Anyone have any luck on the Great Lake's shoreline?

Omega

I am a rookie. Just wondering if anyone has any experience along the Great Lakes? I plan to hunt an old C.C.C. camp this Spring. Anyone have any stories, suggestions, tales of hidden treasure. The Poverty Island Story sounds interesting...

laserart

I can imagine many of the men at a ccc camp would have holes in their pockets, just can't imagine them having any money, let alone money to lose.

Omega

I was thinking more relics than coins at the CCC camp. I was also wondering about fur trade posts etc., for coins and relics.

Poverty Island Treasure

goldrush00013

<< <i>I can imagine many of the men at a ccc camp would have holes in their pockets, just can't imagine them having any money, let alone money to lose. >>



Probably very little money was lost since they earned $30.00 a month, $25.00 of which had to be sent home to their families.

Relics on the other hand may be plentiful...I have no experiance to know for sure.
I will say I have seen many exceptional Indian artifacts plucked along the shores of all the Great Lakes.

goldrush00013

<< <i>Anyone have any stories, suggestions, tales of hidden treasure. >>



I have a treasure guide with stories for Michigan...of course most are to quote LM "Pie in the Sky" stories.

So what county are you in and around?

Omega

Kent but also spend a lot of time in Luce and Chippewa.

goldrush00013

Here are the entries for Luce:



<< <i>#1. Danaher was a station on the Soo Line in 1910.
#2. Deer Park was plotted as a village in 1902. Nothing is there today.
#3. Hunter's Mill was once the site of large lumber camps.
#4. Information can be obtained in Newberry on the locations of East Branch, McPhee, Murner, Sage, and Soo Junction.

Chippewa County:
#1.Bay Mills was founded in 1879 and lasted till 1909. All that remains are the stone streets overgrown with weeds.

#2. Tradition maintains that a group of Spanish pirates operating from Espanore Island during the 17th century preyed on the French fur traders at De Tour Trading Post in Chippewa county. The pirates used the deep bays and coves to hide valuables taken from thr French. Authenticated reports tell of at least one attack made by pirates on French settlements near Fox Island in Lake Michigan. Spanish coins have washed ashore along several beaches on the lake. It is believed that the Spanish pirate leader De Spain, buried a large treasure somewhere along the eastern side of Espanore Island.

Kent:

#1. A treasure is supposed to be buried along the old trail between Grand Rapids and Lake Wabasis twenty miles southwest of Greenville. The cache was hidden by Wabasis, a Chippewa Indian Chief.

#2. Robber's of the 1880's are believed to have buried loot on the Dellen farm near Grand Rapids Information on this treasure can be obtained from the Township Clerk at Grand Rapids. >>




There are a few others.

If you are interested in having the book, shoot me a PM with your addy and you can have it.

BentFork

Good luck with the CCC camp. I found where both had been in the Antelope Valley. I had very little luck. Apparently when torn down no one was concerned over the nails left behind. Can't say that I would have been concerned either. I did find some relics, not what one would consider treasure. What I did find was 1930s vintage bottle tops (even back then people threw away bottle tops ). Also I found one button. No old coinage, but since one of the camps had been converted to a ranger station, I found some modern coins.

Someone mentioned the guys probably had holes in their pockets. Probably more true than you think. Most of the men in the CCC camps supplied their own clothing. I don't think people back during the depression, especially CCC workers worried about appearance. Also, the men worked for $24-$32 per month. Part of Roosevelt's plan for the CCC was that the workers would receive $4 per month (I think it was) and the remainder was sent home. That being the case, I personally didn't hold much hope that I would find much if anything in the way of coinage. I too was looking for relics. The rest of the story on the $4 is that it was the monthly dues for soap, shaving cream, razor blades, and etc. In other words, they received $4, but it was handed right back to the quartermaster for personal goods. Now if $24 per month seems a little on the low side for wages, the real commander-in-chief (Eleanor) thought the men should be paid a sack of Bull Durham and their meals per week for their efforts. The H*** with the families back home was her attitude. You can look it up. It's true.

