Does anyone else like exploring abandoned places?

[robertpaulsen]

My wife and I usually like doing this when we go on vacation. In particular, we like old western ghost towns. But in the Santa Susana Pass in Simi Valley, California, we found the remains of an abandoned western movie ranch that was also an amusement park, Corriganville. This ranch named after western actor/stuntman/Man in a Gorilla suit actor Ray Corrigan, was open to the public as an amusement park from May 1, 1949 until 1966 when Bob Hope closed the ranch.

This is our most recent video of what we found:

We found out about Robin Hood Lake when we stopped off at the Santa Susana Railroad Depot just up the street from Corriganville. They had a wonderful exhibit that showed how Corriganville used to look back when it was a working movie ranch and amusement park. They even showed us a movie about it too!

[duncang]

1. I do metal detecting. So yep I like doing that also.

Even if the buildings are gone. Just means more ground to cover.

[robertpaulsen]

2. That sounds really cool!

Ever find anything valuable? Either monetary-wise or of historical significance?

[duncang]

3. A little bit

Part of a howitzer shell (Unarmed), few coins (earliest one a barber dime), a couple knives, assorted buckle fittings, etc. All from a WW1 camp. A geocache I didn't take anything out, but decided to put in a couple ww1 bullet leads I found earlier. Don't know if the next person will know they are on a ww1 camp and catch the connection. Along with the metal objects a couple bottles from a local coca cola plant near by from the same time. Assorted stuff, a studebaker emblem, model t hubcap, little bit of small jewelry, etc from different hunts. Just some of the finds I have picked up.


If you decide to give it a try. Make sure you check the laws. National parks no, as far as I know most if not all state parks, some county parks, any place registered as historical, Most city parks will allow it. Just make sure to check first and make sure you return the area you dig to like it was. I carry a plastic sack to put dirt on. Take the top layer off lay it aside so I can place it back on just like before. Also a good thing to check is any house moving or house demo companies. Some times they will allow you to come in and check the lot out since they are coming in with heavy equipment anyways.

[robertpaulsen]

4. Thanks for the advice. It is something I'm considering doing.

When we went to Corriganville, I recall there was a sign posted there with a list of things you could and could not do. I'm not sure if they prohibited metal detecting or not. Actually, now that I think about it, I think we filmed that sign in one of our videos, so I'll pause on it and see what it says. I'd love to go back treasure-hunting, it might just be old horseshoes, but there might be something of real historical value.

Those WW1 finds sound really awesome! Could you tell me a little more about the geocache? It's something I've heard a little bit about but I don't know too much. Is that something done only at state or national parks?

Thanks again, I appreciate your responses!

[duncang]

7. The geocaches are kind of neat

Normally what they do is someone will set up something like a plastic box or pvc pipe piece with end caps. The one I found was like that. They will put something in it. Maybe a toy, token, pretty much anything they think is neat. Then post the gps coordinates on line. If you find one you may take something and leave something else in it's place. Some will post a diary of what caches they found. The one I found had several items in it. But since I really don't do it and had several of the ww1 bullet leads I just added them. It mainly has to be in a public place. Sometimes they are hidden under something but sometimes they are just in a off the beaten path. Some place you wouldn't normally go to. Those may be just leaning up against a tree. Like the one I found.

I do know some people who have found some pretty neat stuff. One person I know uses a wet suit and gets out in the water on Galveston isle. He gets there just after people are going home or early in the morning after the week end. He has pulled a lot of jewelry out of there. One guy I meet actually does airline hookah diving. (Do a google on that kind of interesting) He has found everything from old guns to doubloons.

One thing you can check out also is google earth. If you go to a area you want to check out you can use the show historical imagery button. With that it shows old aerial photos of the area. The imagery it has is according to what they can find in the records. On the ww1 camp site I was able to see the old outlines of the different army units still outlined. Then was able to overlay that on to a modern map to get a better idea of where things were. You can also find the locations of old buildings that have been demoed. Also going to the library and checking old maps can help. I did that a few times trying for some hints on some civil war sites in my area.


