Heres a place Id really love to detect

[artemis moon]

Here's a place I'd really love to detect

I pass this church several times a day, and each time, I say to myself, "I really should figure out how to get permission to detect there."

 

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[pong12211]

Stop and ask.. If you don't sooner or later someone else will..

 

[artemis moon]

Problem is that I do not believe that the building is in use anymore, and so I can't find anyone to ask. I did peek in the window once, and there's a beautiful old converted gas brass chandelier in there. It's a neat old building.

 

[dholland02]

Hunt it, I have hunted many old churches like this and no one says anything.

 

[pong12211]

If all else fails go to the court house you sould be able to find out who owns it there.. Just want to make sure it's not some kind of historical site before you go detecting it.

 

[bryanleemc]

You can google the county assessor in which the church resides. Search the address and it will give the owner info (address). A new feature on my assessor site is a searchable map. very convenient....

 

[Joe hunter]

I go by one like that every day also ill post a pic tomorrow (hope it's not the same one)

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Problem is that I do not believe that the building is in use anymore, and so I can't find anyone to ask. I did peek in the window once, and there's a beautiful old converted gas brass chandelier in there. It's a neat old building.

artemis, if you can get so close that you can "peek in the window", then ... it sounds to me .... like you were already "on the property". Thus apparently not fenced or posted? I mean, if you're afraid to metal detect it (feeling you would be "trespassing" or whatever), then ... doh ........ how'd you get close enough to look in the window? I'm with dholland on this: if, as you say .... it's abandoned, and .... if as you hint that there's nothing to stop anyone from walking around it (which you're *already* doing), then..... uh ......

 

[Keppy]

Well if it was me i would just go detect it..... But that is me .... It is wide open not being used .... I would bet you a dime to a dollar that other ones that detect and have seen it have been there detecting ......... your signature says you refuse to tiptoe through life ......... WELL with this post you are tiptoeing through life......

 

[artemis moon]

Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I'm definitely not a "tip toe-r", but I do think that there's a difference between peeking in a window of a building that's no longer in use and digging on property without permission.

I will attempt to find out who actually owns the building, because it's right on a main road, and the last thing I need is to be questioned by the local sherriff and then attempting to explain what I'm doing there with a shovel in one hand and metal detector in the other.

EDIT: I just spoke with one of the trustees of the church. It has not been used for several years, due to financial issues. It is the "highest" church in Vermont. It's OK to detect

 

[Tom_in_CA]

glad you got permission.

..... and digging on property ....

This was a predictable, and understandable, response.

I have found it odd when someone posts how they were "hiking through the woods" (or some such type out-&-about story) on their daily walk, and chanced upon some cellar hole, or rock foundation, etc... They take a picture, and lament: "Wouldn't it be grand to be able to detect here? If only I could find out how or who to contact. Afterall, I don't want to trespass". And then I find it odd, that ....... on the one hand, they were STANDING RIGHT THERE looking at it, taking the picture, and so forth. Thus .... doh .... obviously access and simply to "be there" is not the issue

So when you point that out to them, they did as you did: They differentiate metal detecting, with simply being there, or taking a pix, etc... That's an understandable (albeit not legally defensible one, by the way, if someone wanted to say you're "tresspassing", it really wouldn't matter whether you're just standing their, or standing there with a detector, DOH! )

Here's my answer to this: The intrinsic implication of the statement about "digging" (which you make), inherently has what connotation or mental image? HOLES of course. I mean, what else can the implication of the word "digging" be after all? That's the knee-jerk impression anyone has, when the word "digging" is bandied about. And yes, I would agree, if you're leaving holes on a site, and physically damaging a site or the ground or a structure, then sure, that is different than (although not legally) simply standing there, or walking your dog, etc... In my mind, as long as I leave no "holes" or any trace, then I have satisfied this dilema (assuming, as I say, that simply the act of being there, is not the issue). Now, sure, someone can still gripe. But so too could someone have griped when/if you're standing their looking in the windows.

 

[artemis moon]

I also think that there are some that may object to not only the act of making holes on their property, but also, the possibility of the detectorist finding something of value that belongs to them (even though this valuable item would never have been discovered otherwise and simply rotted in the ground.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Glad you got permission as well.Let us know what you find !

 

[Tom_in_CA]

artemis, yes, I agree. If we all thought about it long and hard enough, you're right: that too (that you might "find something" that has "value") might bother someone. You're absolutely right. There is no shortage of things that "might offend" someone. They might be offended by your standing there, looking in the window, as I say, too. It's never ending. The minute you step out your front door in the morning, you are on someone else's property, subject to the rules governing those locations. Detecting in the city sandbox "might offend" a city person too.

But technically, you're right: If we all thought about it long and hard enough, there's scores of reasons for when and if "someone may not like it". I even had a lady on the beach tell me my detector was bothering her dog (I think she thought it emitted some sort of sound or frequency that only dogs heard ??). Another time I was working a parochial school, and a nun came out to boot me. Her contention was NOT the simple act of being there (as there was other people there using the basketball, jogging the track, etc..) but rather that when/if I found something, that I was "taking things that belonged the kids". I guess in her mind's eyes, the objects sit there on top of the ground, for the next passerby to see, who promptly takes it to lost-&-found dept. Nevermind that it doesn't work like that, and you simply don't see it unless you have a detector. But point being, that yes, this is amongst the things that someone "might gripe about".

It's a never-ending curve of "grey areas". As I say, access to where you were at, was not the issue (as evidenced by your standing there). Thus, assuming none of the persons poised to "take issue" are standing there poised to gripe, (if you could reasonably presume when the place was deserted), then .... well, .... you know.

Let us know what you find there. With a picturesque place like that, grabbing attention by any passerby, my suspicion is, that if there's a lot of md'rs in your area, that someone's already hit it. But as you know, no one ever gets it all, and today's machines are getting better each decade.

 

[dholland02]

If u find anything of value keep ur mouth shut. No one needs to know what u find from the site.

 

[Produce Guy]

there's an old church here in Austin,TX. that looks just like that,twins?

 

[damiani1]

Id just walk up and hunt it. I did this once to a closed down church by my house (only like 1950's) and a neighbour came out from across the street and asked if I had, had any luck. Lol

 

[WVPapaw]

there's an old church here in Austin,TX. that looks just like that,twins?

The church we attend looks similar to it. it is just across the road from us out in the country. The church elders gave me permission and I hunted it once but did not find anything to dig yet. Most of my hits are water, gas and electric lines but I still have to hunt the parking lot. The church is 100 years old

 

[damiani1]

Same kinda thing happened to me at the church i hit up too :/

 

[wheres_wheatie]

I've driven by that church too it was built 1873. I'm sure you'll be posting some great finds soon! HH