Subletts Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

[kam1]

Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

I am very interested in researching and hunting for Ben Sublett's lost gold mine in West Texas, but I recently came across a post dated October of '99 by Desert Eagle that indicated he might have already located it.? Does anyone know whether in fact it was actually found?? If so, then it would sure save me a lot of potential effort if someone could let me know.? Otherwise, could someone point me to any worthwhile sources of information regarding this mine?? About the only thing that I have been able to locate so far is Dobie's story.? It is well accepted in this area that the basics of Dobie's story regarding Sublett are true, but I'm much less confident of the few details that were provided.? I am wondering if there is any more accurate/complete information available, possibly including any locations that have already been searched unsuccessfully.? Also interested in any related information from old Spanish documents, etc.? I've unsuccessfully performed a very brief and shallow search for Sublett's son, Ross, but suspect that he is long since deceased. I would like to start a discussion with any interested parties to see if we can figure this one out, if it isn't already too late...

Besides my interest in solving the puzzle and locating the treasure, I love West Texas, and wouldn't mind spending some significant time out in the middle of nowhere attempting to track this down. Have laptop, GPS, 4WD, topo maps, and aerial photos, ready to get started (but could use some experienced tips and information)! ;-)

Thanks,
KAM1

 

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[Siegfried Schlagrule]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

G'day, When I was selecting a place to live I studied the area between El Paso and the New Mexico border on both sides of the interstate. I discovered that there are many less towns now than there used to be. I also discovered that there is no public land in Texas. The locals told me that if I could see a fence post in any direction while standing on top of my pickup that I was trespassing. Not my kind of place although I enjoyed it both times I was stationed there. I posted two texas treasure leads from the thousands that exist. Borrow the texas books by jesse ed rascoe and all of the dobie books. I think penfield also had a texas book and terry has a volume of five states that include texas. The point I'm making is that you don't want to have a one in a million chance of finding a legendary treasure. Lots better to have a one in ten chance of finding one where you are the only one searching. Use the printed treasure books to select the ones you want nothing to do with. They will save you countless hours of precious search and research time. exanimo, ss

 

[curly]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

Rolth Sublett passed away in 1954 I believe in Midland or some hospital in W. Texas. So he is long gone... God rest his tired soul, as he looked all his life for his papies gold mine in the mountains of west Texas. Any clues he had have been passed around for years by many old timers in the Guadalupes...a few have been published but dont help. Some of those locals claim to find holes in the ground but it aint the mine Sublett found....just empty holes, basically. But Rolth didnt have much or leave much for all his searching.

...his old man was wise to hide his secrets as if he had told anyone, he knew it would have just meant a bunch of greedy men tearing apart the mountain he so loved. Thats why he asked to be buried there and why he carefully guarded his secret...even from his own son. Ol Sublett's mine will remain a mystery until the end of time....thats the way the Apache's wanted it, anyway, as they told him where to find it while he was up in the White Mountains of NM.....even if his ghost showed it to you himself, you still would never find it on your second trip, because it was in such an obscure part of the mountain. And thats the curse of Old Man Subletts gold mine and the Indians and whats left for those foolish enough (like his son Rolth) to look for it....Ahh the curse of that sweet tangerine gold.... curly

 

[cedarratt]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

I this the same mine that is supposed to be hidden in Dagger Hollow?

 

[kam1]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

Hi Curly,

Thank you very much for the additional information regarding Ross Sublett. You may very well be right that the Sublett mine will remain forever lost. However, I'm far from ready to give up on it. In fact I'm just getting started. I love the mountains of West Texas, and so I look at the search partly as just an excuse to get out there and enjoy the outdoors. If I find something, great. If not, that's ok too. In fact, even if someone else has already located the place and extracted all of the gold that was ever there, it would still be great to find the place just from a historical and geological perspective.

BTW, I've been tied up on other matters for a while, but now looking to actively get back into this. If anyone else would like a friend/partner to work on this, please let me know.

Regards,
s/KAM

 

[kam1]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

Cedarratt, I'm not familiar with Dagger Hollow, can you please elaborate? I did a search on USGS place names and also a google search and didn't seem to come up with anything relevant...?

Thanks,
s/KAM

 

[kam1]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

After further research, I see that Dagger Hollow is supposed to be in the Austin area (Travis County), near Barton Springs. So, no, Sublett is not associated with the treasure that is supposed to be located at Dagger Hollow.

 

[TheRandyMan]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

kam1, are you still looking for this treasure? If so, I am interested in working with you on it. If anyone else has an active search process going on I am interested in finding like minded people who want to work on solving things and finding treasure. I have time and resources and have been told I am a pretty bright guy...lol...lets talk

 

[zerojinx]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

Did ya find the mine? If so are you gonna share where it was?

 

[Tucson1]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

Did ya find the mine? If so are you gonna share where it was?

Sorry I did not reply to your email, but I accidentally erased it! I have not found anything nor have I tried. My last statement was that I felt it could be found. That is all! So I can not tell you where it is at or was! Good Luck 'Merry Christmas and Happiness in the New Year'.

 

[zerojinx]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

Happy trails

 

[zerojinx]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

I am still of the opinion that the sublett treasure was just a cache of previously stolen loot, perhaps from stage coach robberies. Any other opinions on this matter?

