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Family farms (in the same family for YEARS) are GREAT places of "interest"; get permission to look at the land w/o MD, & look for ORIGINAL foundations of old home-sites, cabins, etc. Shenandoah Valley is "blessed" with LOTS of "cave systems" which family caches may be stashed in; closer to the EASTERN part of the county & Augusta County; THEY were "settled" first. Other thing to remember are family caches hidden during the Confederate War (avoiding "Yankee Plunders"); MOSTLY in caves up in the hills & mountains... reads the HISTORIES! HH! Good Luck!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

YEP! HH! Good Luck!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Well, it looks like "Doc" found a Yank Encampment near a creek, running from the Shenandoah River; 3-Ring(s) 58 Cal. Bullets, Yank Belt Buckle or two, numerous other items. Yanks had 3-Ring(s) 58 Cal. Bullets; Rebs had 2-Ring(s) 58 Cal. Bullets. I don't call 'em "Minnie Balls" 'cause they are NOT "Ball-shape" like at the beginning of the Confederate War. I did Re-enactments as part of Comp. I, 10th Virginia "Foot Calvary" from Conrad's Store (now known as Elkton, Va.); it was Stonewall Jackson's ORIGINAL "Foot Calvary"; we DID fight on the ORIGINAL battlefields & camped OFF the battlefields (near creeks & rivers; we DID found "dropped" items of "INTEREST"). One guy found 6 buried rifles with fixed bayonets (wooden parts rotted away). He went back later at night & got 'em... I got disgusted & quit. Today in my basement, I found my Cannon Ball that I found years ago; use it in High School as a SHOT-PUT! Kids were terrified that it might have explored... HA! It was SOLID IRON "10-Pounder". Looking for my AMA/CSA Button (Augusta Military Academy), Yank 3-Ring(s) 58 Cal. Bullet, NUMEROUS stuff. As a kid, gave MOST of it away... WHAT did I know... HA!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

HA! WRONG "DOC"! "DocBeav" - Beautiful Day in Va. for RELICS on the River. VERY NICE, tho...

 

[dsdigger]

Sounds like someone had a good day. My wife and I are in TN to visit friends and spend time at the timeshare she owns. Too close to the park and all built up around so I didn't know when or if I would get a chance to hunt. Looks like rain the next three days. I agree on the minie-balls, only the round lead ones should be called that and all others are bullets. They look similar to the one's I load into the Hawken and the Kentucky rifles. Except mine are bright and shiny! Been a long time since I have been to the New Market re-enactment, I remember the camps on the opposite side of the interstate and going through the tunnel underneath to get back and forth. The camps were cool and period outfits interesting but bet were not the most comfortable. Wish you had those bullets and stuff back now right? Just like the extra wheaties and Mercs that I let go in my teens to have quick cash. What they might be worth now.

 

[dsdigger]

Guess I'll have to see if I can find the thread with doc's finds.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

"Google" what is on "Post" 28.

 

[dsdigger]

I tried and did not get where I should be. BI will try again Monday when work gets slow and see what happens. Back from TN and ready for warm weather and a chance to find some sites to check. I remember seeing a partial foundation where my stepson is living but not up to bring used to get access to detect it. Guess that parks are first on the list. Come on spring!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Yeah, I just "googled" DocBeav - Beautiful Day in Va. for Relics on the River; no longer there... DANG!

 

[dsdigger]

Things get moved and I guess deleted. That is hard to believe in these days of everything available online but I guess it goes to a cybernet hide and forget. Who knows, may run across it yet under something else.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

In the upper (Northern) Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, is the POWELL'S FORT VALLEY TREASURE in Shenandoah County; there is a "thread" on this one, already & some ppl have been doing R & I, and "on-the-ground work". MAY wanna check it out...

 

[dsdigger]

Just did and my Dad and his family grew up in Fort Valley. Interesting place, would have been a different place to grow up and looking around, who knows what is hidden as there are a lot of places tucked back along bottoms of the ridges.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Back to "Rockingham County, Va."... I think the German-related communities of Mennonite/Amish/Brethren ppl in the WESTERN part of the county, along Rt. 42 (Dayton, etc.) would be a good start for R & I for "German BURIED Treasures"; I am aware of one "community" of Germans settling north of Elkton, Va. on the Massenutten Fields, where the George Miller (Mueller) House is; ONE legend of GERMAN "Treasure" buried on Peaked Mountain facing McGaheysville (sp). Massenutten Cavern in Keezletown was ANOTHER "source of INTEREST"... was in it, back in 1959 or so.

 

[dsdigger]

Peaked Mountain near Keezletown? Now that has some interest for me as I am wondering if that is Massenutten or Laird's Knob? I have been on the opposite ridge from Laird's Knob on a hiking trail with a trail biking friend years ago. We found a way around on of the "Tank" traps to keep vehicles out and rode our dirt bikes up the hiking trail and down halfway on the backside. We had to turn around when it became evident that the trail was no longer friendly to anything but foot travel. With people building up on the area that is now Skyline drive, the Massenutten chain was built along also. There should be (?) old homes and foundations in the areas that searches for ownership and permission would be needed. Bet all of that is GW Forest! Be worth a little research just to see what is out there and if it is available to search.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Peaked Mountain IS Massenutten... as you go along the "chain" of Massenutten, NORTH, past Keezletown, there ARE old "foundations", etc. Armentrout (sp) families owned MOST of the land beyond Keezletown at one time; I knew a few, & even rented a house from one of 'em in the Keezletown "area"... Della Armentrout.

 

[Doc Arey]

I have been going just about every day in this Beautiful weather so any time you Guys are ready let me know. I recovered a Seiko watch day before yesterday about 7" deep with my VX 3. also ANOTHER WATCH AT 4" I GUESS it was my day for watches. Lol I am amazed at how deep some of these things have gotten?. I just ordered the new 13" DD coil for the Vx3 and now have it for the Garrett Pro so I'm so ready. if we put our heads together and come up with some new locations the Sky is the limit.. Thanks Doc