Spanish Treasure N. E. Tennessee

[Gammol Cranic]

What do you guys know about the old Spanish treasure legends from NE Tennessee?

We have had these legends bouncing around here for centuries, and we keep finding these old Spanish treasure signs and carvings. One is on a boulder that was nearly destroyed ina road construction in the 1970s. But is was saved, and can now be seen on display in front of the welcome center in Mountain City, Tn. It has a bird on it, and the very worn iron tool marks are still visible, but very eroded.

This is in Johnson County. Ill try to post a pic if I can figure out how to do it.

And down Doe Creek was/is a big giant mans face carved on a boulder. It had a moustache on it in the early 1970s. But quarry activity is going on there now, but it might still be discerned if you look really close
. And somewhere, when I was a kid growing up, I remember seeing an owl carved on a stone. It was looking at me with both eyes, so it was facing me. But Im an old grey beard now, and I just cant remember exactly where I saw it.

But I am just curious as to what other folks might think of this? Could there really have been some early Spanish treasure activity going on it East Tennessee back in the 1500?s

Watauga Lake is in the lower end of Johnson County. Before 1948, there was a town called Butler, which was on the waters of the Watauga River. And before that, was an Indian village. I think it was destroyed by the Spanish sometime in the 1560s, if that helps? I think it was called Guapare, from the old Juan Pardo/ Hernan Moyano expedition notes.

Seems to be a lot of old "wells" and stuff that have claimed people even in the 20th century, but Im not exactly sure they are really wells, more like old pits. Think these might have been surface mines of a primitive sort?

Looking for feedback in trying to sort this stuff out.

 

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This is a late response to your query, but I am new to this site, and am researching Spanish era mining in the southern Appalachians.

I believe there was Spanish mining activity in East Tennessee. My grandfather tried to excavate an old shaft east of Morristown, in Hamblen County before the 1st World War. Tailings were found on the location in the late 1700's with trees growing in them, indicating the site had been worked before 1700, and there was a story from a local man that a Spaniard had come to the area before the civil war to buy and work the site. Today there appear to be the remains of an old shaft on the property, plus some old excavations. I had some soil samples tested, however, and they showed no indication of mineralization. I think it is a historic site, but probably of more interest from an archaeological standpoint than a get-rich standpoint.

There are several well-documented pre-1700 mine shafts in North Carolina, some where Spanish artifacts were recovered. I think these operations were probably carried out after the Pardo expeditions by Spanish free-lancers who didn't want to share their treasure with the crown. I would welcome any information others might have on mine sites.

 

[lockdownking]

I have been on the trail and studying Spanish expeditions since 2010. The trails are all over the place including East Tennessee. There are several tell-tale signs of Spanish explorers presence but I wont go into them here. I am not new to this site but hardly ever get on anymore as people do not believe anything that is said on here. Case in point: MY ship just South of Cape Canaveral that I was trying to get help recovering using this site.

What do you guys know about the old Spanish treasure legends from NE Tennessee?

We have had these legends bouncing around here for centuries, and we keep finding these old Spanish treasure signs and carvings. One is on a boulder that was nearly destroyed ina road construction in the 1970s. But is was saved, and can now be seen on display in front of the welcome center in Mountain City, Tn. It has a bird on it, and the very worn iron tool marks are still visible, but very eroded.

This is in Johnson County. Ill try to post a pic if I can figure out how to do it.

And down Doe Creek was/is a big giant mans face carved on a boulder. It had a moustache on it in the early 1970s. But quarry activity is going on there now, but it might still be discerned if you look really close
. And somewhere, when I was a kid growing up, I remember seeing an owl carved on a stone. It was looking at me with both eyes, so it was facing me. But Im an old grey beard now, and I just cant remember exactly where I saw it.

But I am just curious as to what other folks might think of this? Could there really have been some early Spanish treasure activity going on it East Tennessee back in the 1500?s

Watauga Lake is in the lower end of Johnson County. Before 1948, there was a town called Butler, which was on the waters of the Watauga River. And before that, was an Indian village. I think it was destroyed by the Spanish sometime in the 1560s, if that helps? I think it was called Guapare, from the old Juan Pardo/ Hernan Moyano expedition notes.

Seems to be a lot of old "wells" and stuff that have claimed people even in the 20th century, but Im not exactly sure they are really wells, more like old pits. Think these might have been surface mines of a primitive sort?

Looking for feedback in trying to sort this stuff out.