Old Homesite with Backfilled Foundations/Basements

[barlowchiro]

I have permission to hunt a couple of old homesites. Both were built in the late 19th century. The only problem is that both have been torn down and the basements/foundations have been back filled. Has anyone every hunted a property like this? Is it even worth it to go hunt?

[wrvond]

Very much worthwhile. While the basement/foundation area might not be the most productive. You've still got the rest of the yard or property. If you know how long ago they were demolished, you might be able to find old maps or photos that show where the buildings were and if there were others on the property as well, giving you oft travelled paths to search.

As difficult as it is becoming to find places to hunt these days. Any place that hasn't been beaten to death by other detectorists is worthwhile in my book!

[barlowchiro]

I actually watched them tear the house down from my office window. I should have gotten out there before they did it!!! I am going to hunt it anyways. The other house was torn down in the 80s I think. I looked at some old aerial photos overlayed with new ones to get my bearings.

I also just heard they are tearing up an old brick street next to the office next week. Maybe I can get out there and detect that old road before they lay the new stuff down. Has anyone ever detected an old torn up road like that?

[wrvond]

Absolutely! Go for it! Mud streets predated the brick streets, and lots of coins got dropped and buried in the mud. Depending, of course, on location.
Even modern streets are worth detecting under if you get the chance. I got to detect a torn up street in a new neighborhood and came up with no less than 18 silver quarters in a 300 yard run.

Good luck!

[rsarge1]

we have detected these types of tear outs before and have had good luck finding silvers and indian heads the first thing we do is to talk to the supervisor of the construction crew to see if he has a problem if we detect the area as long as we don't interfere with his workers, most of the time there was no problem, one supervisor wanted us to wear safety vests so that his crew knew where we were so now I have a safety vest in my bag at all times just in case. the last place we didn't need it but we had it just in case so we didnt have to go looking around for a vest, we did get a few silvers even though the area turned out to be an old land fill and they were putting in a new play ground. definately go for it, hunt areas right after they scrape it off and before the new surface is layed down, good luck

[Tony Two-Cent]

Not only are sites like this worthwhile, they sometimes turn out to be real honey holes. Any old house site can pay nice dividends, especially if it's never been hunted before. The backfill activity can actually bring old coins to the surface on occasion.

Go for it! |