Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

[mpostma]

Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

Only had about an hour to spend at the local park, which was a fairgrounds in late 1800s and early 1900s.
Over the last three years I have found a quantity of silver from 1960 back to 1892, indian pennies to 1885, wheaties to 1914, and more old cans and garbage than I would like to remember. What I had not found until a couple of weeks ago was a buffalo nickel. Then I found one of the little beasts with the date completely worn off. I think I was as pleased as I was with the silver half I found this spring!
So, in a short trip last night I found another. This time though I can make out the date! "25" is still visible. And the nickel is in pretty good shape. A quick cleaning..........

On the way back out of the park an old gentleman asked why I didn't hunt the woods way out behind the park. Since I hadn't ever heard of anything being in the area I had to ask if there was any reason to believe there might be something there to find.
He told me that was the Boy Scout Jamboree site for many years!

I will be back out there again, and soon! I really doubt anyone has hunted that area much. But someone is gonna change that.......

 

[daytondigger]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

Cool! And with the information the older gentleman gave you, no telling what you're going to find!!! Might want to find him again and have a sit down with a cup of coffee. He probably knows a lot about your area that you would love to hear!

Congrats on the nickel too! Nana

She took the words right out of my mouth

 

[mpostma]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

Ok,
Well I went out into the "brush" to find the Jamboree site. I was pumped, and expected to spend about 3 or 4 hours.
First of all, the entire area is near verticle. When I was a boy scout I don't remember ever being advised to camp on a steep hillside.

The ferns and summer brush were chest high, and wet. When I had worked my way to the bottom of the hill the brush was so thick I had to wind my way through it, slowly. And when it finally leveled off it was very very wet. Muck.

Spent about an hour and a half checking it all out. Found about a dozen golf balls ?. Found a great deal of small iron chunks and rusted nails.

The only really interesting thing I found was an old garbage dump! Looks like where they threw stuff out from the fairgrounds. Several cool old bottles are broken and laying on top of a "mound" that still is about 10' in diameter and stands nearly 2' about the grade around it.

I will be going back in there to look for bottles etc. I think I need to do a little more research on the Jamboree site.

 

[Paul4x4]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

That's one great detailed buffalo! :P Way to go Mark

 

[Indianhead Jones]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

Nice Buffalo!! Next to Mercury dimes, the "Buff" is my favorite coin find!! Nice hunt....what else is back there in those woods?

Larry

 

[mpostma]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

Thanks Paul,
How's the weather in Finland? Begining to cool off? Did you make it over to Heinola yet?

Thanks Indianhead,
In the near edge of the woods, inside the fairgrounds is where I picked up a coin spill with 4 coins from 1917 to 1933. A standing liberty half, walking liberty quarter and a couple of wheaties. I need to go through and take a photo of all the silver, Buffs, Indianhead pennies, and wheaties I have found there. It is getting to be a pretty good pile.

Thanks,
Mark
HH

 

[Paul4x4]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

Thanks Paul,
How's the weather in Finland? Begining to cool off? Did you make it over to Heinola yet?

Begining? Heck, we've had coldest summer in ten years

My recent trips to Heinola have been only work related

 

[mpostma]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

Well Paul,
"Work" in some time to detect!

Sorry to hear it's been a bit chilly. So, if it is that cold anyone using the jumps?
Mark

 

[Paul4x4]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

So, if it is that cold anyone using the jumps?

They are jumping through the year always, except the biggest one which have a swimming pool at the bottom of the landing strip.

 

[mpostma]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

Oh Yes! I forgot about jumping in the summer onto the pads!
I also forgot about the pool.

Have to dig out some of my old pictures.
Mark

 

[PANNONIAN]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

That nickel is in pretty good shape! Go back to this park and go slow.Very slow.1800 fairground,still plenty of stuff there! Pannonian

 

[mpostma]

Re: Old Fairgrounds gives up another "Buff"

Thanks Panonian!
I have spent alot of time there in the last couple of years. It is less than a mile from my home.
It was a footbal field after it was a fairgrounds, and then in 2000 it was torn apart and made into soccer fields and baseball diamonds.
I am told by many that for about a month or so many detectorists were there every day following the heavy equipment. They were finding late 1800 and early 1900 silver everywhere.

I still find coins regularly. Silver back to 1892 so far, and pennies to 1885.

The park is nearly 40 acres, so there is lots of ground to cover, over and over.

Thanks,
Mark