Helena California ........Buried Gold Cache

Gypsy Heart

Gold Member
Nov 29, 2005
12,686
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Ozarks
Around 1849, a man named Davenport worked a bar on the Trinity River about 9 miles W Helena,California later known as Davenport's Bar. He took out as much as $500 in gold per day and employed a Negro and Scotsman to help him. Both men knew that Davenport's buried his gold somewhere around the camp and plotted to rob him of his gold. A year after he suddenly disappeared, his body was accidentally found, the skull crushed.
Some 15 years later, the Scotsman confessed that the Negro had killed Davenport for an estimated $50,000 in gold which they both dug up and reburied, intending to recover it when things quieted down. They were the prime suspects in Davenport's disappearance and they never returned to the site.

These are his directions to the gold cache:
It is buried on a large bar on the Trinity River, semi-circular in shape. Before you reach the bar you will come to a gorge through which the river runs with great rapidity. It is impossible to pass through with a mule. You will find a trail, however, leading over a steep mountain which rises from that bar very abruptly and on the first bench you will notice a big cliff of bluish-looking rock. Not far from the cliff stood a large pine tree, and at the center of the distance between the cliff and the tree you will find the gold. There are 10 to 12 stone bottles filled with gold dust, and a canvas bag filled with coins. This treasure has never been recovered.


40Ā°46'1.13"N 123Ā° 7'48.26"W Approximate area
 

bedrock bubba

Sr. Member
Jun 27, 2010
446
397
I have always been interested in the Davenport treasure!

Back in 1982, my GF map dowsed a map of it that was in a treasure magazine, and marked two spots the gold could be in.

Then, I returned the magazines, and they were given away!
 

Apr 17, 2014
2,046
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Around 1849, a man named Davenport worked a bar on the Trinity River about 9 miles W Helena,California later known as Davenport's Bar. He took out as much as $500 in gold per day and employed a Negro and Scotsman to help him. Both men knew that Davenport's buried his gold somewhere around the camp and plotted to rob him of his gold. A year after he suddenly disappeared, his body was accidentally found, the skull crushed.
Some 15 years later, the Scotsman confessed that the Negro had killed Davenport for an estimated $50,000 in gold which they both dug up and reburied, intending to recover it when things quieted down. They were the prime suspects in Davenport's disappearance and they never returned to the site.

These are his directions to the gold cache:
It is buried on a large bar on the Trinity River, semi-circular in shape. Before you reach the bar you will come to a gorge through which the river runs with great rapidity. It is impossible to pass through with a mule. You will find a trail, however, leading over a steep mountain which rises from that bar very abruptly and on the first bench you will notice a big cliff of bluish-looking rock. Not far from the cliff stood a large pine tree, and at the center of the distance between the cliff and the tree you will find the gold. There are 10 to 12 stone bottles filled with gold dust, and a canvas bag filled with coins. This treasure has never been recovered.


40Ā°46'1.13"N 123Ā° 7'48.26"W Approximate area

LOL @ skimming 25 ounces of gold a day, worth $32,000 today. Right, a guy that worked at a bar.

Imagine the population required to gross that kind of $ in a bar, let alone skim it. :)

who knows, in 2007 maybe peeps fell for that :)
 

Army of 1

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Jun 22, 2013
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Dundee Northern Australia
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LOL @ skimming 25 ounces of gold a day, worth $32,000 today. Right, a guy that worked at a bar.

Imagine the population required to gross that kind of $ in a bar, let alone skim it. :)

who knows, in 2007 maybe peeps fell for that :)
When G.H quotes bar , he is referring to a Sand Bar As intrusion into a river , Not Bar as in one that serves alcohol :happysmiley: ..cheers Mick
 

Apr 17, 2014
2,046
1,341
Tartarus Dorsa mountains
Primary Interest:
Other
When G.H quotes bar , he is referring to a Sand Bar As intrusion into a river , Not Bar as in one that serves alcohol :happysmiley: ..cheers Mick

Such a spoil sport :(

OK, lets think about ~2500 ounces of gold overkill to bury to get to his $50K at the time, above and beyond what he spent and paid and whatever. Assuming he wasn't sluicing coins, He must have been trading that on his off days at the bank. Imagine the percentage of total minted dollars he personally would have owned in the first year we had gold dollars.

Seems unheard of that he and his two hands could be into that rich a load, although after a fast section is the right place for drop out ...
 

Seabees

Full Member
Jan 3, 2014
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Around 1849, a man named Davenport worked a bar on the Trinity River about 9 miles W Helena,California later known as Davenport's Bar. He took out as much as $500 in gold per day and employed a Negro and Scotsman to help him. Both men knew that Davenport's buried his gold somewhere around the camp and plotted to rob him of his gold. A year after he suddenly disappeared, his body was accidentally found, the skull crushed.
Some 15 years later, the Scotsman confessed that the Negro had killed Davenport for an estimated $50,000 in gold which they both dug up and reburied, intending to recover it when things quieted down. They were the prime suspects in Davenport's disappearance and they never returned to the site.

