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Ted's (TC) Research Tips

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Nothing is more important in finding some good places to hunt than research! Here is some of the better links I use on the internet. I hope they help you out. One good way to get started is to click on that 1895 atlas and find your county or counties close to your home. You know the towns there will be at least 100 years old. Then go to Google and put in the name of one of the town along with your state and run a search. See if you can find any historic information about the town. Then maybe add the word "park" to your search. Just doing that has netted me some great hunting spots holding lots of old coins! Good Luck!

Google

1895 US Atlas 

Historic Map Collection 

Aerial Maps Terraserver

US GenWeb 

Panoramic Pictures 

American Memory 

USGS Mapping Info

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Old Land Plats

Here is another quick trick to getting some nice old spots to hunt. This is a small piece of a land plat I copied from my local library I think this one dates about 1872. Now what I have done is colored in important areas, this will make it a little more easier for you to see. The map as you are looking at it is laying geograghically correct with north being up. The red boxes have cemetaries in them. They are always good landmarks to go by to find a certain location. Sometimes they will be moved but very rarely. The light blue dots are the Railroad tracks. These can be changed through the years but most times you can find the place where the old tracks run. The dark blue marks schoool houses and/or churches. I don't remember what the exact legends looked like for this map so we will go with both. Usually these are long gone, but still a great place to hunt if you can find the location of where they once stood. The yellow dots are where houses once stood. All that might be left are a few trees, parts of the foundations, maybe just a high spot in the ground..or maybe just a plowed field. Old houses like this can produre all kinds of great finds.

Now after looking at this you have noticed the green colored square. In it you will see a couple of houses and thats about it. Well the reason I have marked this part is. While reading a history book down at the library I read about a fort that was built in 1810! There were 11 families that used this fort during the winter of 1810, and as population grew so did the activity in within the fort. It talks about everything from the first birth, to the frist wedding ceremony, to church and school services, and even the first person to die there. But the most important thing it mentioned was the location. It was located in the northwest section of section 17. So that could be a real "Hot Spot"

Getting permission is usually not hard to do. I like to drive the area on a weekend. You should be able to find somebody out and stop and ask if they, or they know who owns this piece of ground, or that field? Be nice, look people in the eyes while talking to them, explain what you are wanting to do. Most people are curious and will listen. Remeber this! Farmers who will usually own this ground are very hard working people, and most times will give you permission. Respect them!! When you give them a handshake thats every metal detectorists handshake you are putting on the line!! Don't let us down by not following the landowners rules.

I never agree to split my finds or pay to hunt on anyones land. I would rather just leave the stuff in the ground where it was lost. The way I feel about it is. Most time all you find are a few old coins and some buttons and other trinkets. Which usually does not cover your gas money. Not to mention all the years of work you put in using your detector, and your time researching. I agree they own the ground and whats on there is rightfully theirs...so let them spend the money for a detector, and take time out from their other activities to learn how to use it. If they say no...well that is fine. I thank them for their time and move on down the road to another spot. I never leave home without 3 or 4 places in mind. 

(Reprinted with permission)

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