The lost gold of Devils Tower

kenb

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Near the northeast corner of Wyoming is a striking mountain of igneous rock that looks like a gigantic tree-stump. A tree stump over a thousand feet high. Columns run vertically up the top part of the rock like giant scratches. The name given to the mountain by the white man was "Devils Tower." The Indians had many names for it. One of them was "Bear Lodge."

Because it is so unusual in its appearance the tower has figured into many Native American legends and in 1977 it was used as the location for the finale of Steven Speilberg's film Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Perhaps the most widely-known legend the Native Americans had about the tower was told by the Kiowa: There were seven girls playing near their village when they were chased by some bears. The girls jumped on a low rock and called to it "Rock, take pity on us, rock save us!" The rock heard them and grew up towards the sky. The bears jumped at the rock scratching it, but they could not climb it. The rock took the girls so high that they became stars. A constellation we now call the Plediades.

There is one story, though, that does not deal with the creation of the rock but what is below it. Years ago a resident of that part northeast Wyoming visited Yankton, South Dakota. While there, he showed a picture of Devils Tower to some elderly Sioux Indians he met. One of them got very excited when he saw the picture.

"Has a passageway been found at the base of the tower?" he asked.

When the resident replied no, the man seemed disappointed. With a little urging, the resident was able to get the Indian to pass on to him the legend about the tower that he had been told. It went something like this:

Many years before three braves had been hunting near the tower. While exploring the rocks at the base of the mountain, they discovered a passageway underneath it. They made torches out of pitch pine knots for light and started exploring the tunnel. They found the passage strewn with bones. Perhaps human bones. At the end, the tunnel opened up into a cave with an underground lake some 25 yards long and more than 15 yards wide. Around the lake were large quantities of gold.


The braves were not prepared to take the gold with them, so they left the tunnel and hid the entrance so that others would not find it. They intended to return to get the gold at a later time, but never did. One of the braves, on his deathbed, told the story to other members of his tribe and the tale had been handed down for several generations before reaching the old Indian.

So is there a cave with gold under Devil's tower? Nobody has ever found one. Also the geology of the mountain, an igneous intrusion, does not seem to make it a promising location to find caves directly under the mountain. The tale sounds very much like other "lost mine" stories of the Old West, like the story of the "lost Dutchman" mine and Beale's mine, which seem to have little factual basis.

On the other hand, the Black Hills area in which the tower is located, has some of the largest caves in the world underneath it, including Wind Cave and Jewel Cave. The Black Hills area is also known for gold mining that inspired a major gold rush in the 1880's. So maybe, like many legends, there is some truth to the Devil's Tower story. Perhaps the lost cavern is not underneath the tower, but nearby, waiting for someone to find it.

http://unmuseum.mus.pa.us/dtgold.htm

kenb
 

I know this is a very old post and I'm sorry for bumping it. But that is a very interesting story. I have been there a few times.

For those who don't know, Devil's Tower is composed of basalt columns which give it such a unique look. The rest of the indian legend that ken left out is that this giant bear was trying to get the seven sisters and clawed at the rock as it grew out of the ground. Thus the "clawed" look of the columns. Then the sisters were placed in the sky so they could never be harmed, becoming the seven sisters star cluster.

The gold legend is very interesting although somewhat unbelievable given the location. However, naturally formed underground lakes have been discovered in a variety of locations so it could very well be true.
 

allen_idaho said:
I know this is a very old post and I'm sorry for bumping it. But that is a very interesting story. I have been there a few times.

For those who don't know, Devil's Tower is composed of basalt columns which give it such a unique look. The rest of the indian legend that ken left out is that this giant bear was trying to get the seven sisters and clawed at the rock as it grew out of the ground. Thus the "clawed" look of the columns. Then the sisters were placed in the sky so they could never be harmed, becoming the seven sisters star cluster.

The gold legend is very interesting although somewhat unbelievable given the location. However, naturally formed underground lakes have been discovered in a variety of locations so it could very well be true.

Kiowa in northeast Wyoming?
 