I do hope you have better luck than I did. You'll never know until you try. Keep us posted.

Edited- BTW a fair number of the CCC camps have been preserved as historical sites and are OFF LIMITS to "turf terrorists".

Gary

HiBucky

Great Lakes .. : I almost fell off my chair when you mentioned the Shore Line. I have detected the Lake Eire shore line since 1980 in that time I have seen the water levels increase 30 feet and recede to the lowest levels to there present levels. I have found more silver on the shores of Lake Eire then most all people put together have found on all the shore lines of the Great Lakes ,, Sounds ridiculous. I live a few hundred yards from the beach. I know more about the LE then anyone when it comes to detecting. I know when the waves are at their longest and remove sand instead of depositing it. I know that you will never find the old coins unless you are at or near hard pan. I know that the cracks in the slate when exposed are filled will silver coins. I also know that I can look and walk away or I can look and if the conditions are right I can and will find coins many coins ., Many gold rings. I have proof and witnesses of what I say ,,, I have found over 800 coins in a small area no larger then 10 feet wide in a cut of the cliffs that is near my house .. The coins were deposited from the waves behind these rocks and the coins remained there until I passed a coil over the area. The coins could not come out from behind the rocks they were locked in. Barbers, Bust, Seated , Half's, Gold Rings, Sterling Medals, Crosses, New money and a lot of old Pennies, wheat. Indians, Large Cents and forgien not to mention the many more items that I have forgotten. I have found Spanish Reales, 1 Spanish Cob and thousands of silver coins. I have never found a gold coin on the beach or a silver dollar. I can say that I have never hunted in the water all my find are from on shore !!!! Remember 400 years of beach travel and things were lost as they are today ,,, And things were lost on the sand and in the water. As the water would rise the coins and metal objects would be pushed by the waves unto the shore. In may area cliffs are near the water about 50 yards from the water lines and the waves would push all metal objects to the cliffs and deposit them at the base and about 20 feet from the cliffs. People remember this
(all your treasures are out of the water and on the shore under your feet and under 3-8 feet of sand). When the sand is gone in my area you don't even need a detector. Spanish Reales, Over 300 gold rings, Treasures of what many of you can only dream about are on the shores of Lake Eire. Thousand and thousands of silver coins have come from the shore line. I could say so much more but I must go .. If you have questions about hunting the Lake Eire or Great Lakes ,,, I will try to answer them. There is so much more to learn and say that time nor space will allow. You have questions about hunting the great lakes. You have that person and none better ..Jim

goldrush00013

Dang! I better get up to the Lake!
It's only a 2 hour drive.

Omega

Jim,

Pictures!!!


I am a 1/2 hour from Lake Michigan. Sand is the order of the day on this side of the Lake. The beaches vary by 100's of feet depending on the time of year and water levels. Any helpful hints for sand dune hunting?

I will be hunting near Lake Superior this Summer so some of your ideas might work better there with bedrock along the shore. I am all ears. What else do I need to know?

StrikeOutXXX

Jim,

What part of Lake Erie are you near? I live about 3 miles from lake Erie in Chautauqua County NY, about 1/2 way between Erie, PA and Buffalo. I've only been detecting for about 5 years now so I'm still a relative newbie, but my beach adventures usually lead me more to junk than what you are describing, would love to hear your strategy in more detail. I prefer private houses to the open lands, but may have to try something a bit different this spring.

