Americas Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

[Night Stalker]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

While visiting my uncle whom I haven't seen in 10 years or more this past weekend, I told him about my hobby (he owns 114 acres) and he told me last year while plowing, he saw something shiney on the ground and got off his tractor and picked up a handful of silver dollars and quarters. I asked him for some details, he went inside and showed them to me, a few worn morgans and liberty quarters. He told me that my great grandmother used to put her loot in old jars and bury them around the house (now a tobacco field).

You can probably guess where I'll be spending the majority of my time It's good to be back home!

 

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[Ray S ECenFL]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

While visiting my uncle whom I haven't seen in 10 years or more this past weekend, I told him about my hobby (he owns 114 acres) and he told me last year while plowing, he saw something shiney on the ground and got off his tractor and picked up a handful of silver dollars and quarters. I asked him for some details, he went inside and showed them to me, a few worn morgans and liberty quarters. He told me that my great grandmother used to put her loot in old jars and bury them around the house (now a tobacco field).

You can probably guess where I'll be spending the majority of my time It's good to be back home!

Now, THAT is a credible buried treasure story

 

[nvradar]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

Nightstalker if you do it again I would like to barrow your detector!!!!


I've done a little research at the Nevada archives on stage robberies and I must say I'm quite disappointed in what I have learned. Most, but not all the bad guys got away with small amounts that were no problem to carry. Some were shot dead,arrested, and for one reason or another the money (gold) was retrieved. Most cases the stage wasn't carrying large amounts of gold. I do understand Wells Fargo and others didn't report how much was stolen so the highway men of the day wouldn't rob every stage in sight. There are a few good ones out there for sure. The ones that got away with the big lots and never caught whether they buried it or just made good on the escape are the ones to leave us wondering. NVRADAR

 

[heepiepow]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

This has been an enteresting thread, a lot of different insights and thoughts on the subject. There also appears to be a growing debate on what constitutes a reliable reference or resource, which I think provides a lot of food for thought in regards to conducting research. And the last thing that I think that is presented is that some treasure hunters prefer to deal in only documented facts and cases, while others appear to prefer to go digging for their own secret treasure cases. It's interesting to note the different mindsets and the reasons for them. Keep the thoughts coming, very interesting stuff.

It's a push-pull I guess. Some seekers would seek (pun intended) to not record anything they may find towards their treasure, due to "the Man" glowering over them (and this is certainly defensible). Yet this tends to, over decades, add to a myth rather than substantiate a truth.

Again, take Oak Island. It certainly has many supposed relics found at supposed depths in supposed locations. But where was the oversight? Where was the surveyor, the professional archaeologist? Where is the provenance? Hell, it's difficult enough to get provenance for things actually found, but to struggle to get it for things supposedly found in situ? Should be no excuse for that on a professional legend-treasure-seeking enterprise.

Not saying everyone should call for outsiders to come in and confirm their find...but if it's a "legend" (and as such no find has actually been realized), the least every generation could do is rigorously catalogue their finds. It helps the next generations figure out if the legend is myth or reality, and to narrow down locations, etc.

 

[nvradar]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

If we kept good records of where we buried it some stinky treasure hunter would find it

 

[Tuberale]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

RE: nvradar and heepiepow: isn't that the purpose of the Internet?<g>

OK, probably not. There's alot of stuff that hasn't been put on the Internet yet.

For example, I just got started computerizing my treasure cross-reference index, and at my current rate of data entry, this project could take 9 months for the initial input; another 6 months for the proof-reading, correction phase.

 

[floodcitykid]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

My personal feeling is YES THERE ARE many treasures that are real and still out there.

In 1982, I began searching for the treasure that John S. Mosby stole from his raid on the Union forces at Fairfax and buried in the dead of night somewhere around Gainsville.

Mosby said many times that he wanted to go back and try to find that buried cache
as some of the richest treasures in Virginia were in that pile. Mosby was sent out of the country as consule to Hong Kong becuase so many people feared he would run for President (and win) or would try to start a new Confederacy. From some of the research I did, I think old Moseby might have tried to find this cache several times and use it to finance a campaign.

Long story short, I never found that treasure BUT, in searching for it, I found LOTS and LOTS of civil war artifacts and lots of coins, bottles etc. at old house sites and
wooded areas, fields etc in the area where it is most likely the loot was buried.

There is a lesson in this, don't forget the trees when you are looking for the forest
or is it vice versa


FloodCityKid

 

[Frankn]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

There's a kind of common courtesy in the mid Atlantic area that the big TH's follow. When they find a cache they leave a horseshoe about 1' deep at the site. What it means is that you guess right, but to late. It makes you feel bad and feel good at the same time. Yes I have found a horseshoe and left it there, and I have placed a horseshoe also. I always carry one in my TH bag hoping to use it.
I research treasures all over the country in the hope of some day getting to look for it. I am presently researching the Butch Cassidy stage robbery. It involved $10K in gold coins that's well over a quarter million today. He didn't die in Bolevia as commonly assumed, but died in 1953 with his boots off. His partner, Curley Harris actually buried it and told Butch the location. Curley was killed a short time later. It was a long time before Butch could look for it and the land changed. He made at least 5 trips to the area but never found it.
The area is off US20 about 120 North of Casper. When I get enough for fuel, I will look for it. It is a long drive from Maryland. I figure it would take about one month and some luck to find it with a good two box setup.

