Old Fart in TN
Sr. Member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2005
- Messages
- 377
- Reaction score
- 5
- Golden Thread
- 0
- Location
- Athens Tennessee
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab
- #1
Thread Owner
This is what I am working on now, hope to hunt it before I move to Tn. in Oct
Coronal Institute
Boys dormitory

1132 Belvin St., San Marcos Texas
Digging history one piece at a time
or
How to kill time when your semi retired
By Jeff W.
and hunting partner John V.
Well after many years talking with my wife Kathy about retiring and becoming a full time treasure hunter she has given me her blessings to “ semi-retire” and give my dream a chance. We moved from north Texas to central Texas in June of 2004. Over the course of several years I have kept going back to one research project that I really wanted to hunt and do a story on, The Cornell Institute in San Marcos.
The Cornell Institute got its start from Confederate officer O. A. Hollingsworth in 1868. It was a private, coeducational school and offered military training to boys.
The building the institute was in was destroyed years ago and now has a public school where it once stood. So this hunt will be on the grounds of the boys dormitory.
The boys dormitory has been many things over the last hundred years. After the turn of the century it closed down and sat empty until it was used as a training ground and barracks during World War 1. It reopened as the Coronal Military Academy after World War 1, but didn’t stay open long because enrollment was low the school finally closed in 1919. In the early 20’s it became a veterans' hospital and then became the Hays county hospital for many years. San Marcos Baptist Academy used it till they sold the building and moved out west of San Marcos a few miles. It became an American Legion Post for a time in the 60’s, and finally ended up being a fraternity house in 1968.
.
I have read several articles about the dormitory that state it is haunted.
John is retired from the city of San Marcos and is known around town for his treasure hunting adventures. I had the good luck of meeting John last spring while he was hunting one of the local parks. John has been a great friend and teacher sharing his vast knowledge of coin hunting and his uncanny ability to find rings.
I started my relic/coin hunting in Virginia the 60’s but didn’t take to the detector very well and started digging old home dumps with my mother. She still has a nice collection of bottles that she has dug. Giving up my dream of striking it rich. I grew up and had many other adventures . When I did get back into coin/relic hunting, my youngest took a interest in it so she became my official digger. ,So it was only natural that when she graduated from high school she wanted to become a archeologist and go to Texas State University in San Marcos Texas. That is how I came to be here and now the story of the hunt.
Coronal Institute
Boys dormitory

1132 Belvin St., San Marcos Texas
Digging history one piece at a time
or
How to kill time when your semi retired
By Jeff W.
and hunting partner John V.
Well after many years talking with my wife Kathy about retiring and becoming a full time treasure hunter she has given me her blessings to “ semi-retire” and give my dream a chance. We moved from north Texas to central Texas in June of 2004. Over the course of several years I have kept going back to one research project that I really wanted to hunt and do a story on, The Cornell Institute in San Marcos.
The Cornell Institute got its start from Confederate officer O. A. Hollingsworth in 1868. It was a private, coeducational school and offered military training to boys.
The building the institute was in was destroyed years ago and now has a public school where it once stood. So this hunt will be on the grounds of the boys dormitory.
The boys dormitory has been many things over the last hundred years. After the turn of the century it closed down and sat empty until it was used as a training ground and barracks during World War 1. It reopened as the Coronal Military Academy after World War 1, but didn’t stay open long because enrollment was low the school finally closed in 1919. In the early 20’s it became a veterans' hospital and then became the Hays county hospital for many years. San Marcos Baptist Academy used it till they sold the building and moved out west of San Marcos a few miles. It became an American Legion Post for a time in the 60’s, and finally ended up being a fraternity house in 1968.
.
I have read several articles about the dormitory that state it is haunted.
John is retired from the city of San Marcos and is known around town for his treasure hunting adventures. I had the good luck of meeting John last spring while he was hunting one of the local parks. John has been a great friend and teacher sharing his vast knowledge of coin hunting and his uncanny ability to find rings.
I started my relic/coin hunting in Virginia the 60’s but didn’t take to the detector very well and started digging old home dumps with my mother. She still has a nice collection of bottles that she has dug. Giving up my dream of striking it rich. I grew up and had many other adventures . When I did get back into coin/relic hunting, my youngest took a interest in it so she became my official digger. ,So it was only natural that when she graduated from high school she wanted to become a archeologist and go to Texas State University in San Marcos Texas. That is how I came to be here and now the story of the hunt.
