Spanish Princess treasure

[RGINN]

This is supposed to be a map published in 1937 in the Salida Record with directions to buried Spanish treasure. Probably everybody has already seen it, but I was doing some research on Thomas A. Summers, a guy who spent a lot of time looking around the Chalk Cliffs at Mt. Princeton for a treasure, and first time I came across it. One researcher thought maybe the cross was formed by Browns Creek and another canyon on the Arkansas River, and 'Agua Blanca' was Chalk Creek, but who knows? Only useful thing I did find out, I always thought the face of the Spanish Princess was probably a sun sign, only revealed at a particular time of year and time of day. Summers said the signs on the Chalk Cliffs (more than one) were moon signs, and you had to be there when the moon shone just right on the cliffs to see them.

 

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[RGINN]

From the Salida Record.

 

[RGINN]

Don't think I got the whole article in this.

 

[RGINN]

Another part of an article.

 

[RGINN]

Jose Garcia...... I'm havin trouble getting all the article to upload, but you get the idea.

 

[cyzak]

This is supposed to be a map published in 1937 in the Salida Record with directions to buried Spanish treasure. Probably everybody has already seen it, but I was doing some research on Thomas A. Summers, a guy who spent a lot of time looking around the Chalk Cliffs at Mt. Princeton for a treasure, and first time I came across it. One researcher thought maybe the cross was formed by Browns Creek and another canyon on the Arkansas River, and 'Agua Blanca' was Chalk Creek, but who knows? Only useful thing I did find out, I always thought the face of the Spanish Princess was probably a sun sign, only revealed at a particular time of year and time of day. Summers said the signs on the Chalk Cliffs (more than one) were moon signs, and you had to be there when the moon shone just right on the cliffs to see them.

Have you done any more research on this.

 

[glcanon]

From the OCT 8, 1912 Salida Register:
--------------------
SPANISH TREASURE LOCATED NEAR SALIDA
Thomas Summers, of Nathrop, Who Has Prospected In the Hills of Chaffee County For More Than Thirty Years, Thinks There Is. Is there a Spanish treasure buried In the mountains somewhere near Saiida? Certain prospectors in this vicinity are of the opinion that there is. Indeed, Thomas Summers of Nathrop, who has prospected the hills in Chaffee county for more than thirty years, states that he can lay hands upon this treasure within three month’s time. And he offers to go into partnership with any man who will furnish him with sufficient “grubstake” to last during the expedition. The treasure is said to be composed of vast numbers of precious stones and many bags of gold. The persistence and seriousness of Summers in appealing his case has of late caused people to the matter serious thought. Summers has been trying to locate the treasure for two years, and has found certain charts and sketches which locate the exact spot. When the time came for him to go forth on his expedition, deeds to property prevented his working the land. “The deeds must first be bought, and I have no money,” he states. “I will form a company with any one, and will go halves with the treasure. All I need is money enough to buy these deeds.” The one point made by Summers, which has caused several of his friends to take notice, is the claim that charts have been found. It is known that he had shown charts to a few of his intimate friends. In these maps there Is mention of a mauntain bearing a human face. When translated from the Spanish, the description reads: “Measuremet is taken from the face of the Spanish princess, which is a face in this mountain, resembling the countenance of the beautiful royal highness.” , To the few people whom he has taken into his confidence, Summers is known to have secretly shown a picture, recently photographed of a human face carved in the rocks. The face he himself claims to have photographed while prospecting near the base of Mount Princeton,, fourteen miles northwest of Saiida. A tradition, once current among pros pectora throughout this section, but still told occasionally by miners who located here years ago, relates of the burying of a large treasure by a band of Spaniards who came to this state over two hundred years ago.

 

[RGINN]

Came back to see what I posted and see you've been here and seen the map, glcanon. As I understood it, that was supposed to be Jose Garcia's map. The article is from the Salida Register, so you can see the rest of it there. You know if that's the Arkansas it kinda fits for the river running north and south in that area. I thought the Spanish was a little too well written, and thought maybe if it was ancient why they would have used the mile measurement. I guess I know it is as old as the date it was published.

 

[cyzak]

Bump

 

[kped1664]

@RGINN this is very interesting. To me, there seems to be three different stories - 1) Jose Garcia (year unknown?); 2) Thomas Summers (1880s-1910); and then 3) The Map in 1937.

Jose Garcia talks about white cliffs and it being 6 hours away from Salida. There is no year on this right? When was he sending letters to the people of Salida?

