Research Keep it simple and effective.

[Ron from Michigan]

Like most of you I'm always looking for a edge.The hi tec GPS equipment to me is more money and time spent,in other words another career.I found an Old Late 40s or early 50s Rand McNally Michigan Road Atlas.This grand old Atlas has Boat Launching Sites,Parks,Ski areas.The maps are in great detail.I cross referenced maps in this book with some of the current parks I've searched and they are older than I thought.There are three ski areas within a twenty mile radius that no longer exist,which two even had night skiing with seven or more runs.The Atlas has a lot of small town parks listed with a square symbol near the area.The Atlas also shows I75 not yet a road only under construction just dash marks.There's a lot of parks to search that were very active in the late 40s early 50s in this book.By the way, the Atlas cost me seven bucks on Ebay

 

[Joel-Winnipeg]

That old atlas looks to be a great research tool .for old sites..
Certainly a short cut on finding long forgotten places..

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Joel,the old atlas confirms that two of my favorite hunting sites are much older than I thought.I 'm looking forward to hunt some of these overlooked parks on the map.This gives me a lot more information and leads for the entire state. Even detailed information given on old boat landings.

 

[GRAY GHOST]

hi ron! greetings from the south! that's a great idea that i never even thought of. the same can be done using old topographic maps. simply transpose one to the other. yer a genius, my friend! hh!

 

[Elton]

n/t

 

[gear box]

Great idea Ron. It sure is exciting to find a good spot that quite possibly never saw a detector. I found a spot over the winter that may be just be one of those places. The difference is I found mine on the internet. The ironic thing is, it's a spot that I have walked on and camped on when I was a kid about 45 year''s ago. The spot is exactly like it was back in the early 60's when I fished and camped there.I came across some picture's from the late 1800's and early 1900's pf people fishing and camping on the exact spot that I did. Included are several picture's of a former governor and all his friends,all hanging around in hammocks,swimming,and picnicing. I nearly dirtied my short's when I seen these picture's. Needles to say i'm pretty pumped for spring to get here. Good luck this spring, Gary

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Gearbox,sometimes we overlook the obvious.If we enjoy this picnic place by the lake shore people a hundred years probably did the same.I have confidence even if these areas have been hunted before they will still yield great finds.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

n/t

 

[echostar61]

Great Idea Ron . I have several older maps from areas I have lived and have
used them for finding detecting sites and off roadind.
Like GG said Topo maps arevery helpful also and can be found at your sate archives .

Terri

 

[jog]

My girlfriend just found this for me the other day.It has old battlefields from when the whites where fighting with the Indians. Also old ghost towns and old gold mines.It has an overlay of new Oregon on old Oregon.It shows some of the old wagon trails and stage stops.Very interesting maps.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Terri,I have down loaded some old maps of Oxford in the late 1800s and have found a lot of the information confusing,because of all the changes in that time span to present.For me the 1950 map of park sites gives me a lot of information that I can use without additional research.Thanks

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Jog,that old map may lead you to some great finds.Keep us posted how your search progresses.