STOCKTON, California — For Chris Davis, Sundays are usually spent on the streets, sidewalks, and parks of Northern California with his metal detector, a hobby which he picked up over 10 years ago.
"It's just a fun hobby to go search for anywhere old," Davis said. "It's just nice to sneak away and try to find something old, something cool."
As an avid metal detectorist, the Modesto resident knows where to look for the most noteworthy buried treasures. Recently, his hobby took him to Stockton where there is no shortage of what Davis is searching for.
"I love old trees because the roots always capture things and then they don't sink," Davis said.
After a day of metal detecting leading to the discovery of old coins and jewelry in Stockton Saturday, Davis knew there was more to explore specifically, around Downtown Stockton's Memorial Civic Auditorium, so he returned Sunday.
As he reached the building's northwest side, his metal detector alerted him to a piece of metal underground near a tree. Not knowing what to expect, Davis began digging at the tree's base.
"I almost let it go," Davis said. "I started seeing just a little bit of writing, so I started digging it out and that's where I could see that it was like a dedication sign."
After unearthing the sign, Davis read the sign: "This tree dedicated to Karl Bradigan 1899-1918."
The discovery sent Davis on a mission, ultimately learning Bradigan was a Marine veteran from Stockton who died of the Spanish flu while in Marine barracks at Newport, R.I. in 1918, according to old newspaper articles.
The plaque was dedicated in 1918 by then-Stockton mayor Alexander Oullahan, shortly after Bradigan's death. Officials at Stockton's Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 52, which is located in the auditorium building feet away from the tree, say they are now getting involved and plan to fully unearth and rededicate the plaque soon.
"We're always prepared to honor our veterans, no matter from what war, to recognize their sacrifice and the sacrifice of their families," Sam Pachuca, commander of VFW Post 52, said. "I'm not surprised if there may be other plaques in that area that we're not aware of. Over time, they became buried due to the landscaping."
Pachuca says the discovery is rewarding, adding members of his VFW Post 52 are searching their records to see if Bradigan has living relatives or if he was a post member.
Davis hopes his discovery will help the community and any living relatives remember the life of the young veteran. Meanwhile, he plans on returning to Stockton soon to continue looking for more buried pieces of history.
"They would have no clue that the sign was there, no clue that the tree was dedicated over 100 years ago to them," Davis said. "It was a great feeling to be able to see it. I know online, a lot of people loved it."
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