North East Pennsylvania Leads?

[ska69]

Does anyone have any good leads in North East Pennsylvania, spefically, Pike County, Milford/Dingmans Ferry area?

 

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[Old Bookaroo]

Greetings!

Under "Recommended Reading" I just posted some book suggestions that might help you.

Are you familiar with Lost Treasures of the Northeastern United States by Francis X. Sculley? The idea isn't necessarily these specific stories. If you read between the lines it may, as KvonM used to write, "inoculate your think tank."

Same with Karl's Waybills to El Dorado, Vol. 1.

Good luck to all,

~ The Old Bookaroo

(St. Marys, PA)

 

[Viddy]

I am on the exact opposite of the state..... southwestern PA.... good luck!

 

[asdf]

I live 40 min north of Harrisburg

 

[Oroblanco]

Ska69 wrote

North East Pennsylvania Leads?

Does anyone have any good leads in North East Pennsylvania, spefically, Pike County, Milford/Dingmans Ferry area?

Hola amigo Ska69!
You live in a region with a thick and rich history reaching back into Colonial times. Our mutual amigo Old Bookaroo posted an excellent recommendation, I would add also the book US Treasure Atlas, volume 8 which covers PA and specifically NE PA.
United States Treasure Atlas, Vol. 8: Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota and Pennsylvania: Thomas P Terry: 9780939850235: Amazon.com: Books

I would suggest you visit the local HIstorical Society, and ask to read their books from their library. Usually these Societies have very rare books, manuscripts, journals etc that are not widely published (or not published at all) with great information.
The Pike County Historical Society at the Columns | Milford, Pennsylvania
Also your local County Courthouse may help in tracing down who/whom owns or owned particular properties, when you have found some lost treasure of interest to you and you want to find whom to ask permission.

Another rich source of information is in the old newspaper archives, some of which are online free, like the Library of Congress site which includes some newspaper from NE PA and cover well back in time. Here is their linkee, assuming it is not shut down due to the govt:
Chronicling America « Library of Congress

Penn State has a good collection of historical newspapers online at:
Digitized Collections

The Access PA collection also has some good stuff:
Access Pennsylvania Digital Repository : Home

This should give you some good leads to follow up. As for lost treasures of the exact area, I don't recall any offhand (I am from the Nicholson area, Wyoming county) but for NE PA there are many. For example, during the Revolutionary war, the British forces launched a massive raid into the area and the settlers of the river valleys (and well inland) scrambled to hide their valuables, many of which were never recovered, also, the loot obtained by the combined Brit/Tory/Indian forces were often stashed along the routes they traveled. Right in your own area, they massacred a small force of Patriot militia at Minisink, just as one example.

Even older in time, before the colony of Pennsylvania was chartered, most of the region was the homeland of the powerful Susquehannock tribe (encountered by Capt John Smith) and this tribe purchased and used a number of bronze cannons - not a single one of which has ever been found. The tribe was nearly exterminated by the Mohawks in a war that lasted nearly a century, but as to what happened to their cannons (at least six we know of) no one knows, the Mohawks certainly did not get them. I wrote a piece for Lost Treasure magazine a while back on this lost treasure,
Susquehannocks' Cannons | Lost Treasure Online - Official Website of Lost Treasure Magazine

Outside of Scranton, a hog farmer named Swanson (may have that name wrong) got into an argument with the local bank, and removed all of his money, converting it into silver dollars. The coins filled two barrels, which he buried somewhere on his farm on Bell Mountain. (The mountain where the Walmart was first located before moving it) Swanson died without telling anyone where he had hidden the two barrels, and they have never been found.

Up near the NY state border on the Susquehanna river, on Spanish Hill a number of artifacts of Spanish origins have been found, and local Indians had a tale of a sailing ship that came up the river and buried something on the hill.

A lost gold mine located somewhere on the Delaware river was known to the Indians in the earliest days of the colony of PA, somewhere far upriver from Philadelphia; the mine is fairly well documented but the location remains unknown.

I posted a short article on my blog about some of the lost silver mines of NE PA a while ago, may be of interest to you, and several of these lost mines are also fairly well documented. In one case, the Indians even complained to the Colonial Governor about a white man having come and stolen some silver from one mine.
Legends of Lost Silver Mines in Pennsylvania? | Oroblanco's New Cabin

I hope this is some help to you amigo, good luck and good hunting to you and everyone reading our discussion; I hope you find the treasures that you seek. I also hope you will keep us posted with the great finds you make, as I get almost as big a kick out of it when someone else makes a great find as if I did it myself.
Oroblanco

 

[Wyoming Valley Relics]

I'd also add the Susquehanna Company from Connecticut began colonizing the north branch of the Susquehanna river in 1754. Resulting in the Yankee Pennamite War.
Connecticut Susquehanna Settlers
A little known history that I'm sure resulted into many small hordes buried and lost throughout NEPA.

