MytBrednec
Senior Member
I recently did some research on county plat maps to find the owner of a field that I wanted to do some metal detecting in, there is an old road bed visible where they have moved the current road over about 50 yards and it has been that way for many years. There are remnants of an old rock fence along one side of the old road bed. This old road predates the civil war and I figured it might hold some interesting relics.
The property has been in the family of the current owners since at least 1880 as that is when the house is listed as being built. Using the plat map, I was able to locate one of the current owners who lives a few states away. I located his phone number via the internet and gave him a call.
Unfortunately, he was unable to give me permission as the family decided quite awhile back that it is was easier to just not give anyone permission so they weren't confused about who had given who permission to use the land.
And now the positive part! I was on the phone with this retired gentleman for probably 45 minutes discussing the history of the area and his family's influence on the neighborhood. Evidently, it has long been rumored that there is some kind of buried treasure either near or on their property. There is a still active cemetery next to the property that the family deeded to the church many years ago. The cemetery has also been reported to have "ghost lights" that appear from time to time. I drive by this location almost everyday on my way to work and have never seen any ghost lights. This gentleman said his dad was interviewed about the hauntings back in the 1970's and he had never seen anything either, but the rumor persists. His Dad and Uncle even moved the rock wall a few feet to try and find the reported hidden treasure and did not find anything. It's a very interesting area.
Even though I was unable to procure permission to hunt the area, I had a thoroughly enjoyable conversation with a man I would never have had the opportunity to speak with if it weren't for recently becoming involved with metal detecting. This kind soul even apologized for not being able to give me permission. I'll probably give him a call back in a year or so and see if he has convinced the family to allow me to dig! It can't hurt!
Thanks for letting me ramble,
Shawn
The property has been in the family of the current owners since at least 1880 as that is when the house is listed as being built. Using the plat map, I was able to locate one of the current owners who lives a few states away. I located his phone number via the internet and gave him a call.
Unfortunately, he was unable to give me permission as the family decided quite awhile back that it is was easier to just not give anyone permission so they weren't confused about who had given who permission to use the land.
And now the positive part! I was on the phone with this retired gentleman for probably 45 minutes discussing the history of the area and his family's influence on the neighborhood. Evidently, it has long been rumored that there is some kind of buried treasure either near or on their property. There is a still active cemetery next to the property that the family deeded to the church many years ago. The cemetery has also been reported to have "ghost lights" that appear from time to time. I drive by this location almost everyday on my way to work and have never seen any ghost lights. This gentleman said his dad was interviewed about the hauntings back in the 1970's and he had never seen anything either, but the rumor persists. His Dad and Uncle even moved the rock wall a few feet to try and find the reported hidden treasure and did not find anything. It's a very interesting area.
Even though I was unable to procure permission to hunt the area, I had a thoroughly enjoyable conversation with a man I would never have had the opportunity to speak with if it weren't for recently becoming involved with metal detecting. This kind soul even apologized for not being able to give me permission. I'll probably give him a call back in a year or so and see if he has convinced the family to allow me to dig! It can't hurt!
Thanks for letting me ramble,
Shawn