Jeff

HiBucky

Ok .. I know people who hunt on the shores of Canada, They find their coins and many rings as they are dropped in the sand. They don't move much from the area that they are lost due to the lack of wave action on the Canadian Shore line. Not at all like the US side of the lake where the wind blows so bad that an item lost in the water could end up miles away in one wintry storm. Guys if you are serious remember what I said about everything lost in the sand and off of shore is now buried under feet of sand on the beach waiting for the super storm to remove the sand and expose the hundreds of coins and artifacts lost over the past 400 years. I have found these sites on the Lake Eire shore line. My hunting grounds are from 14 miles south of Buffalo NY to the Eire PA line. In that area I have located many areas where silver coins and object buried for hundreds of years are exposed after the storms. Here are some areas, North of Hamburg Town Beach just past the boat ramp. Found many silver coins in the exposed cracks in the slate. Wahnaka Water Company found hundreds of silver coins and rings and forgien coins after storms. This area has produced more Spanish reales then all the other sites combined I know of at least 40 Spanish reales including a full karat diamond ring and a 1797 Flowing Hair Dime. Next area of silver are the Highland Cliffs Located 7 miles west on the Old Lake Shore Road Seated, Bust Barbers and a nice old hand gun from the 1930's. And I can continue On and On and On right to the PA line. What do all these sites of high producing area have in common ? The water is no more then 100 feet from the high cliffs and when we get the super storms you can never tell what will happen ,.. 23 Gold rings found in one small area in 3 days with and without a detector not including the other 20 other rings sterling and junk. Picking up a nice 1896 barber half just walking the beach. Seated, Bust half dimes and my personnel best was 7 half dollars in one day. The best of the best and this is an oldie a 43 inch gold chain weighing 1.75 ozs and 18 K as tested with large links. Remember the great lakes have super storms They drove these small ships from the 1700 and 1800's into the cliffs and destroy them and dump their treasures out into the sand. These treasure are still there waiting to be found. The ices chunks in the spring are undercut by the waves as they lay on the shore line. The waves dig down and remove the sand and then the bergs melt and leave these large craters on the shore line and in these holes you will find what you are looking for. The closer to the slate or clay you get and if you hit the shore line right Not in the water but on shore you will live one of your dreams. I have said many times nothing can beat this and over and over again I have ..... PS .. Don't waste you time in the summer. This beach conditions have short windows Early Spring and Very Late Fall just before the sand freezes. ,, Pictures Ok I will Soon and you will see.... I am kind of lazy but you will see them .. There is more I will continue this ,, Soon .. Jim

dtkk49a

Jim,
The stories are great but we need pictures !

eyoung429

One area that you may want to hit (wished I was into MD'ing as a kid) is a town called Zion, Ill

When I was living there in the early 70's there used to be about 10 mansions along the coastline. These were sucked in and destroyed. There were only 2 left when I moved in the early '80's. You should be able to find a LOT of relics and such. I don't remember the names of the roads that led off of Sheridan road, but one of them used to be next to one of the old original Fig Newtons factory.

Omega

Sounds interesting. I remember lots of stories in the news about erosion and housing getting eaten by the lakes. Hard to believe with today's water levels. Superior especially is very low right now.

HiBucky

No way can I provide backup for the finds that I have discussed hunting the great lakes shore lines .. So I did manage to take a few shots of some beach finds and a few of some other items just enough to give some merit to what I have said. Jim

HiBucky

No way can I provide backup for the finds that I have discussed hunting the great lakes shore lines .. So I did manage to take a few shots of some beach finds and a few of some other items just enough to give some merit to what I have said. Jim

HiBucky

HiBucky

HiBucky

HiBucky

HiBucky

MPeter

If you are going to make up a story like this, the least you could do is spell the name of the lake correctly......it's Erie, not Eire.

kevinstang

<< <i>My hunting grounds are from 14 miles south of Buffalo NY to the Eire PA line. In that area I have located many areas where silver coins and object buried for hundreds of years are exposed after the storms. Here are some areas, North of Hamburg Town Beach just past the boat ramp. Found many silver coins in the exposed cracks in the slate >>



Looks like I may have to go visit my nephew who lives outside Buffalo this spring...some great finds Jim.

Omega

Well I plan to hit the Lake Michigan Beach when (if) the ice breaks up this Spring. Looks like HiBucky and Chicago Ron both have a nice pile of rings. Must be all that sun tan lotion during Summer??

Omega

I received the Treasure guide today from Goldrush00013. Thanks! That is the kind of thing I love about this place!
-Frank