LOST TREASURE USA
THE TREASURE HUNTER'S NEWSLETTER
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November 1, 2003---Volume 1, Number 17
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FROM THE EDITOR: Happy November ! I hope your October adventures went well ! I had 2 exciting one-week trips in October. One to Oklahoma & one to Arkansas. This month looks to be FUN, also. I'm still collecting info on the KGC ( Knights of the Golden Circle ), so: if you have any info you would like to share with me---please contact me ! THANKS ! LostTreasureUSA1@AOL.COM
THE SOUTH SHALL RISE AGAIN ?
Interested in Confederate stuff ? http://groups.msn.com/TheConfederatePerspective
CHECK OUT THIS LIBRARY !
The Library of Congress can help you with your research project: http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/
$180 MILLION IN GOLD
Recovered bell may identify lost Civil War ship: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-1015bell,0,5317881.story?coll=sfla-news-miami
THE HOME EXCHANGE PROGRAM
These three Home Exchange websites will instruct you on how to vacation just
about anywhere you want. Don't forget to bring your metal detector !
http://intervac-online.com
http://www.swapnow.com/index2.html
http://www.homeexchange.com/index.html
CIVIL WAR GRAVES DAMAGED !
By Hurricane Isabel: http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-90679sy0oct10,0,7633009.story?coll=dp-news
MYSTERY MARKINGS BAFFLE EXPERTS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3177822.stm
LOTS OF LINKS
Metal detecting, treasure hunting,equipment, resources and more !
http://www.goldmaps.com/metal_detecting_treasure_hunting_resources.htm
GHOST TOWN ADVENTURES
Another good website on ghost towns: http://get.to/ghosttownadventures
LARGEST MINERAL DATABASE ON THE INTERNET
http://www.mindat.org/index.php
UNCLAIMED MONEY
Search, find and claim lost money for yourself, your family and friends:
www.unclaimed.org/
You can ALSO go to www.GOOGLE.com and
search for UNCLAIMED MONEY. You will get a list of companies that will do
searches for you. Some charge---some do not.
OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY
Mel Fisher's company has a website where you can buy a piece of ATOCHA jewelry, sign up for their newsletter and learn a LOT about their salvage operations: http://www.melfisher.com/catalog/giftindx.html
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE
(1540-1596) http://www.global-travel.co.uk/drake.htm
THE JAMES-YOUNGER GANG
Organized 1866---Reorganized 1993. Come Ride With Us ! http://www.islandnet.com/~the-gang/
LONG RANGE LOCATORS
An interesting site. You just might learn something ! http://bellsouthpwp.net/L/R/LRLMAN/
JIMMY SIERRA'S TREASURE TOURS OF ENGLAND
After 14 years it sounds like he has a lot of satisfied customers: http://www.jimmysierra.com/tour_info.htm
WHO REALLY DISCOVERED AMERICA ?
Did ancient Hebrews reach the shores of the North and South American continents thousands of years before Christopher Columbus ? http://www.hope-of-israel.org/hebinusa.htm
TREASURE HUNTING LINKS
3 pages. Some of these you will be putting in your FAVORITES FILE: http://www.mongobay.com/links.html
A 90-LB. BAR OF SILVER
Treasure stories and detecting resources: http://www.capricorntreasures.com/cap_stories2.htm
THE TREASURE OF TROY
"He was, however, perhaps the luckiest archaeologist of all time." http://www.unmuseum.org/troy.htm
THE BEST ONES ?
Another website of treasure stories: http://www.voors.us/treasure/best.htm
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
The NEW Treasure Act of Britain explained: http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/science/text/treasure/sr-treasure-p1-t.html
HAVE DETECTOR---WILL TRAVEL !
J.R. Hoff writes for several treasure magazines and has a website you can check out: http://www.enter.net/~msghoff/
SHIPWRECK !
This site informs you about undersea exploration ( treasure diving ): http://jupitercoins.com/
MASS. TREASURE HUNTING ASSOC.
A club's website: http://www.masstreasure.com/
E.S.P. AND FINDING TREASURE
http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm357183.html
EVEN MORE TREASURE HUNTING LINKS !!