These are his directions to the gold cache:
It is buried on a large bar on the Trinity River, semi-circular in shape. Before you reach the bar you will come to a gorge through which the river runs with great rapidity. It is impossible to pass through with a mule. You will find a trail, however, leading over a steep mountain which rises from that bar very abruptly and on the first bench you will notice a big cliff of bluish-looking rock. Not far from the cliff stood a large pine tree, and at the center of the distance between the cliff and the tree you will find the gold. There are 10 to 12 stone bottles filled with gold dust, and a canvas bag filled with coins. This treasure has never been recovered.


40Ā°46'1.13"N 123Ā° 7'48.26"W Approximate area


Volume 2 #153....If it is close to your location it is worth the countless trips. HH
 

bedrock bubba

Sr. Member
Jun 27, 2010
446
397
Volume 2 #153....If it is close to your location it is worth the countless trips. HH

Quite ironically, the marks on the map my GF had correspond exactly with this description!

There were two marks: one near the original diggins, and one upstream in the steep canyon as I recall. Two locations.

But now I am old, and in poor health, I never could get anyone to go with me to look for it.
 

goldmember420

Newbie
Apr 4, 2024
4
0
I have always been interested in the Davenport treasure!

Back in 1982, my GF map dowsed a map of it that was in a treasure magazine, and marked two spots the gold could be in.

Then, I returned the magazines, and they were given away!
Hey man ! Do you happen to know anything more about this treasure? I just kinda got into gold prospecting and hunting, and this happens to be about 10 min away from my house . Iā€™m young and motivated to find it !
 

Seabees

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Jan 3, 2014
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Itā€™s been a long time since I posted on this topic. I would have to dig through my library of treasure books to see what I can find out. Give me some time to look into that. Unfortunately I moved away from NorCal a few years ago or I would join you on this adventure.
sb
 

goldmember420

Newbie
Apr 4, 2024
4
0
Itā€™s been a long time since I posted on this topic. I would have to dig through my library of treasure books to see what I can find out. Give me some time to look into that. Unfortunately I moved away from NorCal a few years ago or I would join you on this adventure.
sb
Thankyou so much! I have no idea where to find more information on the story, and I just recently became very interested in prospecting and erasure hunting! I feel like I could find this ! Haha that would be cool if you still lived here, Iā€™d love someone to search with, if I find it, got you on some gold !!! Thanks again for anything u find
 

Road hog

Newbie
May 3, 2024
4
0
Thankyou so much! I have no idea where to find more information on the story, and I just recently became very interested in prospecting and erasure hunting! I feel like I could find this ! Haha that would be cool if you still lived here, Iā€™d love someone to search with, if I find it, got you on some gold !!! Thanks again for anything u find
 

Road hog

Newbie
May 3, 2024
4
0
I've been doing some research on this and believe I got part of it figured out on the original claim and after the heist they were going to head to Helena up river.there was a better description on the directions the Frenchman gave that are interesting. I'll see if I can find the story again.
I drive by this site 2 times a day and always thinking of it.its should be worth close to 4m today
 

goldmember420

Newbie
Apr 4, 2024
4
0
I've been doing some research on this and believe I got part of it figured out on the original claim and after the heist they were going to head to Helena up river.there was a better description on the directions the Frenchman gave that are interesting. I'll see if I can find the story again.
I drive by this site 2 times a day and always thinking of it.its should be worth close to 4m today
Dude that is awesome, Iā€™d love to hear what the Frenchman said. And maybe I can meet you there someday Iā€™m close to Helena, maybe 20 ish minutes. And I have a lot of free time to try and make us both millionaires haha
 

Road hog

Newbie
May 3, 2024
4
0
Dude that is awesome, Iā€™d love to hear what the Frenchman said. And maybe I can meet you there someday Iā€™m close to Helena, maybe 20 ish minutes. And I have a lot of free time to try and make us both millionaires haha
I have been looking for the story fir the last 2 hours can not find it at the moment. I came across it looking for stage coach routes and robberies there were a few tid bits that really stand out and standing there and physically looking at it really makes sense.where I have the biggest interest in there is some active claims,looking at the latitude and longitude I believe they are close. The only way to tell is take the GPS and maps and see where in pans out.
I would be up for a meeting with you I'm glad to see this back up made me register so I could sting my nose in.
 

Road hog

Newbie
May 3, 2024
4
0
Dude that is awesome, Iā€™d love to hear what the Frenchman said. And maybe I can meet you there someday Iā€™m close to Helena, maybe 20 ish minutes. And I have a lot of free time to try and make us both millionaires haha
Where would be the best to meet Weaverville, junction city,big flat??I usually stop in Weaverville on my back I'm always game. I think I remember what I was looking for when I came across the story it was written in blue will search when at home.scottsman not Frenchman sorry for that.
 

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