Suggestion on places to go in arkansas

[JimLRAR]

I just got a metal detector for the first time and have been practicing with it for a few weeks around my yard. I am ready to really go somewhere where I may actually find something of value. Can anyone suggest any places that I may try. I travel all around the state on a daily basis.

 

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[privet12]

I am over on the west side of the state and ive been detecting for a long time now. Mostly coin shooting and it all depends on what you want to look for. Let me know and I will see if I can help you out. Noel

 

[arkhunter]

little rock here

 

[Dodad]

A couple of places you might want to try if you are ever close to Fort Smith,AR

• Massard Prairie, Any areas still undeveloped between Rheem and Wal-Mart Supercenter on Rogers this area was an encampment for several weeks during the civil war not exactly sure where the main spot was but 65,000 troops were reported to have camped there waiting resupply before moving on. I found something once while researching this that said the troops crossed the Arkansas river five miles from Van Buren and waited resupply at Massard Prairie. A lot of this land has been developed now but I am sure there are still spots that aren't. South Zero street and Phoenix Rd both run parallel within massard prairie and Massard Rd connects the two roads perpendicularly.
  
• Another Spot was a place in Greenwood,AR by the name of Devil's Backbone there was a skirmish there not much documentation on the site exactly and few people can tell you where it is located when asked. My brother-in law was the Sheriff there for several years and says he had found civil war round shot there.

 

[Sandman]

Some of us can help if we know what type of hunting you are interested in doing. Let us know what detector you have an your general area.

Garrett has a book called Sucessful Coin Hunting that lists places you may never think of on your own. Visit the relic sites here and learn more on where to look.

 

[georgestill]

Howdy neighbors....NW Arkansas here. North of Harrison near the MO state line. Just south of Branson. Been digging mostly new coins... a few rings, mostly costume.I hate digging in mud and thats all we've had up here for the last couple months. I need to get out and do a little research.... find some Civil War sites maybe.

 

[camb1]

The Arkansas State Parks that now allow recreational metal detecting are Crowley's Ridge, Daisy, DeGray, Lake Catherine, Lake Charles, Lake Dardanelle, Lake Ouachita, Village Creek and Woolly Hollow. Metal detecting is to be confined to swimming areas that have beaches.



As with the pilot program, metal detecting will be permitted from the day after Labor Day until the weekend preceding Memorial Day between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Sunday through Saturday. Detectorists will continue to be required to register at the park visitor center, complete a registration form and follow the same rules and procedures as have been in place during the pilot program.

Hope this helps.

 

[camb1]

I will be in Little Rock the second week in April, maybe we can get together and go out and detect.

 

[Benno938]

this is my first post so forgive if I bend any of the rules. I was station in Arkansas at Fort Chaffee while I was in the Army. I'm sure that you all can research the history of the base, so I won't bore you with details. However, I think it would make a great place to spend a day or two. I'm not sure of the laws governing MDing, when I was there it was strictly forbidden. There were, ans still are, I imagine, lots of unexploded stuff laying around. Fort Chaffee has since been deactivated and turned over to the local communities for use. The Arkansas National Guard still conducts training on the majority of the post. I don't think the military will grant you permission, but maybe the local communities will be easier to deal with that respect.

I have heard stories of the Rebel army hiding a cache of supplies in a cave located in Fort Chaffee. What kind of supplies I never heard. There are a lot of caves located through out the base. If I was serious enough in trying to locate this cache of supplies. I would have look in area #9 ( Eastern part of the base) of the base. There a ridgeline running through that section but I can't remember the name of that ridge.

My wife used to tell a story of a cave that Belle Starr and Jesse James used as an hide out somewhere south of Fort Smith. I think it would be near the Huntington or Hartford area in Sebastian County, maybe even into Scott County. Always told the story but never taken me there, so.....

Good luck! Sorry that if I bored you to tears.

 

[nathan104]

Im in Malvern, right by Hot Springs. Can't help you out though as Im in the same boat you are. Not really sure of where would be good to go.

If anyone has a hunt around the Little Rock or Hot Springs area, Id love to go. Ive only been at it a year though so dont worry about me finding the good stuff

 

[Cactus_Cache]

Some of us can help if we know what type of hunting you are interested in doing. Let us know what detector you have an your general area.

Garrett has a book called Sucessful Coin Hunting that lists places you may never think of on your own. Visit the relic sites here and learn more on where to look.

Have you ever thought of looking right under a clothes line? Many a coin and items have fallen out of pockets when pants and shirts where hung upside down to dry. Wherever people get out of cars. Old benches in parks. Right between the sidewalk and the curb of roads.