Two additional pages of links. Wow ! There are hundreds of websites on the internet dedicated to our hobby: http://www.angelfire.com/wa/psthc/treasurelinks2.html
OLD MUSTER FIELDS
This couple has found an impressive assortment of old items: http://www.sover.net/~alphapro/finds.html
THE TREASURE EXPERIENCE
http://www.electroplasm.com/treasurex/treasexphtm.htm
TREASURE HUNTING AMERICA
Treasure hunting, treasure, jewels, coins,gold, detecting,prospecting, GPS,
etc.:
http://www.bertaut.com/treasurehunting.html
FAMOUS PIONEER TOWNS, FORTS AND PLACES
The website of AMERICAN WEST magazine: http://www.americanwest.com/pages/towns.htm
THE SOBBING WOMAN
Two very short ( true?) stories: http://www.rootsweb.com/~gafchs/donnaparrish/history/treasure.html
HOMER LUDWIG'S FLORIDA TREASURE
An interesting short tale: http://www.angelfire.com/ga4/orlandogpaa?TreasurePage1.html
OUTLAWS AND LAWMEN
A nicely put together website by Lady Belle: http://outlawsandlawmen.homestead.com/JesseJames~ie4.html
NEVADA TREASURE STORIES
http:www.robertwynn.com/Story.html
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
I started this newsletter back in March. This is the 17th issue. All 17 issues can be found on my website: http://www.losttreasureusa.com/NewsletterAchiveIndex.htm
576 TREASURE LEADS !
On my website I have treasure leads listed for ALL 50 states---at least 10 for each state. The first few states ( alphabetically ) have more. I just added 10 more for Arizona ( 55-65 ). There are now 65 leads on the Arizona page ! http://www.LostTreasureUSA.com/StateTreasures.htm
WORLD WIDE ASSOCIATION OF TREASURE SEEKERS ( WWATS)
In my next few issues I'll be able to share with you some of the exciting
updates and changes occurring within this organization. Once our updates and
changes are revealed---you will catch the excitement and definitely want to join
us and be an active member ! I am on the Board Of Directors. Currently we are
working on the website and hope to have the colorful changes and graphics
completed soon for your enjoyment ! It will be worth the wait !
GREAT PROGRESS WITH THE FOREST SERVICE !!
I recently received this email from my friend ( and fellow board member on WWATS
)--Keith Wills.
Keith owns a metal detector sales and service shop in Texas, but still makes the
time to help you and I by constantly working to make contacts with MANY clubs
and government officials to promote our hobby. Recently he arranged a meeting
with the
Forest Service in Washington D.C. It appears that significant progress was made
and I believe that in the future we will see some POSITIVE law changes---in OUR
favor ! THANK YOU KEITH !!
RESULTS OF MY RECENT VISIT WITH USDA FOREST SERVICE IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON SEPT. 22ND, 2003
At this time, I ask that my contact at the Forest Service not be shared with anyone you may forward this information to, for reasons of not having the general good of our meeting damaged due to many that may feel free to ask questions of this contact. In his own words, ”Keith, it tells me a great deal about you and your hobby’s professionalism by sending you here on a one to one basis, so that we may start a dialog that will hopefully lead to both of our groups working in harmony.”
Also, before we get into this report, it is VERY IMPORTANT to remember that there are four levels of the use of metal detectors on Forest Service lands as stated in their regulations 36 CFR 2724.44 – Treasure Hunting and in 2724.44a – Ownership of Treasure Troves. Please do not forget this when you are reading this report!
My visit to Washington D.C. with the USDA Forest Service was focused on opening pre-disturbed recreational public use areas within our National Forest to recreational metal detecting. This has absolutely nothing to do with relic or artifact hunting, which is considered a natural resource by the Forest Service and is protected by their regulations and the federal law, Archeological Resource Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA). My direction was of the interest for recreational metal detecting of recent lost coins and personal items by visitors to the National Forest.
My contact was M. J., Heritage Program Leader and Federal Preservation Officer with the U.S. Forest Service, station in Washington D.C.
M. J. has masters at University of Arkansas and University of Texas Tech. M. J. is charged with the rewrite of the existing Forest Service regulations and how those regulations govern our heritage and it’s preservation. His board consist of all Forest Service Regional Managers and himself. All changes done to Forest Service regulations must be approved by that board and himself that has researched every aspect of each change and then it goes to the Forest Service Advisory Council for approval.
M. J. believes strongly that new electronic technology is the key to locating future natural resources and past cultures on forestlands. He is so dedicated to this, that his strong wish is to find special projects on forest lands so to merge Forest Service personnel, professional metal detectorist and tribal affiliations all into one workable team.
He offered several suggestions for us to gain a more favorable relationship with the Forest Service. He stated we have no history with them, we are not volunteering to participate in their open programs within Forest Service lands such as PIT (Passport in Time). These programs are open to the general public and are archeological by nature. The Forest Service produces a PIT publication several times a year that advertises the upcoming PIT programs and how you can volunteer for such a program in your area. It has already been proven he said, that metal detectors and folks that know how to use them have been helpful in a few of the PIT programs in the past.
