So I've been doing a bit of research about a long forgotten Confederate Calvary training camp site (http://www.salemmuseum.org/guide_archives/HSV7N2.aspx#trained). It was on a farm of approximately 200 acres or so. Based on the location of the family grave plot (which was documented by the WPA in 1936), the location of the "main road", the railroad, and other things, there is a Presbyterian church that may lie within the area of the farm that held the camp. It is the largest plot of undisturbed land (besides the church) on the old farm location. The rest of the farm has been turned into a large subdivision.
After meeting with the Pastor, and the governing body of the church (called the Session), I received permission to hunt their land. The Session wanted to meet me and hear my request because initially they thought it was odd. No one had ever asked something like that before.
Anyway.. the only stipulation I got was that I show the church any find I might make. Let's just hope that my research pays off and my hunch about the church grounds is correct! 
Also from the meeting with the Session I learned there whereabouts of the old slave quarters within the subdivision from one of the members who lives next door to the woman who owns the property where it was. Evidently she hit the old stone foundation when she was tilling her garden years ago. So now I have some more places to look for in this subdivision. Also, when asked about other places I've hunted, I told them about the one and only battle site around here that I've just started to explore, which is actually a creek that runs between two mountains (http://www.salemmuseum.org/guide_archives/HSV7N2.aspx#battle). One of the other members knows the exact route of the Union retreat from the battle (I only had a general idea of the retreat path) and has found some items just laying on top of the ground and wants to discuss that location further once I've hunted the church property for a bit. You just never know where you're next bit of research will come from, and had I not asked would have never known about these.
After meeting with the Pastor, and the governing body of the church (called the Session), I received permission to hunt their land. The Session wanted to meet me and hear my request because initially they thought it was odd. No one had ever asked something like that before.
Anyway.. the only stipulation I got was that I show the church any find I might make. Let's just hope that my research pays off and my hunch about the church grounds is correct! Also from the meeting with the Session I learned there whereabouts of the old slave quarters within the subdivision from one of the members who lives next door to the woman who owns the property where it was. Evidently she hit the old stone foundation when she was tilling her garden years ago. So now I have some more places to look for in this subdivision. Also, when asked about other places I've hunted, I told them about the one and only battle site around here that I've just started to explore, which is actually a creek that runs between two mountains (http://www.salemmuseum.org/guide_archives/HSV7N2.aspx#battle). One of the other members knows the exact route of the Union retreat from the battle (I only had a general idea of the retreat path) and has found some items just laying on top of the ground and wants to discuss that location further once I've hunted the church property for a bit. You just never know where you're next bit of research will come from, and had I not asked would have never known about these.