Yes Kiowas in Wyoming amigo - they were driven out by the folks who now still claim the Black Hills is their sacred homeland, even though they came from some distance away. It is a "funny" story really, with one tribe gaining possession of the region, only to be driven out by a more powerful tribe that had obtained guns; this tribe in turn is driven out by another tribe that had obtained horses, and finally the Lakota came with both guns and horses and "presto" instant "ancestral" homeland! This might be politically-incorrect and offensive to some, but it is history. In fact when the La Verendrye brothers visited the region in the 1743, he found NO ONE here. The Kiowas and Kiowa-Apaches were driven out of the region (which included part of Montana in their control) about 1700, most blame the Arapaho but the Crows might have also been involved.

The story of the cave under Devil's Tower may sound far-fetched to some, but it is a geological fact that the whole area (extending over 100 miles SE into SD) is home to numerous caves and caverns; the volcanic nature of Devil's Tower would make it quite possible for a cave or several caves to exist, which may remain un-discovered.
Oroblanco
 

ORO my buddy: Here in Mexico the layer of Basalt lies on top and in contact with limestone. Since the limestone zone is now exposed due ot erosion by the river, among other reasons, the water has undercut the basalt forming loong tunnels, and caverns in the Limestone..

In one that is accessed by a small entrance, the Indians say that there ia a lake inside,
All around the edge are nuggets of gold. No-one has been able to remove any since there are several passages around the lake, they lose direction until they replace the gold.

So what are you going to do about it?

Don Jose de La Mancha
 

Don Jose', Dueno de Real e Minas de Tayopa wrote:
So what are you going to do about it?

Unfortunately, at the moment - nothing but dream. I have a few deadlines to meet and promises to keep, BUT am keeping my hopes for the future. I have never seen an underground lake (in person) but have seen an underground waterfall, exploring caves is not something I am 'expert' in but it is FUN and I would love to go a-hunting for that lake with the gold. Heck I went looking for a similar type of 'lake of gold' right near the Nevada/CA border years ago, and had a great time (though unfortunately the cave entrance had been blasted shut) and you really never know....... ;D :wink:

In the meantime, as it is not that far to Devil's Tower from here, if I can get ahead of things I might go up and do a little poking around there. If I should locate a cave with a lake of gold under Devil's Tower, I will be sending you airline tickets along with a personal invitation amigo!

Good luck and good hunting Jose' and everyone, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
your friend,
Oroblanco
 

HOLA mi amigo Pegleglooker - heck you need no invite, anytime you are within shouting distance of the Black Hills just give me a holler! I can't promise we can find a lake of gold under the Devil's Tower, but we can sure kick up some dust around 'er! ;D :D
Oroblanco
 

I'll bring the drinks and you supply the music... Done deal

PLL

[youtube=425,350]v/kLvHdZQkT3o&hl[/youtube]
 

I hope you don't mean music as in live music - I sure can't sing! (Sort of like a cross between a bullfrog and a cat whose tail just got squished under a rocking chair ::) :o ;D :D)
 

Hey Oro,
I can't be any worse than mine... Besides it ALWAYS sounds better after a few tall ones.. ;D ;D

PLL
 

Ho Oro & pegger: Yer a bunch of boozers, quite the partying and go get the gold, then invite us !

Don Jose de La Mancha


You guys crack me up.
Janiece
 

Hey Tayopa,
When... and not if , we find the gold, the 3 of us will have a evening to remember. One for the ages... and Gossamer you are invited too. :headbang: :occasion14:

PLL
 

Senor pegleger : your intriguing missive was received today about 20:01/. I consider it an honor to participate in the proposed festivities. I am especially impressed in that you will have La Goss a mer luv present.

Is it to be a white tie event, or simply faded levis for the men and bikinis for the ladies ??

Please accept my thanks and reserve a seat at La goss A mers' / Beth's table. for me.

respectfully

Don Jose de La Mancha --- alias Till Eulenspiegle.
 

Hello All,
First of all, I have NEVER been one for " formal " occasions. So it will be a come as you are party. If you like blue jeans and t-shirts, then do it. If you like white tie and tails, then do it. Oh.... and Bikini's are ALWAYS in fashion. :occasion14:

PLL
 

efleggreer" You posted -->

Bikini's are ALWAYS in
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not only are you a profaning treasure hunter, but also a sex maniac When is the party? OK to bring my camera?

Don Jose de La Mancha One that appreciates the good LORD"S magnificent work in designing and creating gals just for me, sigh.
 

I can dress either way... white tie/jeans... but when is our party?
Thank you so much for the invitation.
I mean, it that is cool.
Janiece
 

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