Thomas Summers doesn't give us any hints other than seeing the face right? The author also seems to think he has a map and notebook. We don't know when he died, but if he had been looking for treasure for 30 years already in 1910, I would assume he was in his 50s. He wouldn't have gone to WWI, but he still likely died before the 1930s. I can't find an obituary anywhere.

Then in 1937 a map shows up in the Salida newspaper. The population of Salida at the time was about 5000 and it was right at the tail end of the great depression. I'd be curious to see who owned the newspaper and whether that individual had a vested interest in the land between Browns creek and the Chalk Creek. How did the newspaper get the map? There also should be a story accompanying the map right? I can't find a source to review old newspapers online...

I just google earthed the area and it does seem to match parts of the map. I don't see any small lake on Brown's creek - or any other creek branching off, but I suppose that could have dried up. My biggest concern with the map is the source. On the map page itself, it says it came from the Utes, but how did the newspaper get it?

 

[tamrock]

I remember reading that story before. You have to wonder, but very often those old time local news editors created many intriguing stories inorder to captive subscribers. One editor by the name of Samuel Clemens was well known thoughout gold rush of California for the great stories he wrote. How many of these stories come about are a mystery for sure and no doubt coupled together with fact and fiction I suspect.

 

[cyzak]

Seems like the old Spanish Trail went thru that area.

 

[Peyton Manning]

I’ll have my eyes open when I’m through there in may

 

[kped1664]

Seems like the old Spanish Trail went thru that area.

Did it? I need an overlay source!

 

[kped1664]

I remember reading that story before. You have to wonder, but very often those old time local news editors created many intriguing stories inorder to captive subscribers. One editor by the name of Samuel Clemens was well known thoughout gold rush of California for the great stories he wrote. How many of these stories come about are a mystery for sure and no doubt coupled together with fact and fiction I suspect.

Exactly. And I can’t find any sources or information whatsoever on where the map came from. But, if the Spanish came through here, I’d love to find out more about Garcia’s story and summers. We should be able to verify Garcia through Spanish military records…but that’s a very common name…hmmm

 

[RGINN]

Good points kped1664. I think Thomas Summers was the real deal and actually a guy who thought he was on to something. You can search up Colorado historical newspapers and come up with what I did, I'll check and get the actual name of the website. I kinda doubt the story of where the map came from, but the Spanish is interesting. It's readable by Spanish speakers, but it's a little different style. My wife thinks it's an older style. (yes, Conquistadores of the Spanish Entrada, haha, joking!) I've checked out that area and kinda sorta maybe if you squint and imagine, well, you know, but not real close. I did find a couple of spots where some body did some digging for something.

 

[RGINN]

Check out Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection, kped1664.

 

[tamrock]

I've always thought there was a story or legend behind why this painting of the blessed virgin has been placed on this rock in Penitente canyon. Though the painting was without doubt done in recent times, had this very rock been known as something other than a place of possible confession?. It's near a little town of La Garita, which was named for the La Garita mountains. I looked up a translation of the meaning of La Garita to english and Google translator says its The Sentry Box. Another translation I've read is The Look Out, because if you go on top, you can see far down the Rio Grande valley and the whole expance of the San Luis vally from up there. There are many mountain tops you can experience a scene such as that from on top. so I have wonder is that really why the mountain is called La Garita? I believed the head waters of the Rio Grande river and the upper Arkansas river, surly have a few untold stories of early Spanish exploration that are now lost to time.

 

[RGINN]

Maria says it means same thing as la frontera, or a border. It could be intended to mean a lookout, watchtower, or a hut. Penitentes used that canyon for worship services years ago and painted the Virgen de Guadalupe on the canyon wall. They painted their names on the wall below it. When I can, I camp in that area a lot. If you go on down the trail past the painting, you'll see this formation, which looks like an owl. A few heart symbols around this. Only treasure I found in the canyon was a ring with an alligator symbol on it. I guess somebody visited the alligator farm over east of there. Value might be 75 cents, haha!

 

[tamrock]

It's a nice area. I often get off of 112 and drive up to LaGarita on the back road and then head out from there to 285 towards Saguache. There's some really interesting craggy rock formations along that dirt road off 112 to LaGarita. Sure would like to explore around amongst those rocks. It just looks like a place with hundreds of locations among the rocks one might hide something. Yeah I need to see the owl rock at least once. I went up and over a pass once that began around the back of the church. It dropped me out at the west side of Cochetopa pass on 114 outside of Seguache. It was a beautiful fall day.