 

[Oroblanco]

I'd also add the Susquehanna Company from Connecticut began colonizing the north branch of the Susquehanna river in 1754. Resulting in the Yankee Pennamite War.
Connecticut Susquehanna Settlers
A little known history that I'm sure resulted into many small hordes buried and lost throughout NEPA.

Also see:
Connecticut Settlement in the Wyoming Valley - PA USGenWeb Archives
Also there was a twin company called the Delaware company, same deal but had fewer settlers.
Oroblanco

 

[Wyoming Valley Relics]

Thank you so much Oroblanco. I've been looking for that.

 

[Oroblanco]

You are very welcome amigo - you are in a GREAT area to find the really sweet stuff!

Heck I once found a Dutch cannonball of an unusual type (bar shot) that a museum we took it to, dated to the early 1600s, and this turned up in a place very far from the sea. Also found some round lead bullets of large caliber and some of pistol size, which hinted that some kind of fight took place there. In that case it turned out that the Dutch had gotten involved in the so-called "Beaver wars" between the various Indian tribes, helping one tribe against another, and the battle site is not mentioned in any modern history books. There have been some things found that are much older too - even ancient, like Copper Culture items (copper arrow heads and tools) or even a few items that look to have come from ancient Carthage, coins from that empire were found along the Susquehanna river some years back and a metal urn was dug up in an archaeological dig at the mouth of the Chenango river. So keep your detector coil to the ground and don't be surprised when you find something GREAT! I do hope you will keep us posted when you find it too, let us see some pictures?

Good luck and good hunting to you all - I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
Oroblanco

 

[buff3237]

I live in ne pa right next to the Susquehanna river where Joseph Smith lived Oakland pa formally harmony pa I have reason to believe there are some amazing hidden treasures in the hills here I'm on a mission to find them I know of many caves and paths of Indians and old roads my research of local history and possible leads will continue through this winter and my search will begin sometime in the spring any info would be appreciated

 

[Oroblanco]

I live in ne pa right next to the Susquehanna river where Joseph Smith lived Oakland pa formally harmony pa I have reason to believe there are some amazing hidden treasures in the hills here I'm on a mission to find them I know of many caves and paths of Indians and old roads my research of local history and possible leads will continue through this winter and my search will begin sometime in the spring any info would be appreciated

Sorry I missed your post for so long amigo, but anyway Joseph Smith's discovery of gold tablets could be a hint at something more remarkable than what they were interpreted to be.

One ancient civilization was known to put treaties on plates of gold, Carthage! In fact the only known gold plates in museums which are documents are the gold plates of treaties between Carthage and the Etruscans. What if Smith found Carthaginian treaty plates, not some new gospels?

There are further hints that Punic explorers and traders were operating in the area, even though the Susquehanna river was famous for being un-navigable due to the huge boulders not far upstream from the mouth. A number of "grave" stones were found near Harrisburg which Dr Barry Fell concluded were in ancient Iberic writing, but in my opinion they are not Iberian but Punic. Also several Punic coins turned up along the same river, and even the metal urn originating in Carthage, found along the same river but far upstream at the mouth of the Chenango, and by an actual archaeological dig. (So much for the claim that no proof of ancient visitors ever is found by archaeological digs so must all be modern fakes or hoaxes)

Even the name Susquehanna, means something in Punic! It breaks down to "land" (or place) "given by Hanno" or given TO Hanno, <que can be used either way>- and Hanno was a famous Carthaginian explorer who went out on an expedition into the Atlantic! (See the Periplus of Hanno, which is an account of his expedition along the African Atlantic coast) If this were the only such instance where we have hints that Hanno visited America, we might dismiss it as coincidence, but Dr Fell published several other monument or marker stones which seem to be boundary or territory claim markers. When we consider that the time period when Hanno was exploring, coincides with the period of the so-called Mound builder culture which then existed along the Susquehanna river and over much of the eastern two-thirds of the continental US, it bears further investigation.

