Cactus_Cache
Jr. Member
- May 6, 2007
- 20
- 0
While reading Buried Treasures You Can Find by Robert F. Marx, Copyright (C) 1993, 1999, Eighth Edition Printing February 2007, Ram Publishing Company, Dallas, TX, the author provided basic details of possible a lost Silver mine located near Ouachita, AR. Ouachita is located a few miles south of Sparkman, on Highway 8 towards Camden and East Camden, AR. If I recollect correctly, there was also a Civil War confrontation at the confluence of the Little Missouri and Ouachita Rivers at Tates Bluff not too far distant. Several Years ago, we actually found small round cannon balls and round musket bullets near the bridge that spans the Ouachita River just above the confluence. There were a lot of Civil War era pistols recovered over a number of years, along with other artifacts.
Supposedly, before the battle occurred, one boat unloaded a huge cache of gold and silver coins after a scout alerted the unit that enemies were approaching from the opposite direction of the river. The story states that six men walked up stream carrying the box of treasure and buried it. The six men returned in only one hour so they must not have gone far to earth the treasure. The treasure has not been located as of this writing. I've been in that area and it is very brushy, thickety, and lots of posionous snakes to worry with. I supsect the course of the river has change many times since the cahce was buried so the treasure could be under the river bed ten feet deep or more in silt by now or buried on dry land 10-20 feet deep. It would be difficult to detect with even today's deep-penetrating metal detectors.
Back to the Lost Field of Silver Mine - Supposedly, Hernando De Soto traveled along the Ouachita, earlier referred to as "Washita" in the middle 1500s (As late as 1540). During his travels, his troops (crew) encountered Indians along the River wearing a lot of silver jewlery and trinkets. He demanded to know the silver's origin and supposedly, the Indians carried him to an area near modern day Ouachita. It is river bottom land. Notable is that the surrounding land on the west side of the Ouachita River is very hilly with two peaks - Pine and Bull Mountain. I have walked all over those hills. In a few areas, the geology supports the possiblity of fining some type of metal deposit. I've found Quartz there and other evidence of a Hydrothermal that could have created a depoist of Silver, Lead, Gold or other precious metals. I've seen Lead Ore that people claimed they took from the old Lead Mine. But I have not heard of the "Lost Field of Silver". I know of several Ghost Towns in that area and will share them to those intererested. I have found some interesting tokens in the hills to the east of Sparkman. On one side, the brass coin states, "Brunswick Balky Company". On the other side, the coin is stamped with "One J.A.S. Five Cents" I must assume (Since I don't have more accurate information) that this was an old "Company Store"token of the Great Depression Era.
This is a very interesting area o metal detect. But keep in mind that many of the residents are very suspicious of outsiders. I would be certain to get permission before detecting in those areas. When I lived in the area, there were no fences. Now fences are everywhere and a lot of big forest companies have bought up lands and closed them to the public. Best bet - join a big deer lease giving you access to the area and clear meta detecting with the lease manager.
Does anyone have a better account (with more detail) of the "Lost Field of Silver Mine" Story? I have provcided a couple of online references to information I have found about the Lost Field of Silver Mine below. It is not detailed.
Happy Hunting!
Cactus_Cache
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Online References:
"Dallas county, Arkansas: 1. GT Estes near N county line, 4 miles N Tulip. 2. GT Harlock on RR in area, 3 miles W Ivy. 3. GT Saline in NE corner of the county, 5 miles E Carthage. 4. GT Roane 2 1/2 miles W Tulip. 5. GT Fairview in W-Central portion of the county. 6. GT Nik 3 miles SE Manning. 7. The Lost Field of Silver Mine is believed to be located in the area of Ouachita. 8. GT Stover in the extreme SE corner of the county. 9. GT Princeton Junction on RR, 2 miles S Princeton. 10. GT Eaglette on RR, 3 miles SW Jacinto." (1)
(Please Note all the great information to old ghost towns above in addition to the reference to the Lost Field of Silver.)
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"The river is named for the Washita Indian tribe. The Washita tribe was one of several tribes that lived along the river including the Caddo, Osage Nation, Tensas, Chickasaw, and Choctaw. The word "Washita" is an Indian word meaning "Good hunting grounds" and "sparkling silver water". A mound building civilization existed along the river at one time as evidenced by the mounds found along its length. The largest such mound was destroyed during construction of a bridge at Jonesville, Louisiana in the 20th century. This mound was reported in use as late as 1540 by the explorer Hernando de Soto. A lightning strike destroyed the temple atop the mound that same year which was seen as a bad omen by the tribe. The temple was never rebuilt and the tribe moved away around 1730.
The river served as a route into northern Louisiana and southwestern Arkansas for European colonists and has served as an important transportation and trade route since the 18th century.
Natural History
The river continues to be utilized for commercial navigation on a smaller scale than its prior "steamboat" days. The river is fed by numerous small creeks which contain endemic native fish, including killifish. Fishing remains popular in the river for bass, bream, drum and gar, although concerns about airborne mercury contamination in some areas deter those who wish to eat the fish. The river is commercially navigable from Camden, Arkansas to its terminal point in Jones, Louisiana. Upstream of Camden, the river receives substantial recreational use. The Ouachita is lined for most of its length with deep woods, including substantial wetlands, giving the river a scenic quality representative of the southwestern Arkansas and northern Louisiana region.
