Found 1940 and 1955 Ohio maps with old roadside parks. Great detecting ideas

crazyjarhead · Jan 20, 2009

I didn't find them metal detecting but found them on eBay. A detecting friend of mine has assigned me the task of finding the old roadside parks (before rest areas and interstates) He had a map showing the close locations but the 1955 map has all of the locations but the 1940 map did not

. Roadside parks took of in the 1920's when the government realized that motorists had no place to sleep, eat Etc. It wasn't uncommon in those days for motorists to knock on doors of farmers and other people to ask for water, bathrooms, etc. So thus started the roadside parks.This is fun because it opens the opportunity of more places to hunt. I know where 2 are. One is still operational, although nobody ever uses them any more. I think it has a historic marker there, so my son tells me. The one near my house is now a farmers field. I'll be doing more detection work on these and update you on any progress. Once my camera battery is charged, I'll take some pics Thanks for reading, Ron

Pics added below. Hope you enjoy. Note the absence of the interstates. The cities in Ohio were much smaller than now. The map on the right is 1940. The one on the left is 1955.No by-passes, no road rage, no back-ups ::)

Also, the poulation of Cleveland Ohio was 914,000. The official census estimate for 1954 for the state of Ohio 7.9 million people.2006 it was estimated to be 11.4 million ..................... I'm sorry. The one map is 1940, not 1930. I got it mixed up with something else.

crazyjarhead · Jan 21, 2009

Thanks G1. Good luck.They come and go. I have been looking for a while then I just had to do it. :icon_sunny:

beetle662 · Jan 21, 2009

Great eBay finds!!!

I even noticed my town on the pic of the "Cincinnati" area... right down on US 27 into KY... ALEXANDRIA!!!!

Good luck with your research and hunting and keep us posted!!!

crazyjarhead · Jan 21, 2009

Thank you Beattle. I know where that's at

billohio6248 · Jan 21, 2009

Ron

I remember the signs in the 60's called them roadside rests and they had a couple picnic tables and a walking area. I just moved to Atlanta from Columbus, Ohio and would have loved to find a few of them. Good luck!

crazyjarhead · Jan 21, 2009

Thanks bill. I think you will have to change your name from billohio to billgeorgia

Thanks for looking

cookiemonster351 · Jan 21, 2009

Us Buckeyes are just waiting for a little warmer weather outside then look out!
Keep on diggin!!!!!
cookiemonster351 :icon_sunny:

daytondigger · Jan 21, 2009

I'm glad I got the ball rolling on this. I could have looked for some of my various old State maps and let you borrow them, but it's good to have old maps yourself. If you look on your map, you'll probably see one in Blanchester, OH east of Cinci. I know of a Walking Liberty half and some other nice silver coming from there. A while back on TreasureNet, someone was detecting an abandoned road side park up around Troy or Piqua I think, and he did really well. Good luck, I hope you are successful.
Thanks, Steve