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Reading signs - it is important

BottleCapKing

Elite Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2011
Messages
2,143
Location
Central Mass
So, here I am driving through the decommissioned section of Fort Devens. There is this really nice field in the middle of this area. It was an early WWI staging area, and no doubt has seen its share of parades, drills, and general chicanery since the early 1900's.

I noticed a sign on the side of the park that I figured would give some additional history to the park (all 44 acres of it). At the very bottom of the sign I see the most dreaded words of all...

"National Registry of Historic Places"

Looks like I won't be detecting there.

Anyone familiar with Devens? Who do you talk to about detecting the area that is not Rogers Field? I can't figure out if the open land belongs to the state or to the town of Ayer. There are lots of curb strips in front of abandoned buildings. The building all have "No Trespassing - State Property" signs on them.
 
I have been detecting at a place where they are working on getting one of the buildings on the National Registry. They told me that it is still totally up to the owner what they allow on their property (they asked) and there is no reason I have to stop detecting there once there are officially registered.

I wouldn't let it stop you from asking.
 
I have been detecting at a place where they are working on getting one of the buildings on the National Registry. They told me that it is still totally up to the owner what they allow on their property (they asked) and there is no reason I have to stop detecting there once there are officially registered.

I wouldn't let it stop you from asking.

Huh, I didn't know that. I thought National Registry meant "definitely not". I guess I was confusing it with "National Historic Site" which I believe IS technically federal land and no detecting is permitted.

I will have to look up who the land actually belongs to - if it belongs to the town, I can probably do it. If it is state land, the state archeologist will definitely say no, as they always do.
 
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