Near Hot Springs, Arkansas the Ouachita flows into Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton, and Lake Catherine. The river joins the Tensas River and the Little River at Jonesville, Louisiana. The river is called the Black River from here until it joins the Red River." (2)
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(1). http://www.treasurequestxlt.com/community/arkansas-ghost-towns/6606-arkansas-ghost-towns-6.html
(2). http://www.answers.com/topic/ouachita-river
Supposedly, before the battle occurred, one boat unloaded a huge cache of gold and silver coins after a scout alerted the unit that enemies were approaching from the opposite direction of the river. The story states that six men walked up stream carrying the box of treasure and buried it. The six men returned in only one hour so they must not have gone far to earth the treasure. The treasure has not been located as of this writing. I've been in that area and it is very brushy, thickety, and lots of posionous snakes to worry with. I supsect the course of the river has change many times since the cahce was buried so the treasure could be under the river bed ten feet deep or more in silt by now or buried on dry land 10-20 feet deep. It would be difficult to detect with even today's deep-penetrating metal detectors.
Back to the Lost Field of Silver Mine - Supposedly, Hernando De Soto traveled along the Ouachita, earlier referred to as "Washita" in the middle 1500s (As late as 1540). During his travels, his troops (crew) encountered Indians along the River wearing a lot of silver jewlery and trinkets. He demanded to know the silver's origin and supposedly, the Indians carried him to an area near modern day Ouachita. It is river bottom land. Notable is that the surrounding land on the west side of the Ouachita River is very hilly with two peaks - Pine and Bull Mountain. I have walked all over those hills. In a few areas, the geology supports the possiblity of fining some type of metal deposit. I've found Quartz there and other evidence of a Hydrothermal that could have created a depoist of Silver, Lead, Gold or other precious metals. I've seen Lead Ore that people claimed they took from the old Lead Mine. But I have not heard of the "Lost Field of Silver". I know of several Ghost Towns in that area and will share them to those intererested. I have found some interesting tokens in the hills to the east of Sparkman. On one side, the brass coin states, "Brunswick Balky Company". On the other side, the coin is stamped with "One J.A.S. Five Cents" I must assume (Since I don't have more accurate information) that this was an old "Company Store"token of the Great Depression Era.
This is a very interesting area o metal detect. But keep in mind that many of the residents are very suspicious of outsiders. I would be certain to get permission before detecting in those areas. When I lived in the area, there were no fences. Now fences are everywhere and a lot of big forest companies have bought up lands and closed them to the public. Best bet - join a big deer lease giving you access to the area and clear meta detecting with the lease manager.
Does anyone have a better account (with more detail) of the "Lost Field of Silver Mine" Story? I have provcided a couple of online references to information I have found about the Lost Field of Silver Mine below. It is not detailed.
Happy Hunting!
Cactus_Cache
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online References:
"Dallas county, Arkansas: 1. GT Estes near N county line, 4 miles N Tulip. 2. GT Harlock on RR in area, 3 miles W Ivy. 3. GT Saline in NE corner of the county, 5 miles E Carthage. 4. GT Roane 2 1/2 miles W Tulip. 5. GT Fairview in W-Central portion of the county. 6. GT Nik 3 miles SE Manning. 7. The Lost Field of Silver Mine is believed to be located in the area of Ouachita. 8. GT Stover in the extreme SE corner of the county. 9. GT Princeton Junction on RR, 2 miles S Princeton. 10. GT Eaglette on RR, 3 miles SW Jacinto." (1)
(Please Note all the great information to old ghost towns above in addition to the reference to the Lost Field of Silver.)
------------------------------
"The river is named for the Washita Indian tribe. The Washita tribe was one of several tribes that lived along the river including the Caddo, Osage Nation, Tensas, Chickasaw, and Choctaw. The word "Washita" is an Indian word meaning "Good hunting grounds" and "sparkling silver water". A mound building civilization existed along the river at one time as evidenced by the mounds found along its length. The largest such mound was destroyed during construction of a bridge at Jonesville, Louisiana in the 20th century. This mound was reported in use as late as 1540 by the explorer Hernando de Soto. A lightning strike destroyed the temple atop the mound that same year which was seen as a bad omen by the tribe. The temple was never rebuilt and the tribe moved away around 1730.
The river served as a route into northern Louisiana and southwestern Arkansas for European colonists and has served as an important transportation and trade route since the 18th century.
Natural History
The river continues to be utilized for commercial navigation on a smaller scale than its prior "steamboat" days. The river is fed by numerous small creeks which contain endemic native fish, including killifish. Fishing remains popular in the river for bass, bream, drum and gar, although concerns about airborne mercury contamination in some areas deter those who wish to eat the fish. The river is commercially navigable from Camden, Arkansas to its terminal point in Jones, Louisiana. Upstream of Camden, the river receives substantial recreational use. The Ouachita is lined for most of its length with deep woods, including substantial wetlands, giving the river a scenic quality representative of the southwestern Arkansas and northern Louisiana region.
Near Hot Springs, Arkansas the Ouachita flows into Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton, and Lake Catherine. The river joins the Tensas River and the Little River at Jonesville, Louisiana. The river is called the Black River from here until it joins the Red River." (2)
---------------------
(1). http://www.treasurequestxlt.com/community/arkansas-ghost-towns/6606-arkansas-ghost-towns-6.html
(2). http://www.answers.com/topic/ouachita-river