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[SushiDog]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

This post was very interesting to read because of so many different and variable inputs on the subject matter....As for me, I would prefer to go out "on-the-fly" to an area that has potential for lode or placer gold, or perhaps a ghost town that is not protected by State or Federal laws....what I am saying is that I enjoy doing the research on places that are local, or not too far from my location because the research involves hundreds of hours, or even a thousand hours of work....I really enjoy the research, and so I want the research time to count....count towards something that might turn up something fascinating....All of the well known treasure stories are great fun to read, but I don't take them seriously....that's why I almost exclusively read non-fiction books over fiction books, and I watch quality cable TV programs based on non-fiction, rather than watch fiction....this is just me, and this is what makes ME tick....I just don't want to waste time on things that I know are not true from the git-go....I don't need that kind of entertainment, and devote my time to things that are tangible with some sort of factual basis....it's an individual thing, and we all have the freedom to pursue whatever we wish....SushiDog

 

[Frankn]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

Treasure hunting research is like playing the lotto. The chance of winning is small, but the payoff can be huge. Look at it this way, you are going to do something with your time on Earth, so do something you enjoy.

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[Tuberale]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

Treasure hunting research is like playing the lotto. The chance of winning is small, but the payoff can be huge. Look at it this way, you are going to do something with your time on Earth, so do something you enjoy.

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I couldn't agree more.

 

[floodcitykid]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

There's a kind of common courtesy in the mid Atlantic area that the big TH's follow. When they find a cache they leave a horseshoe about 1' deep at the site. What it means is that you guess right, but to late. It makes you feel bad and feel good at the same time. Yes I have found a horseshoe and left it there, and I have placed a horseshoe also. I always carry one in my TH bag hoping to use it.
I research treasures all over the country in the hope of some day getting to look for it. I am presently researching the Butch Cassidy stage robbery. It involved $10K in gold coins that's well over a quarter million today. He didn't die in Bolevia as commonly assumed, but died in 1953 with his boots off. His partner, Curley Harris actually buried it and told Butch the location. Curley was killed a short time later. It was a long time before Butch could look for it and the land changed. He made at least 5 trips to the area but never found it.
The area is off US20 about 120 North of Casper. When I get enough for fuel, I will look for it. It is a long drive from Maryland. I figure it would take about one month and some luck to find it with a good two box setup.

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It's odd that you should mention Butch Cassidy, I'm just now reading a book (fiction) that involves him and his Nemesis Charlie Siringo, the pinkerton detective who hunted Butch. The book is by John Byne Cook and titled south of the border, its mostly a fictional yarn about Butch and Charlie meeting up later in life and acting as security for a Hollywood picture company who goes south to film a story about Pancho Villa.

But a lot of it is based on fact, according to the author who researched both Butch and Charlie Siringo, they mention the treasure that Butch buried somewhere near robber's roost (?).

You might check the library and find the Books written by Charlie Siringo, he wrote several of them and you might find a clue or two about Butch and the Wild bunch.

Good luck


Flood City Kid

 

[Frankn]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

kid: I usually stay away from fiction, I get enought of it disguised as fact.
I have looked for other Cassidy sashes but found the NPS had taken over the property.
This one is $10K face value in gold coins and should be findable but it would take an investment of app. one month of time. It appears that most THs hoard their info even though they know that that they will never look for the treasure. I don't work that way. I share info and wish the other guy luck. I sometimes swap info with other guys. I enjoy TH and I guess the greed factor never set in with me.
Hole in the wall was on the old Bar C ranch. To get to it start at Kaycee, Wyoming, go West to Barnum then up and cross the river at the Bar C Ranch to Buffalo Creek to the narrow pass into the HOLE. The Hole is a valley with a creek running thru it. Those directions were from an old story and I assume they were writted for a horseback rider. Frank
Robbers Roost is now Bryce Canyon NP.

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[Grimcreeper]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

I think there is treasure all over...people have hoarded forever. There are people who stash things everwhere....their treasure was important to them.....I wouldn't bury anything less
Than 3' deep.......so 100 years from now...saying I buried it 100 years ago,it be out of reach of most MD,s...I would. Not leave my treasure laying around..we walk over major finds everyday. Just my thoughts.

 

[Frankn]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

Grim, what makes you think 3' would be out of reach? There are detectors out there right now that can go down much deeper than that. By the way, your treasure doesn't sink in the ground! In some areas dead vegetation builds up on it and in others erosion exposes it. In the desert it just lays there being covered and uncoverer by the drifting "dust". I just found a 200 year old ax that was just 10" deep.

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[Tuberale]

Re: America's Famous Treasure Legends. Could they really still be out there?

I think there is treasure all over...people have hoarded forever. There are people who stash things everwhere....their treasure was important to them.....I wouldn't bury anything less
Than 3' deep.......so 100 years from now...saying I buried it 100 years ago,it be out of reach of most MD,s...I would. Not leave my treasure laying around..we walk over major finds everyday. Just my thoughts.

I spoke to a soils scientist at Oregon State University. Soils do not "grow" quickly. It takes at least 100 years to grow soil by 1 inch in most of the United States. In most areas, and especially in desserts, it takes much longer.

Here's the thing: soil is defined as feces. Rock is not soil, nor sand. Neither is organic debris, better known as humus. Humus is mostly broken down by fungi and bacteria. Eventually, soil-building organisms start recycling the bacteria and fungi back into feces.

In the Pacific Northwest, for example, it take 7 years to degrade a single Douglas-fir needle so that it no longer can be recognized. It takes upwards of 15 years for that same needle to become incorporated into soil. Less than 1/100ths of the original mass is reduced to soil particles.

There are quite a few detectors on the market today which can "find" an object 3 feet deep (36 inches). In 100 years it would only be 37 inches deep. And considering the advances in metal detectors in the last 100 years, a cache buried 48 inches will likely be within range of tomorrow's detectors pretty soon now. By the end of the next century, detectors may be able to see 5 feet (60 inches) deep, plus give a good idea of what the target the see is made of.