Doing the right thing sucks

[Fossil_adult]

I was scoping out some new sites in DC. I really want some older material that’s accessible without having to drive for hours. So I looked around Georgetown, and found nothing. Then, I found some artifacts. Good news, these artifacts dated to the 1700’s. Bad news, it was a national park. This was the old stone house, a beautiful old piece of architecture, nestled in Georgetown DC. Unfortunately, all the stoneware pieces I found along the property were not allowed to be collected! So I tried to find a ranger to give these artifacts to, but no success what so ever. I reluctantly threw back the artifacts and on one hand am sad to throw those back, but knowing how guilty I’d feel taking them, I’m glad they stayed put. So even though I felt awful about throwing them back, it’d be worse keeping them because that’s not what people who love history do. If you truly love history, there should be steps to preserving its authenticity and it would have been extremely dishonest (and illegal) to have taken them. So even with no new sites today (and being soaked by cars. U know who u are Mr white sedan) I can say I walked away with something better. My integrity.

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

Be careful, it is a felony to detect and remove artifacts from any National park or National seashore.

 

[Fossil_adult]

Be careful, it is a felony to detect and remove artifacts from any National park or National seashore.

Yeah I know that's why I left it there. It didn't leave the park, and I'm not making a trip to jail.

 

[villagenut]

You would have felt guilty if you took the artifacts with you, because you really would be guilty. You did the right thing

 

[ARC]

Talking items or not... IS NOT the only thing you should be concerned about here....

ITS ALSO... illegal to even dig AT ALL for things.... ITS ALSO illegal to even detect OR posses a detector IN a National Park.

I think its important to clarify this to all that may read it.

Digging OR detecting IN ANY National PArk...IS illegal.

 

[Fossil_adult]

Talking items or not... IS NOT the only thing you should be concerned about here....

ITS ALSO... illegal to even dig AT ALL for things.... ITS ALSO illegal to even detect OR posses a detector IN a National Park.

I think its important to clarify this to all that may read it.

Digging OR detecting IN ANY National PArk...IS illegal.

Yup. I wanted to do the right thing and hand them in, but there was nobody around. I didn't dig for these or anything they were right at the surface, and I put them back right where they were found. I was hoping it could at least be handed in because I didn't want to have to leave them behind, but there was nobody there. Oh well, if I see somebody next time I'll show them, and the artifacts can be collected by a more knowledgeable person.

 

[Gare]

Many years ago We took a couple of my horses to Gettysburg to ride the battle field. I was talking to a park ranger about metal detecting this was probably 30 years ago. He told me back then If i had a detector in my car WITH batteries in it was like having a LOADED gun and i would be arrested !!!

 

[Gare]

As far as I am concerned DOING THE RIGHT THING NEVER SUCKS> It is the only way things should be DONE !!!

 

[pepperj]

You did the right thing, by putting them back.

The Nation Park System was implemented for all to enjoy, to see things should remain intact.
Oh the urge to pick a little flower, fossil, rock, relic passes through many a mind.

On a road trip in a blinding snowstorm we stopped to get the pay/permit/pass at the gate of the park.
We asked the park warden if he knew where we could get some weight for the back of the truck.

"You stop right over there at that rock cut, fill up as much as you want, drop them off at the other end.
I'd rather see you do that than me having to pack out two bodies.
Now get going before we close down the highway"

Sometimes asking the right folks is only using a little common sense.

 

[RGINN]

You did all right, but probably don't even pick artifacts up on that type of property. I was at an historical site here in Colorado and told the wife I wished I had a metal detector in the park office. I said that to my wife and in Spanish, too. We were followed and watched all the way through the site and back up to the truck when we left. Didn't bother me, and it's ok they took an aggressive stance against relic collectors.

 

[petejc]

I live 40 miles from Gettysburg and Gare, that rule still stands....If you're driving thru the park and for some dumb reason you let be seen a detector in your car....you will be arrested and detector is history. I was always tempted to drive over to ask farmers all around the Gettysburg area for permission but, I'm sure they have been bugged to death and get tired of saying NO.....so I never took that drive. But I'll bet there is a lot of confederate and Union relics all over those farms.....

 

[DCMatt]

F_t - You did the right thing. It's probably better that you didn't find a ranger and risk them "exercising their power over you" by having you detained or arrested. The Park Service is very serious about use and abuse of their properties.

A few weeks ago I was visiting a Park Service historic property in Virginia. In my conversation with a young ranger about long-gone out buildings, I asked if there were any archeological digs currently underway on the grounds. Her answer was, "The best way to preserve relics is to leave them in the ground." What!?! To me that's like saying "We know there's more history to discover, but we'd rather not know about it." I could rant about other NPS lunacy I've experienced over the years, but I don't want to hijack the thread.

 

[Gare]

I live 40 miles from Gettysburg and Gare, that rule still stands....If you're driving thru the park and for some dumb reason you let be seen a detector in your car....you will be arrested and detector is history. I was always tempted to drive over to ask farmers all around the Gettysburg area for permission but, I'm sure they have been bugged to death and get tired of saying NO.....so I never took that drive. But I'll bet there is a lot of confederate and Union relics all over those farms.....

PETEJc thanks for the update. The punishment for detecting is FAR worse then if you KILL SOMEONE !!!

 

[Fossil_adult]

Thanks for all the replies y’all! I’m the future I won’t even touch anything I find at parks. I really wish, however, that we wouldn’t just leave history there to be destroyed. Because I don’t know how it’s exactly saving it by leaving it to the elements. And I’m not taking about personal collection, wouldn’t these things on park lands be better off in a museum?