These are of course just basic places to look.

- Cactus_Cache

 

[Cactus_Cache]

Im in Malvern, right by Hot Springs. Can't help you out though as Im in the same boat you are. Not really sure of where would be good to go.

If anyone has a hunt around the Little Rock or Hot Springs area, Id love to go. Ive only been at it a year though so dont worry about me finding the good stuff

You live right over in a great area not far away. Have you ever detected around Princeton? There are some old springs in the area that I know of and some really old campgrounds that haven't made thes status of historical site. Princeton was once a booming town. I know some of the areas of the old town. I had a friend there that is now deceased but he took me around to show me where all the buildings were located in Princeton since he lived there all his life. He also mentioned that Princeton was close to becoming ths state capitol at one time? I can't confirm that right now but I tought it was interesting he would tell me that. Further down Highway 9 towards Holly Springs, there is a "cut-through" road that goes through Fordyce. There is another ancient spring near an old church building. You would turn left towards Fordyce. The old road is a dirt road. If you went right instead off of Highway 9, you would end up at Mt. Olivet Cemetary and beyond. On a hill past that on the road, I have found old "Company Store Tokens". I mentioned that in a previous post. I wish I could locate these tokens now and scan them to share a photo. They are not worth a lot but they are very old and an excellent example of history in Arkansas.

Happy Detecting!

Cactus_Cache

 

[Cactus_Cache]

Howdy neighbors....NW Arkansas here. North of Harrison near the MO state line. Just south of Branson. Been digging mostly new coins... a few rings, mostly costume.I hate digging in mud and thats all we've had up here for the last couple months. I need to get out and do a little research.... find some Civil War sites maybe.

I saw an interesting Map book in Barnes and Noble Bookstores the last few times. It is a huge book in size with over 500 pages of Official Civil War Maps and information. There are maps for all of the battles and that might come in handy for you if you can get to a Banres and Noble in your area and If they have this book. It was in the bargain section in the History and Military holdings and cost $19.95.

I've had a lot of fun detecting along an old creeek we have going through our property. During the Texas Revolution and the "Shot Heard Around the World at Gonzales, Texas" troops traveled along TX FM Highway 466 and down the streams including our creek and the Guadalupe River. Local legend has it that several payrolls of gold and silver coins were buried along the creeks and river. Our property seemed to be a home to several indians because we found old camp fire remains under about a foot or so of soil, and also several concentrated areas where it appears that these Indians knapped arrowheads and tools. My latest find was lat week and it was some type of spear point.

Keep in mind the federal law that covers civil war sites now. Archeologists have lobbied to get many laws changed so that us metal detectorists can't enjoy our hobby like we could years ago.

Happy Hunting!

Cactus_Cache

 

[PRush]

Beeno. I have done research on Ft Chaffee for quite some time and there is a lot of history. I am in contact with a man that is writing a book on the fort. I have gone MD there and is a pain as you spend so much time digging up old shell casings. I have a ton of them. Most of the fort that is now public access belongs to the City of Fort Smith. I have MD around most quite a bit of the area but its a huge area and no way could one person cover it all in a lifetime. Wells Lake, on the west side seems like would be a good place and I have not made it that far over. There used to be some home sites on that part. Good luck and keep me posted on how it goes if you do make a trip out there. Ohh by the way, there are several J James caves in this area. Belle Star and Pearl Starr lived in this area some as did Albert Pike and many others. There was some items recovered north of Alma that was thought to have been stolen by JJ on property owned by Belle Starr. There are caves thought to be J James and other robbers caves, just on the border of the Fort Smith city limits and Arkoma OK. as well as Mt Magazine, Mt Burg, Graphic and Artist point, thats just a few of them. Good Luck.

 

[briankb70]

most of the barracks at Chaffee burned down recently. There's a small building on site where you go to sign a written release. The barrack foundations are off limits. Wished they would hurry and clean up already. Dad and I can't wait to detect those old foundations. 122 buildings burned that day.

 

[PRush]

The longest day of my life so far was using a metal detector at Chaffee. My husband detected and I DUG.. It was 188 degrees in the shade, of course any July day in Arkansas can feel that way. After many hours of him directing me, I was the proud owner of about 5 pounds of spent casings. We had no luck but I wish you luck and if you find anything interesting, fill us in.
I was so sad to see the old buildings go, of course, the city was going to bring them down anyway but it was still very sad.
Good luck.

 

[arkhunter]

so sad