I ask him about the areas of Forest that are damaged from common logging of mature forest trees and why such areas are not open to metal detecting when they have been damaged to such a degree. His answer to me was, have you asked? He went on to explain, how such areas that are logged, totaling thousands of acres of Forestland, is surveyed for natural resources. He explain only a random survey is done of maybe an acre out of 10,000 acres of land, yet we know there could exist many other archeological significant resources on those lands, but to be the point of fact, we can’t afford the cost for such a survey. So, when I ask you “if you have asked”, I’m serious. Have any of you gone to the Regional Manager of that area of forest and offer a survey team of metal detector experts so to survey the area for metal resources. Notice I said “team”, we are not interested in one or two expert metal detector users, but teams large enough to do the survey you are requesting. There is no question we need the help and are short the funding for such projects, so why not volunteer? He asks if any of our groups was interested in positive publication of our support in Forest Service projects such as this. He stated, I’m sure most of what you locate with your detectors would belong to all Americans and would not be kept by the finder, but you would receive credit for assisting in it’s discovery.
When I mention to him about such areas as Ski Slopes and under Ski Lifts, he stated, my answer is the same, yet we have never thought about such areas. I’m sure if a group of yours approached the Regional Director for the purpose of locating and recovering personal items lost in these areas, offering to return any items found if the owners could be located, then a "special permit" could be allowed for your group. In such a case as like the surveys I just mention, Forest Service personal will assist you in the field and act as supervisors. We would ask that minimal disturbance of the land and soil be done, only what is necessary to retrieve the item. I’m very impressed by what I read here as your “Code of Ethics” and would ask your group to abide by it on Forestlands.
Such shared activities as mention here by Forest Service personnel and your group are what we call “history”. Something we can call back on as proof of your groups shared interest in preservation and protection of natural resources. The more “history” you have with us, the greater the opportunities that we can co-exist on Forest Service lands.
He gave me several examples of such, where he noted that the Forest Service was not only surprised but excited to see metal detector users, Corps of Engineers, Native America Tribes and themselves all working together in the preservation of a recent found tribal resources along a river in the northwest this past year. On this project, a local metal detecting club volunteered their services to help. The tribal affiliation approved this assistance as did the Corps and Forest Service.
In short, M. J. and I felt very positive about our meeting and felt there was a way both parties could co-exist on “public use” areas of Forestlands. The key here is that all of us in this nation need to make an effort to build a positive history with the Forest Service. We are not where we should be in our hobby today, more education and direct contact with forest regional directors is needed. We must be well informed of their regulations, respectful of their preservation of our resources and ready to assist in their projects when needed. We now have a foot-in-the-door so to speak and both M. J. and myself will be working toward an acceptable Policy & Procedure for the level of recreational metal detecting of recent lost personal items in pre-disturbed areas of forestlands. However, your help is needed so to build a positive history with our Forest Service. Such an effort to build a stronger history with them will only help to make our hobby stronger and more visible.
The re-write of USDA Forest Service regulations has been delayed. It was hoped to have this project finished, approved and in place by 2004. However, the Forest Service has inherited a new project called “Heritage of America” being promoted by our nations First Lady. Thus regulation changes by the Forest Service now may not take place until 2006.
I know my visit with the Forest Service has created some new exciting ideas that will bring our hobby to higher levels of professionalism in the future. I will be forwarding these steps in the near future to you all.
Special Thanks to all of you that supported me on this trip to Washington D.C. for our hobby; you know who you are. Support for something such as this comes in many forms and I thank all of you for believing there is a more positive future for our hobby.
Sincerely, Keith R. Wills
EAST TEXAS METAL DETECTORS
"We are long time treasure hunters and have experience in all types of metal
detecting, gold panning, prospecting, mineral hunting and dredging."
http://www.brokendetector.com/
CONCLUSION
OK !! DONE !! I hope this newsletter's info and links keep you busy for awhile ! A BIG "Thank You" to those that sent me emails and website links. As you can see: this newsletter is more detailed than the last issue---only because of reader contributions of info. Send me stuff at: LostTreasureUSA1@AOL.COM I'll see you on the 15th !
DEDICATION
My wife TARA is not only my "life partner", but recently she has accompanied me on my treasure-seeking adventures. I like sharing my "hobby" with her. HER support allows me to bring you this newsletter every two weeks !
DISCLAIMER :
This LOST TREASURE
USA newsletter contains links to sites on the internet that are owned and
operated by third parties. I am not responsible for the availability of, or the
content located on or through, any such third-party site.
PRIVACY STATEMENT :
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I respect your privacy.
COPYRIGHT :
This LOST TREASURE
USA newsletter, and my website at www.LostTreasureUSA.com
are copyrighted 2003 by FLOYD MANN ( D.B.A. Lost Treasure
USA ). But, you may ( please ! ) forward it to as many people as you like.
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