Hidden Horse Shoes found in Creek

[SLH]

Hello,
I have found some horse shoes found in a creek using a metal detector. I was going down a creek when coming to a small waterfall about three feet in height. At the top, solid rock my detector got a hit, but nothing visible. I then realized that it must be under the rock. I went to where the waterfall goes over an discovered many small rocks stacked up looking natural. I removed many rocks trying to get under the rock. Once I removed all the rocks, in the very back I found four horseshoes hidden in the back. The shoes were very rusty so no markings. I found nothing else, but many caves in the area that have been used by native American tribes over the years. In the back of a neighboring cave, I found what I was told is a shaving brush issued during the civil war. The shaving brush is rare in the fact that it actually has a handle made from a type of what they said is "PotMetal" with badger hair for brussels. Has anyone got any information about hidden horse shoes being a marker of some type

Thanks!

 

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[Paulito]

Not sure of the exact layout of the waterfall... there is a chance that when it flows at flood stage, that isn't a waterfall, it's just a pit completely UNDER water. Gravel, rocks, boulders and horseshoes all move during flooding and the hole under the "waterfall" would merely act as a "trap" similar to a gold sluice. When the gravel and rocks are being blasted down stream in the flood, the heavier metal will tumble along and fall into the bottom of the pit. Then as the water level recedes, the stirred up rocks and gravel will start to settle back into the pit ON TOP off the heavy metal. Those waterfall pits are hot spots for gold prospectors... SOMETIMES there is gold trapped there, almost always there is rusty metal !
I hope your theory of a treasure marker is correct though! Were they stacked or lined up, or kinda randomly packed in with the sand and gravel? The latter would support my theory. If they were neatly stacked or lined I would explore the treasure marker option for sure.

Edit: Sweet find on the "homemade" brush too!

 

[Carolina Tom]

If the horse shoes were a marker, how would anyone see the mark, especially under the rocks? They would need a metal detector, just like you. So, in the old days when a person put those shoes there as a marker, did they envision the future invention of the metal detector needed to find them?

The horse fell out of favor as transportation in cities by 1920, and in the country by 1940. Prior to that, it was a horse drawn world. Point being, the world is covered in old horse shoes, just like old tires today.

I hope that I don't seem overly blunt.

PS: Please show us the shaving brush.

 

[SLH]

The rocks are neatly stacked about a foot long more square than round. The creek itself goes past a large cave that one could probably stack 13 to 20 full size school buses. The creek a very small tributary of a larger creek. the widest part of the small creek is about 6 feet wide. It does have a pool of water after the little waterfall with rocks that do appear to have washed down the creek during flooding. I will go back and check the pool with the detector. The creek is fairly sloped so it would be difficult even during heavy rain for water to flood the area. I appreciate your input very much because you have provided me with some good ideas. I've heard stories/rumors about Yahoo Falls in a neighboring county having a lost treasure story so I was maybe wishing upon a star that the horseshoes was a marker of some type.
Thanks again,
SLH

 

[SLH]

I gave the brush to one of my buddies to go in his collection for Christmas. I will see if he will send me a pic so I can place it here for feedback. I like blunt, so no problem. It helps to keep me grounded in reality sometimes I thought the shoes could have been a marker to verify a specific spot that no one else would find. In other words, find the shoes, you are on the right track. The area was logged prior to becoming part of the national forest so I'm sure they used horses for that, but for the life of me I cannot figure out why anyone would take the time to put them under a ledge, about 2-31/2 feet back, then stack rocks in front of them. If I only found one shoe, I would have thought maybe it got lost somehow while traveling up the creek.
Thanks for your feedback,
SLH

 

[Scrappy]

If you can include a picture there are ways to approximate the age of them.

 

[NHBandit]

Well since there were 4 of them I would go back & look for the rest of the horse.

 

[boogeyman]

Do the shoes show any wear or use? If not they may have been stashed as spares. Might want to search the surrounding area well. You could be sitting on a camp. Do a good search from the cave to where you found the horseshoes. The creek could've changed course over the years or there could've been a large flood that washed objects from the cave at one time. How many rocks are there? Are they in a line like a foundation? If so, you might have the remains of a spring house. Don't forget to search downstream. Either way, sounds like you've got a spot with a lot more to reveal!

 

[DirtStalker]

In your last description it sounds like old mill site. Then you went on to say National Forest and I hope you know the rules to detecting on that property.

 

[Scrappy]

In your last description it sounds like old mill site. Then you went on to say National Forest and I hope you know the rules to detecting on that property.

Yes, generally rule you do not want to be detecting on anything that says national

 

[huntsman53]

Well since there were 4 of them I would go back & look for the rest of the horse.

Why? Do you want to ask the horse why he or she put their' horse shoes there?


Frank

 

[SLH]

I don't want to give away my exact location, but it was private land then the government bought it. They then sold a portion back to private land, so the portion I'm searching is now private.

 

[SLH]

In the neighboring cliff site it appears there was once an old moonshine spot. The rocks only covered the hole of the small waterfall. In other words they were under the ledge so they would not support anything. The sides of the creek is fairly steep. I went on down the creek yesterday and found a 20-30' waterfall about .04 of a mile. The advice I'm getting is really helping.
Thanks!
SLH

 

[DirtStalker]

Heck man go hunt it. I believe you've found the area of the Bedlam Treasure aka The Treasure of 4 Horseshoes.As the story goes 4 miners found goldmine or possibly Indian Gold Treasure Getting too greedy that lead to the demise of the miners they waited too late to leave the area and Winter storm set in and they ran out of food. Being forced to eat their horses they cut off hoofs and buried the horseshoes as a marker to lead them back to the Treasure they now had noway to haul out. On the way back to civilization they were attacked by the Indian tribe that the Treasure belonged and only 1 miner escaped but was severely wounded. He told his brother the location of the Treasure and died just hours later. Due to Indian hostility the brother waited years for things to cool off before going to find the Treasure. The brother came down with a fever and died. But not before he wrote down the account of his brothers account which was located in a family Bible years later around 1906. The Treasure has Never been located.

 

[SLH]

If you follow the link below, I think you may see why I'm interested in the information. I do think that the shoes are a marker of some type.
I could not find any information on the information you provided.

Shadowy path may lead to treasure - LA Times

He studied its symbols, "walked the lines" radiating from them and found buried horseshoes and other clues that led to his first cache in 1991 -- a canning jar filled with gold and silver coins from the 1800s, their $400 face value a fraction of their actual worth.

 

[rhino71]

Well since there were 4 of them I would go back & look for the rest of the horse.

My thoughts exactly, lol.

 

[SLH]

You have been very helpful to me. I found what I think is silver today in the same are using a tree that had been bent point to another cave up from where I found the shoes. How do I tell if it is silver?