 

[Mammothman]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

I have done quite a bit of reading and research on the Sublett mine and recently spoke with a man who grew up on a ranch in the Rustler Hills southeast of Guadalupe Peak. If the mine did exist I believe it is in the Rustler Hills, but my thought is that the source of the gold was loot from a stage robbery. Gold bound for the east coast from California was likely stolen in a robbery along the Butterfield Stage Route and hidden in the area. At least three Wells Fargo Boxes with gold nuggets and dust were reportedly stolen prior to Sublett's find. I think he found a hidden box that had busted and was scraping the nuggets out of the surrounding soil. According to the man (rancher) I spoke with, his father told him that Sublett used to camp at a spring on the ranch, and the man and his brother spent many days riding the country in search of Sublett's mine. The location of the spring was not passed on to me. This would be the Chico Ranch area and a $20 gold nugget was supposedly found in a gully near the ranch house in the 1920's (I'm not sure of the date). Still I'm hoping to go search myself at some point.

 

[TheHarleyMan2]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

I have done quite a bit of reading and research on the Sublett mine and recently spoke with a man who grew up on a ranch in the Rustler Hills southeast of Guadalupe Peak. If the mine did exist I believe it is in the Rustler Hills, but my thought is that the source of the gold was loot from a stage robbery. Gold bound for the east coast from California was likely stolen in a robbery along the Butterfield Stage Route and hidden in the area. At least three Wells Fargo Boxes with gold nuggets and dust were reportedly stolen prior to Sublett's find. I think he found a hidden box that had busted and was scraping the nuggets out of the surrounding soil. According to the man (rancher) I spoke with, his father told him that Sublett used to camp at a spring on the ranch, and the man and his brother spent many days riding the country in search of Sublett's mine. The location of the spring was not passed on to me. This would be the Chico Ranch area and a $20 gold nugget was supposedly found in a gully near the ranch house in the 1920's (I'm not sure of the date). Still I'm hoping to go search myself at some point.

I too have been reading on Sublets mine for quite sometime and trying to get as much info as I possibly can. If the case of what you mentioned is true, then is it possible that the other chests, or the one, etc, may still be out there adn not fully recovered yet?

 

[GrayCloud]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

You Boys seem to be on a good trail. Keep your nose to the ground.

 

[zerojinx]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

At least one chest was recovered, if you believe the legends, by Abijah Long, in Pine Spring Canyon. Another was reputedly found on the grounds of the Pinery ruins. If Ben Sublett may have found yet another, this could possibly mean, no more chests left. However, I have not documented any this. My information comes from a W.C. Jameson book "Legend and Lore of the Guadalupe Mountains". I am currently trying to verify the story of Abijah Long. Don't want to base my search on a lovely fiction tale. I'd hate to get out to the Guadalupe Mountains and try to find a lost mine or chest based on a work of fiction.

 

[TheHarleyMan2]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

At least one chest was recovered, if you believe the legends, by Abijah Long, in Pine Spring Canyon. Another was reputedly found on the grounds of the Pinery ruins. If Ben Sublett may have found yet another, this could possibly mean, no more chests left. However, I have not documented any this. My information comes from a W.C. Jameson book "Legend and Lore of the Guadalupe Mountains". I am currently trying to verify the story of Abijah Long. Don't want to base my search on a lovely fiction tale. I'd hate to get out to the Guadalupe Mountains and try to find a lost mine or chest based on a work of fiction.

I hear ya. Many tales and stories always has about less than 10% of actual truth. If they were 100% true, none of the treasure, etc, would be around to find. I read just about every story dealing with Ben as well as others. One story claims Ben's son went with him to, and also into, the mine from what I read.

With the accounts of his son, (but he couldn't remember how to get back to the mine), it seems that it could have been a mine instead of a stolen chest. I have been wanting to go to the Guadalupe's for some time to scout out the area, but it is a Federal Park, so there would definitely be no digging allowed much less metal detecting, but would be good to go lookie see.

I would like to go out into the Rustler Hill's location and scout that out as well. Wouldn't mind going out with someone on the trip there if possible. I am sure that most of that area is private property.

 

[zerojinx]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

Hmmm, until recently I was an Achy. Might have to see if I can find any names I know working around there, its a small world in the archy community. I already looked at the arch atlas for that area and saw a bunch of recorded sites, nothing to terribly exciting though.

 

[zerojinx]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

I am willing to go on over to Guadalupe mountains park with just about anyone. New job permitting (just snagged a gov job after 3 months unemployment). I will be taking my young one's over there for thier spring break, at which time i plan to have a look around.

 

[Mammothman]

Re: Sublett's Lost Mine, Culberson County, Texas

Yes I do remember the tale of the other two chests being found. It is highly possible if Sublett's gold came from a chest that the three Wells Fargo Chests are now gone and so is his gold, but then again maybe not. As is told in Dobie's book, he told his son or nephew "Hell, it ain't no use. They'd just take it from you anyhow." Which makes me think it was indeed a Wells Fargo chest or some such and there was possibly still more left behind. There may not be much, but a couple ounces would go a long way. And besides, that area was a stage and wagon route for a long time. I am sure there are other treasures to be found even if they are not a bottomless gold mine. The trick is getting permission to wander around and search with a metal detector. I've mapped a few locations I would like to search on Google Earth by looking at the terrain and possibility of there being water in those areas, but you can't really get a feel for how rugged the area is on Google Earth. I've driven through it a lot of times and it is definitely not an area one goes into lightly, or without good water supplies.