I am certain that there are more markers and inscriptions to find, as well as caches of coins, weapons and/or other valuables hidden along the Susquehanna river. I wish you good luck and good hunting amigo, sorry for taking so long to reply, I hope you find the treasures that you seek. And please do return and tell us of your discoveries and adventures!
Oroblanco

 

[FLauthor]

Save your money. I did a lot of research in the past when I wrote my Pennsylvania Fort book and that was before computers. Now you can merely type in FRONTIER FORTS OF PENNSYLVANIA and you get every fort that existed and sometimes the exact location: frontierforts.html
Now your problem at hand: Anyone in Pennsylvania, type into Search: Government Survey Plats and the county and if available Ska69 now has the 1872 map for Milford and Dingman Ferry: Map of Pike County, Pennsylvania, 1872 - 1872 Pike County Map Interface ; Map of Dingman's Ferry, Dingman's Mill, Milford, Rosetown: http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/mg/di/m011/PDFs/m011Map0045_PikeCo1872_Part4.pdf

Interesting part is the Mill site probably hasn't been touched with progress. Dingman Creek appears to be the same flow channel but there was a Mill Trace dug to supply the Mill with water power. On Google map, you can't see the Mill Trace or the old mill site but on Bing Map clearly shows the mill trace to the Mill ruins opposite S. Johnny Bee Road. I see that area is part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (Restricted Activities: Use of metal detectors; Collecting of artifacts; Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) ) Then become a Field Representative for the Pike County Historical Society at the Columns. Phone: 570-296-8126. Email: [email protected] 608 Broad Street • Milford, Pennsylvania and become a card carrying member, it will open doors. They are also on Facebook listing showing a 1895 County map with all the little settlements and Mill sites that can be found on the 1872 Plat map. By placing relics and artifacts in the PCHS museum which is probably tax deductible, usually your name is placed with the donated item that you can show off to your friends and family for generations to come. Most Historical Society are comprised of Seniors who do Geneology study but know nothing about finding and preserving relics or artifacts. I'm sure you and your companions will be welcomed addition to their group. Perhaps they can introduce you to the Park Archaeologist or contact Dr. E. Lee Spence, SC Archie who uses metal detectors in his work. Maybe he knows who to talk with. Good luck and I want to see photographs of your finds.

 

[richg]

Im 50 miles north of Harrisburg, where do you live at?

 

[FLauthor]

1,076 miles south of you in Clermont, FL; People think that I've hunted all these fort sites but truth is, I haven't been in Pennsylvania since 1957. But I purchased 13 rolls of microfilm from the National Archives in the 1970's and pulled those sites from that film to produce that book. Then when computers came out, I bought the CD's for the Frontier Forts of Pa and now they are there for anyone to read online. I bet there are a few forts in there that have NEVER had a detector used on the ground. Good luck with your search and always hunt with a buddy just in case you step into an old well.

Harry - FlAuthor

 

[Curtis]

You guys should try the Private Message thing to contact each other and set times to meet. Its a feature built into the membership...just trying to help.

 

[eze1417]

My best suggestion in NE pa is along US 6 and the old canal systems. Also in Stalker PA there is an old Roebling suspension bridge with an old home on PA side. I believe this home was a lock house for the canal. Area has several campgrounds that i have stayed at and i found the riverfront terrain interesting. Town is mostly gone but i am sure it was larger in its prime. Other areas are along the rails to trails coming out of carbondale and wilkes-barre one that also enters an old amusement park that is now closed. Its posted property but they didnt seem to enforce it now that all the structures are gone (many people quad riding in it when i went past).

 

[FragFox]

Does anyone have any good leads in North East Pennsylvania, spefically, Pike County, Milford/Dingmans Ferry area?

Taken from U.S. Treasure Atlas: Pike County
"The chief of the Paupacken Indians concealed a large treasure of jewels, beads, gold and silver ornaments, rawhide bags of stone, money and a large store of Indian artifacts to keep them from falling into the hands of their enemy, the New York Warriors, who eventually drove them from the area. The cache was hidden somewhere in Wallenpaupack Valley near Hawley in the Pocono Mountains, the most likely spot lies off Hwy. 507 between Paupack and Tafton, the last home location of the Paupaken Tribe."

There is also mention of the road from Dingman's Ferry to Porters Lake SW of Edgemere is 3400 acres of wilderness that ones housed Civil War draft dodgers. Many individual caches are believed to be scattered around these parts and are believed to remain there, unburried.

Hope this helps, your region sounds like a fun place!

 

[relicmeister]

It Is a very interesting area indeed, though vast.

 

[JrMack]

interesting line of discussion on ne pa,,I live on pa/ny boarder on rt 6.....was on tioga county historical site a month ago and read about a man putting in a grist mill. He had guys digging for the foundation about 4 feet down and they discovered two candle thlders and a plate made of silver which were marked and believed to be from the early jedjuiet priests and were religious artifacts! It did state the names of the people it went to.. Im still trying to find the documentation again on the site....but I remember where it was!!!!!! it also stated that the site was not excavated for further finds. So ya never know what can turn up in this area. good luck

 

[Oroblanco]

It Is a very interesting area indeed, though vast.

I love your avatar photo there relicmeister! There are no better dogs for prospecting and treasure hunting.