Ghost Town detecting- can you dig anywhere?

[reestronaut]

I have a list of ghost towns with a population of zero that I want to detect at. I have a little anxiety about this, as it almost seems too good to be true. If no one at all lives on this land, can I just drive there and detect/dig anywhere I want? I have never gone detecting on my own before.

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

I have a list of ghost towns with a population of zero that I want to detect at. I have a little anxiety about this, as it almost seems too good to be true. If no one at all lives on this land, can I just drive there and detect/dig anywhere I want? I have never gone detecting on my own before.

It depends on who owns the ghost-town spot. Just because "no one at all lives on this land", doesn't mean it's not still owned by someone.

And just curious: have you actually been to the sites? I mean, and even seen them from more than just the road view? I mean, have you, or can you, walk right up to look at remains, foundations, etc... ? If so then obviously you have physically been there, already, eh ? (or were you just looking at book pix/research of said-spots?). Because if you've already been there to view them up close, then ....... you were already there. And if so, then apparently the mere act of being there isn't an issue ? I mean, if you weren't trespassing then, then....... if it were me, and simply being there isn't dis-allowed or unusual, then ..... well, I'd just add detecting to the list.

But again, the technical answer is: who owns said-site ?

 

[reestronaut]

I have not been there. I have just done research. I don't even know how to find out who, if anyone, owns the land. I just hear a lot of talk about hunting in ghost towns and was wondering how accessible/safe/risky they are.

 

[Mackaydon]

Welcome to Treasure Net !
My suggestion: Ger permission or stay out. Better to be safe than sorry.
Unless the land is now owned by the government, it's ownership can be easily determined from the tax rolls or other sources in the county records.

Don.....

 

[Tom_in_CA]

....I just hear a lot of talk about hunting in ghost towns and was wondering how accessible/safe/risky they are.

I hunt ghost-townsy sites all-the-time. And do not consider them in-accessible, un-safe, risky, etc....

Also the term "ghost-town" is sort of a loaded term. The type places I'm thinking about, aren't your "Bodie" type ghost towns (with standing buildings, like out of a spaghetti western movie). They're often just a cow pasture or some out of place fruit trees or cellar hole (or a foundation, etc...) where a stage stop had been. Not actual buildings laid out block by block or whatever.

And be aware that if the spots you're researching are easily accessible via research (the "colorful" and "obvious" ghost towns), then rest assured: They've been hit before. Even if someone on site says otherwise, they simply don't know any better.

 

[reestronaut]

I hunt ghost-townsy sites all-the-time. And do not consider them in-accessible, un-safe, risky, etc....

Also the term "ghost-town" is sort of a loaded term. The type places I'm thinking about, aren't your "Bodie" type ghost towns (with standing buildings, like out of a spaghetti western movie). They're often just a cow pasture or some out of place fruit trees or cellar hole (or a foundation, etc...) where a stage stop had been. Not actual buildings laid out block by block or whatever.

And be aware that if the spots you're researching are easily accessible via research (the "colorful" and "obvious" ghost towns), then rest assured: They've been hit before. Even if someone on site says otherwise, they simply don't know any better.

Yeah, the "ghost towns" I've seen on Google Earth may have just a couple buildings, but nothing significant.

 

[George (MN)]

If you use the site hometownlocator.com they will be listed under populated places if even 1 person remains. Many real ghost towns don't even have a road or trail going to them anymore, if they've been totally abandoned for decades. Of course that probably does not (yet) apply if at least one person lives there.

Some county websites may have property tax information online including ownership, acreage, & date built for any house that is still lived in. Best wishes, George (MN)

 

[reestronaut]

This website is great- thank you! It does turn out that all of the places I planned on hunting are not cities, but "populated places." Kind of nervous about knocking on doors here; if someone is this far out from a town or city, they probably don't want to be bothered. On Google Earth, it appears that maybe only one or two people/households live there.

Edit: wow, again this website is wonderful. I may have to contact some real estate agents to see if I can hunt land that is for sale. Love that all of the information is right there.