Iowa detecting

[usehername]

Live in small town of Runnells and was looking for any new places or ideas of good places to find old coins?

 

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[BAMACE350]

You and me both, I just North of Des Moines.

 

[jmoller99]

Do you have any places where a carnival sets up once a year? If there was a place like that from many years ago (or even recent) it would likely have coins from under any ride that moved fast or spun the occupants upside down. There used to a lot of amusement parks in Iowa that have shut down over the years (I had family in Spencer Iowa and we used to visit in the 1960's). Do some research.

Also look for places (get an old railway map from the 1920's thru 1940's) that were used as watering sites for steam trains - these sites are no longer in operation (as railway stops), but often have interesting finds. This type of railway stop is all over the country. Do some research in your area.

 

[BAMACE350]

Great idea on the carnival!

I did a few overlays from the 30's today, found 7 spots I doubt anyone has been, I'll post when I get a chance to check them out.

 

[dirt_diver74]

Anyone out there still active?

 

[Deft Tones]

I'm very active in Des Moines (and surrounding). I can put you on a few spots where you will have a great chance to recover old coins, jewelry, and relics.

 

[tamrock]

Many moons ago I did a book report at Ankeny high school and the subject had to be something on state of lowa. I chose a book title I believe, The Geology of Iowa? One of the chapters covered in the book was on the coal mining industry of Iowa and in particular a town called Buxton, Iowa was covered in the chapter. Buxton was a boom town of mostly Black coal miners that operated at it's hight from 1895 to 1927. To this day, I've always thought the location of the ghost town of Buxton, Iowa would be an excellent place to investigate with a detector. I got an A and a high 5 from the teacher on that book report. I recall she found my research the most interesting of all the reports handed in.

 

[Deft Tones]

Many moons ago I did a book report at Ankeny high school and the subject had to be something on state of lowa. I chose a book title I believe, The Geology of Iowa? One of the chapters covered in the book was on the coal mining industry of Iowa and in particular a town called Buxton, Iowa was covered in the chapter. Buxton was a boom town of mostly Black coal miners that operated at it's hight from 1895 to 1927. To this day, I've always thought the location of the ghost town of Buxton, Iowa would be an excellent place to investigate with a detector. I got an A and a high 5 from the teacher on that book report. I recall she found my research the most interesting of all the reports handed in.

Ha, I've thought the same thing about Buxton. Lots of important black history on that site. Another spot for military history detecting (including black officer training) is the park adjoining Ft. Des Moines that used to be part of the Ft.

 

[IDXMonster]

A couple of resources,if you don't have them...NETR Online ? Historic Aerials and Historic Map Works, Residential Genealogy ?

 

[Deft Tones]

Iowa specific resources:

Iowa DNR | Historic Aerial Photo Project

Iowa Geographic Map Server

Iowa Historical Topographic Maps - Perry-Castañeda Map Collection - UT Library Online

Hixson Plat Map Atlases of Iowa

Des Moines - Parks Finder

 

[foiler]

Van Cleve and Ormanville are two of several abandoned town cites that should be worth checking out.

 

[dirt_diver74]

Great to see the local activity

 

[Tom_in_CA]

watch out for that deft-tones fellow though. He's having psychotic delusions of having found old coins in that area. He's harmless as long as he takes his meds

 

[Deft Tones]

watch out for that deft-tones fellow though. He's having psychotic delusions of having found old coins in that area. He's harmless as long as he takes his meds

Ha, I swear I'm not baiting someone to search deep in the woods for the crusty zinc pennies I seeded. Those coins were all pre-82....

 

[JasoninIowa]

I have always thought that Buxton or Enterprise would make for a great hunt. Enterprise is mostly corn field now.

 

[dirt_diver74]

I have a group on Facebook if anyone is interested in joining, here's the link. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1539530159636547/ I'd like to see other people posting other than myself the people in the group seem not to post much. Send a request and let me know you are from this site and I will approve. Thanks, and as all ways Happy Hunting and may the Tones be with you.

 

[dirt_diver74]

Great day out today and the first finds of the year.

 

[Cooper_Joe]

I don't think this thread is still active, but Soldier Creek in Fort Dodge is pretty cool. It used to be a dump site, I've found bottles from the 1860's coins from the late 1800's too. However my spot is a secret but there's the clues for you.

 

[Got-Good-Tones]

usehername,

Following maps will probably help you out some... Dated 1885 & 1919... In case anybody out in Iowa was looking for some info...here ya go...

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

Try this part of our forum...
Iowa