Research leads to disappointment

[DiggerAl]

Hey there guys! I know I'm never really on the forum, but I'm thinking about getting on the forum a lot and being a lot more active, and I guess this is part of it!

So, me and my dad were talking about going to Ohio this weekend, and i was looking all over the state for some nice towns, and one of the old maps on historicmapworks i found looked like a resort! Keep in mind, this map was from the 1860s. After a bit of research, this place was gone by the 1880s, and was VERY popular in the 1840s and '50s. You can imagine I was getting pretty excited... I was hoping, since it was gone, it would be some sort of farm field so we could come back in the fall after the harvest. NOPE. After looking through some township maps, and making sure 100% that where i was looking at is where the resort was, following roads and bridges and houses and such. After about an hour or two, i finddddddddd.... It's a prison now . Apparently sometime in the '30s or '40s they built a prison on this site. I dont think we're gonna be able to metal detect there!

It's quite a shame that we won't be able to unearth the history buried at that site, although it is probably in some fill dirt in some house from the '60s now ! Sorry this post isn't really the typical sharing of finds and hunts, I just figured this was a funny/possibly relatable story lol! Do you guys have any similar experiences? I would love to hear them!

GL&HH

[OxShoeDrew]

I'm always seeing places where they are putting up a new building on a historic lot or demolishing an older building. I wish I could just hit some of these places for a few hours before the work starts. It's nice to see you on the forum Al! I hope we get to meet up again when you come out this way!

[Bucknut]

I found a similar spot in Ohio too. There was a race track in the late 1800's and gone by the 1940's so I was thinking there had to be old coins there. But once I overlaid it with the current map large parking lot for a big trucking company.

Hope Ohio works out for you guys this weekend. My Dad said they have had lots of rain so conditions should be good for you.

[Tony Two-Cent]

Nice to see a post from you, Alec! At least you did your research before you decided to travel to that site. I'm guessing you may have has some trouble getting in.

The only site I can think of where I had similar disappointment was this one in the small town where my dad grew up. On the 1881 map you can see an area designated as the "Public Square". On the current satellite view you can see that this Public Square is now partially under a factory parking lot and a water tower. I detected the southeast quadrant of the former Public Square a few years ago and found an 1856 Large Cent. This site dates back to the early 1800s, and nearby I found an 1808 One Real and an 1832 Half Dime.

Sure is too bad that most of this old Public Square is now undetectable. I still want to ask the homeowner if I can detect the southwest quadrant though. Someday.

[Digger Don]

You must have a nice Dad to drive you all the way to Ohio for a few wheat cents.

Now I just have to teach you how to Door Knock .

[OxShoeDrew]

You must have a nice Dad to drive you all the way to Ohio for a few wheat cents.

.

[Digger_O'Dell]

In my area I get this more often than not. We had an old horse race track and another site that was a fair grounds in the early to mid 1800s that is all built over. One of them is now a Walgreens I think. Another site was a town and shipping port until the 1860s. It was farm fields until recently when urban sprawl took over and the site is now built up with high dollar mansions. Several early 1800s farms in my area are now either sub divisions or factories. The list is endless

[DiggerAl]

I found a similar spot in Ohio too. There was a race track in the late 1800's and gone by the 1940's so I was thinking there had to be old coins there. But once I overlaid it with the current map large parking lot for a big trucking company.

Hope Ohio works out for you guys this weekend. My Dad said they have had lots of rain so conditions should be good for you.

It is the WORST seeing old sites just covered up like that. And thanks! We got a bit of a drive so hope we can get a couple keepers!

[DiggerAl]

Nice to see a post from you, Alec! At least you did your research before you decided to travel to that site. I'm guessing you may have has some trouble getting in.

The only site I can think of where I had similar disappointment was this one in the small town where my dad grew up. On the 1881 map you can see an area designated as the "Public Square". On the current satellite view you can see that this Public Square is now partially under a factory parking lot and a water tower. I detected the southeast quadrant of the former Public Square a few years ago and found an 1856 Large Cent. This site dates back to the early 1800s, and nearby I found an 1808 One Real and an 1832 Half Dime.

Sure is too bad that most of this old Public Square is now undetectable. I still want to ask the homeowner if I can detect the southwest quadrant though. Someday.

Hit that house Tony! So much history covered by modern buildings! I was getting out of the hobby a bit, still liked doing the roadtrips and stuff, but as of late it's like i just found the hobby over again, it's weeeeird lol. I dont think i will be making posts of my finds, as my dad does that, but I do think I will be more active here!

In my area I get this more often than not. We had an old horse race track and another site that was a fair grounds in the early to mid 1800s that is all built over. One of them is now a Walgreens I think. Another site was a town and shipping port until the 1860s. It was farm fields until recently when urban sprawl took over and the site is now built up with high dollar mansions. Several early 1800s farms in my area are now either sub divisions or factories. The list is endless

After a bit more research in the same area, I found an 1840s fairground covered by 1970s houses... IT'S THE WORST!


I'm new to this whole forum thing, so I apologize if the format of my posts are a bit wonky or long lol.

[Digger_O'Dell]

1970"s houses? Lol Researched an old park past few weeks and found it originated about 1830 as a private recreation area. In the 1850s it was bought and turned into an amusement park with rides, stages for music, beer tents, etc. Big attraction until around 1920 when the city took ownership and it was just a plain park until the 50s when it was divided up and they built some school buildings on one end. Later a baseball field and other small buildings added. As is typical in the city, they paved over most of the grass. Tried it yesterday morning, and did find a few wheats, earliest being a 1917. But most of the remaining grassy areas must have been filled since I did find a couple older items, but they were 12 to 20 inches deep. Never find a coin that deep. Bet there's lots of great stuff there just out of reach. Really heart breaking.

[Noah]

Typical. Sorry man.