Local Park coin finds

[badgers325]

Hello everyone,

Before I get to the coins, I am a very focused person like all of you when detecting. So when metal detecting this park (in a wooded area), it took me the third trip to realize I was detecting in poison ivy. Luckily it was cold that I had pants/long sleeves and gloves. Sometimes I amaze myself on my "focus". In all honesty, I went a different way to the spot and read a sign stating watch out for poison ivy and wild parsnip (no idea what that looks like and guessing I was in that too).

This area was a swimming hole back in the 1910s/20s on the Milwaukee River. Swimming stopped in the late 20s due to major pollution in the river. This place turned more into a picnic area. Since I know it has been pounded in the past, I always look at the landscape and think what it was like 100 years ago and where would I plunk my backside down to enjoy the weather. That is where I go. I utilize maps to find an area and then hike it. Then I detect. Here are my finds on a spot that is about 150ft x 100ft on a steep hill.

52 wheats, oldest is 1912
2 V nickels - showed you 1897 last post and I put it in my coin collection. One shown is 1907
4 Buffalo - 1935,36,37, no date
War nickel 1943P
Rosies - 47, 52 (2) ,53
Merc -42

[Bucknut]

Excellent finds! That is a ton of wheats ... seems that the competition cherry picked the big silver and left you those. Hope you find more.

If nature calls be careful in that spot!

[Digger_O'Dell]

Those are some great finds for parks around here! Everything has been hit hard, but if you think outside the box or maybe find an odd forgotten spot that may have been active 100 years ago there's the chance to find some great stuff. Also there's always the most difficult areas loaded with iron or truckloads of pull tabs that tend to hide great stuff from all but the most dedicated hunter.

I have tried water hunting a lot of those old swim holes and found absolutely nothing, only to later find out that the river had been dredged in the past and some areas were lined with tiles. Further North, the bottom is like concrete due to all the lime from the mines in the area (most now underwater) from 100 years ago. The building of dams and the later removal of those dams have also made huge changes to the water line and affected shoreline activity locations over time. One park in particular had a huge dirt ridge where a tunnel was built for horses and carriages to access the shoreline and park area. They had boat rides, a beer garden, lit pathways and frequent concerts. The heyday was between approximately the 1870's to the 1920's. Since then the tunnel was filled in, pathways disappeared, the amphitheater and other buildings torn down, and the park itself bulldozed in many areas and left to grow over with thick trees and brush.

There's 1 pathway now along the water in that area, but it's still very difficult to access by crashing through the woods and brush, and climbing over the very steep and treacherous ridge, or by biking/hiking quite a long distance on that one path. There's a few remnants left in that area to show where things once were such as the occasional brick or partial wall such as where the tunnel used to be. Plus there's still a couple gas lights still on their poles hidden in the woods to remind those who may happen on one that there used to be a path underneath.

I have detected that area pretty hard for a while and found absolutely nothing but modern trash and and a few square nails that probably escaped the dozer. The water held nothing but a couple brass parts from the old row boats, mostly sunk in the deep muck or embedded into roots of the shore grass. But, there's also so many more areas like this along the banks hidden away by time and progress that there will likely always be small caches hidden away like a time capsule ready to be found.

[Cheap Thrills]

Congrats on your success . Nice finds , pictures and write up .

[badgers325]

thx guys.

Bucknut - no kidding. That would be awful.

DOD - I know where you are talking about and it isn't so pleasant is it. Been thinking about detecting that area too, but just haven't had the will to give it a go. Like you stated, it is a beast to get there. The other spot in the lime area had a crossing back in the day and I haven't hit the river in that spot yet. This year would have been ideal during the drought, but guessing like you said, it is concrete. If the snow starts flying soon, I may just walk it this fall if we don't get a bunch of rain/snow and see what it looks like. If it looks detectable, maybe we can give it a go. Be good to have a partner in the river. Our river had sooooo much potential, but yes it was ruined and will be dredged again in the future up to I think Capital Drive. I haven't read up on it lately.

[Digger_O'Dell]

Badger325,
Yes, the river will likely be dredged again eventually. But it's been done a lot farther up that you realize. In the past I found dredging had been done nearly up to Mequon past all the old swim holes I managed to find any documentation for. All the tributaries I found have also been dredged and lined as well throughout the city and even some of the suburbs. I also had aspirations to try detecting the river in Cedarburg and trying Cedar Creek off of the parks where there used to be swimming. All dredged. The placed I did try didn't even have any trash of note other than the occasional aluminum can or foil.

I would die for a chance to detect Cedarburg with it's history dating back to the 1840s and maybe even before a bit, but they have a complete ban on detecting any public area. (They also have a ban on pretty much anything that may "disturb soil or foliage" and ban being on the grass in many parks) But I have thought on some other possible water sites on the river for next year and would certainly enjoy the company if you don't mind driving an hour or so. There's some pretty old communities along the river that have some parks which may have had activity long ago. Should be no problem detecting the river even though it's banned in the parks themselves.

It's my hope that eventually we can stumble on one of those "river of dreams" like Hiluxota did a couple years ago.

[badgers325]

DOD- Definitely up for that. I found an old bottle detecting 1900-1910 detecting just South of Capitol Dr. near the beer garden. The river bottom seems like it would hold stuff, but hardly any signals at all. Let's call the bottle dumb luck.

Didn't realize they went all the way up to Mequon. I will start researching up that way and maybe we can come up with some spots. Be good to have WD come with us maybe too or Firefighter.

Tom certainly hit a great spot.

[wisconsin digger]

Congrats on all the recoveries. I could use a wheatie spot like that as I need 28 more to hit a goal this year. Thought I found 4 wheaties today but one unexpectedly turned out to be an Indian. Great finds and research. WD

[OxShoeDrew]

AMAZING amount of old coins, Darryl!! I didn't know we have to worry about "wild parsnip."
I guess it's also called "giant hogweed." yikes!
Congrats on finding the right spot!

[badgers325]

Thanks WD and Drew! Wild parsnip sounds like it should go into a soup.

WD - If I come across another spot like this, I will PM you. Love it if people can hit their goals. Heading out to same park early Saturday morning that got the pile of wheats. I found a few in the grassy areas and they are about pin pointer depth.

[wisconsin digger]

No worries, I found 1 more today so only 27 more hunts to hit my goal (hope it does'nt snow). WD