There are several sites which have links to National, state, county, and city laws concerning metal detecting. If you do a google search for "metal detecting laws" they will show up. National parks I am pretty sure there aren't any that allow metal detecting. If you get caught with one out using it. You will probably have it confiscated and a ticket at least. The BLM has separate rules on some of it's areas. Like I said it's best to check the laws out first. One suggestion is to call the entity over the area first to make sure the information you get is up to date. One city park I even talked to the people there that day and they even gave me ideas of where to check.

One thing I can't emphasize enough is follow all the rules and ethics on digging. Do not do any brush whacking or destroying any vegetation. All most all parks do have rules or laws against that and it is just wrong. When people don't take care on what they do areas will shut off metal detecting there. Cutting a simple plug and placing it back is easy to do. Bunch of sites will actually show step by step instructions to help out.

Last thing you might check for a local metal detecting club. They may have approved hunts in several areas. I even got to do some in a state park under supervision. We couldn't dig, but had people with us, walked a grid pattern, and when we got a hit they would mark it with a flag for the archeologists/historians to come back to and dig up.

[robertpaulsen]

13. Wow, that is fascinating!

I just watched a video on airline hookah diving. It looks like a lot of fun! Unfortunately, my wife doesn't swim, so that's not something we would do together. But it does look like it would be a great experience.

Yeah, metal detecting does look like something to do with caution as far as following all the rules for the area you're exploring. Thanks again!

[ailsagirl]

5. I've always been fascinated by "urban ruins"

but I'm too chicken to ever visit any. I'd be afraid the floor would collapse and I'd be cast god-knows-where.

But I often browse photos and websites that feature lots of pix.

[robertpaulsen]

8. Yeah, safety is a must.

We always try to follow the law where it says "no trespassing" (though if there's no lock or chains, we check to see if anyone's looking) and if we see anything where the foundation is truly dilapidated, we walk around and not on it!

I haven't been out to Detroit, but I've heard they actually have an "Urbex" tour where you can go as part of a group into abandoned skyscrapers that have been transformed into art installations with spectacular murals. Have you seen those pix?

[ailsagirl]

9. No, I haven't

I'll have to check that out. Thanks!

[TexasBushwhacker]

6. I know there are still James Dean fans that make a pilgrimage

to Marfa, TX to visit the different places that were in the movie Giant. The also go out to the "Ruins of Reata" where the facade of the big house was built. It's nothing but some big timbers now, but people still visit.

[ailsagirl]

10. Wow-- James Dean

What a waste-- can't help wondering what would have happened to him had he not been such a "speed freak" (as in cars)

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

11. Me me me! Like to take long bike trips and always stop to visit & photograph any abandoned

farmhouses I come across - this would be Wis, Iowa, southern MN. They all tell a story, and I dont know if I believe in ghosts but there does seem to be some sort of "vibe" or sense of the past and people who lived there. The minute a house remodeled, fixed, updated, lived in - that ethereal sense of connection to past is gone.

Do you have any fav ghost towns in CO? Have family in CO and I always have to plan in a few days on my own so I dont go crazy (they're all right winger evangelical types). I loved St. Elmo!

[robertpaulsen]

15. There was a ghost town I visited in CO!

Unfortunately, it was over 30 years ago on a family vacation. I can't remember what the name was (for some reason the name Leadville comes to mind) but I remember being fascinated by it. I would love to go again in the future!

[applegrove]

12. There is the shell of Carbide Wilson's old Mill in Gatineau Park, Quebec.

It is on a little stream. And is magical in the wintertime. Made it onto the list of world's top 25 abandoned places.

[duncang]

14. BTW

For use in google earth you can download kml files what have locations for abandoned towns. I did that for several side hobbies to use while traveling. Do a google search for "ghost towns kml" . I loaded google earth on my laptop along with the kml files I found on line. You can also pick up kml files for finding minerals, fossils, and pretty much anything else. You can even do stuff like change gps files to kml files and import them to it. Lots of neat things you can do going moving stuff back and forth. Some of the gps programs you get for a laptop along with the gps unit have some pretty neat possibilities.

[area51]

16. Kick. n/t

[Xipe Totec]

17. Visit Quemado, Texas

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quemado,_Texas