Stagecoach and wagon trail trails

[49er12]

I’m specifically talking about western Pennsylvania or eastern Ohio, but I do my share of old map reading late 1800 etc, but what about that time period that was before cars, wagons stagecoach. Why is that period of time might be hard to track or trace but that time period could have periods of lost or ditched coins or payments. Give this a shot guys give me your best answer no dents run stories please, lol

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

I’m specifically talking about western Pennsylvania or eastern Ohio,....

Can't help for that specific geographic area. Except to comment :

a) It's not just the old stage roads and trails, that are the places you want to detect. Instead, it's WHERE THEY STOPPED (ie.: the stage stops) that you want to detect. IMHO it is folly to simply wander down old trails, for random drops.

I've been lucky enough to have been the first to find and hunt several virgin stage stops. Got lots of seateds, several gold coins, etc.... at them. And in each case, if we start to "wander off" and start "following the trail-route", the signals immediately dry up. The ground goes sterile. OH SURE, there's bound to be a fluke nail or target here and there, if you walk long enough and swing long enough. But they are needles in hay-stacks. The much better spots are where the people stopped, got out and camped for the night, ate, purchased things @ the station/trade post, etc...

b) One way to find more sites , aside from the obvious history books and google searches, is to involve yourself in every conceivable historical society or history museum in your area. Become a member and docent. Attend meetings. Brush shoulders with the historians and archies that work there. In that way, you become a "fox guarding the hen-house". Naturally .... don't be mentioning detecting. You are just there as a history buff and self-sacrificing community member.

I have gotten into some hair-raising sites this way. Gained permissions (because I was "doing research") that I couldn't have attained any other way.

 

[CoinHunterAZ]

"I’m specifically talking about western Pennsylvania or eastern Ohio,...."

I can't speak for that region either. I agree Tom that the Stage Stops are going to be more productive than the trails themselves. In my neck of the woods water was/is a scarce commodity. I have researched some of the natural springs in my area, and have found some of them to be quite productive. Not everyone followed the old wagon trails, but EVERYONE needed water. These watering holes can be a boom or a bust, gotta go find them to find out.

 

[49er12]

Thank you guys really good information muchly appreciate the information, stage coach stops

 

[ToddsPoint]

A stage coach route went right past my house. There is an old house about 5 mi. from here on the route that was a stop. They won't let me detect! Unless you found a spot along the route where they broke down, the stop is probably the only place you'd find anything in my opinion. Gary

 

[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

Based solely upon accounts that I've read, river crossings were a big ordeal and often took up the entire day. Apparently it was somewhat common to camp just upstream of the crossing, once the river had been crossed. People would have hanged clothing up to dry, and they'd be congregating in the same general area. I'm assuming that it was relatively common for groups to camp in the same general area (providing the grass held out for the livestock).

In my mind those camping areas could prove to be a prime hunting location. Other sites with good potential would be watering sources, taverns and resupply locations. Many of those locations would've been the homes of those who lived nearby the trail itself. I'd also look for old blacksmith shops nearby the trail - they would've been a place where people congregated and money was exchanged.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Based solely upon accounts that I've read, river crossings were a big ordeal and often took up the entire day. Apparently it was somewhat common to camp just upstream of the crossing, once the river had been crossed. People would have hanged clothing up to dry, and they'd be congregating in the same general area. I'm assuming that it was relatively common for groups to camp in the same general area (providing the grass held out for the livestock).

In my mind those camping areas could prove to be a prime hunting location. Other sites with good potential would be watering sources, taverns and resupply locations. Many of those locations would've been the homes of those who lived nearby the trail itself. I'd also look for old blacksmith shops nearby the trail - they would've been a place where people congregated and money was exchanged.

I agree based on the accounts I've read.
Same for ridge tops..

 

[johnnycat]

I know stage stops are good. My brother and I hunted an old stage stop to death and found nothing but IH's. A guy that had just bought a detector asked us where to hunt and we told him where the stage stop had been. He pulls up to my brother's house the following day yelling like a mad man. Yep...He found a gold coin!!