Downingtown PA Bergdoll Farm ? Buried Gold 1921

[jeff of pa]

The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.), 25 May 1921









The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, May 25, 1921, Section One Pages 1 to 10, Image 3 « Chronicling America « Library of Congress

 

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A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[jeff of pa]

The Sunday Morning Star - Feb 6, 1944






https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=BQMGAAAAIBAJ&pg=2431,4355015&hl=en

 

[jeff of pa]

Evening public ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]), 24 May 1920.





http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/l...&andtext=gold&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

 

[jeff of pa]

GROVER CLEVELAND BERGDOLL

Alco-6 Black Beast Racer



Evening public ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]), 24 May 1920.

View attachment 1143337
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Evening public ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, May 24, 1920, Night Extra, Image 1 « Chronicling America « Library of Congress

 

[jeff of pa]

Evening public ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]), 26 July 1921.








Evening public ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, July 26, 1921, NIGHT EXTRA, Page 2, Image 2 « Chronicling America « Library of Congress

 

[jeff of pa]

also see Maryland on this one

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t.../457813-grover-bergdoll-gold.html#post4472197

 

[jeff of pa]

New-York tribune. (New York [N.Y.]), 13 May 1921







New-York tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, May 13, 1921, Page 2, Image 2 « Chronicling America « Library of Congress

 

[jeff of pa]

and again

sounds like my Kind of Gal

Weekly journal-miner. (Prescott, Ariz.), 25 May 1921





http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/l...gold&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=2

 

[streakert]

interesting read thanks Jeff,

 

[dfallis1]

lets go!!!

 

[Trackergd]

New poster. My brother, father and I wandered the Downingtown farm property off Skelp Level Road from the early 60's until the late 70's. The Summer Camp that owns the property worked with the township around three to four years ago to set up a hiking loop trail that gives a bit more access to the area. About two years ago workers from the camp cleared the vines away from the house foundation, but there are clear warnings about snooping around the house, the spring house and the barn ruins that were still overgrown. Now keeping in mind that the family would have to be able to locate any buried gold without too much effort should it be needed, landmarks become important. With that thought in mind, I have two spots with intact landmarks that would be prime detecting locations. I am pretty sure both the township and the camp would not allow any detecting and would be pretty aggressive in going after anyone who did, so for the time being (unless someone has a bright idea), I have to sit on my hands until I can figure out how to approach the issue. Any located gold would be the property of the Camp with the Township and State Historical Commission getting their fingers into it as well, so the person who located it might get a pat on the back and an article in the paper at best.

 

[ToastedWheatie]

Interesting guy.
But the end result? After hiding in Germany, he eventually returned.
The wife was still alive, and so it's safe to assume wherever she stashed it to hide from the Feds, was retrieved.

 

[ToastedWheatie]

New poster. My brother, father and I wandered the Downingtown farm property off Skelp Level Road from the early 60's until the late 70's. The Summer Camp that owns the property worked with the township around three to four years ago to set up a hiking loop trail that gives a bit more access to the area. About two years ago workers from the camp cleared the vines away from the house foundation, but there are clear warnings about snooping around the house, the spring house and the barn ruins that were still overgrown. Now keeping in mind that the family would have to be able to locate any buried gold without too much effort should it be needed, landmarks become important. With that thought in mind, I have two spots with intact landmarks that would be prime detecting locations. I am pretty sure both the township and the camp would not allow any detecting and would be pretty aggressive in going after anyone who did, so for the time being (unless someone has a bright idea), I have to sit on my hands until I can figure out how to approach the issue. Any located gold would be the property of the Camp with the Township and State Historical Commission getting their fingers into it as well, so the person who located it might get a pat on the back and an article in the paper at best.

Welcome to TNet!
Is/was the Downington property related to this story?

 

[Trackergd]

Welcome to TNet!
Is/was the Downington property related to this story?

Yes. Bergdoll lived at the Downingtown farm property after being released from prison. Local lore is that a small portion of the gold was used to purchase the farm property and that the remainder is still somewhere nearby.

It is generally accepted that there are three potential cache locations. The Downingtown farm, the Maryland farm and the Dillingersville rail road tunnel, near Vera Cruz, Pa.

The spring house and a small brick structure still stand at the Downingtown farm location. The barn walls still stand but the last time I was there, were still inaccessible. There are the remains of a second farmhouse and barn just South of the Bergdoll farm. In the 60's, there was still a dirt farm road that ran past the farmhouse and barn. It was accessed off of Boot Road just a few yards East of Skelp Level Road and had it's own bridge. The road was slowly wiped away with developments and single family homes over the years.

 

[Richekay]

There was also a Bergdoll Estate on West Chester Pike in Marple Township. This site might be the one that is referenced in the first posting of this thread. This estate, I believe, was owned by Grover's older brother who also ran into some trouble but worked things out. Its location is just about the southbound off-ramp of the Blue Route. The building was long abandoned and burned to the ground around 1971-72. The Bergdoll Family also owned an airfield in Havertown, now the site of the Manoa Shopping Center.