Learn Cajun traditions from people who live them. Louisiana is not exclusive to rumors of the treasures whereabouts too, as This national preserve protects the incredible diversity of life found where multiple habitats converge in southeast Texas. 2. The first episode premiered on Tuesday November 17 at 10PM EST on the History Channel. The lake is located in the extreme northeastern part of the county along the boundary between Rusk and Panola. 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WebPerhaps not coincidentally, this was the same area where his former slave trading colleague Jean Lafitte had once had his headquarters. Some believe it belonged to the pirate Jean Lafitte. Most people wrote it off as another myth until a magazine At one point, while wandering the beaches of Padre Island, he came across a bunch of Spanish coins. and its inlets. Lafitte fought many bloody battles with these Karankawas. The prizes that Lafitte took were slaves, cotton, commodities, etc. Christian Great story! The team reported finding the ship, which reportedly is sheathed on the bottom with copper. He sold those at his location The Temple. The money that he sold them for was Spanish Coin, Reales usually in 2,4,8 denominations, minted in Mexico. "It could be anything. There are still treasure hunters to this day who believe the Lafitte fortune would be found if the lake was drained. Check them out: Love Texas? The Indians in the Mandeville area helped him escape to the Pearl River. The crescent-shaped lake is less than a mile long, thirty to fifty yards wide, and twelve to forty feet deep. More maps appeared showing various locations of a lost silver mine. On an 1863 map of the area, it was named Flanagan Lake but since the 1880s has been known by its present name. States officials granted him legal authority to pirate and capture British parties, as the Mystery of Jean Lafittes Unfound Treasure seems to be a voyage One Texas legend says theres a cache of Spanish silver buried somewhere outside Leander. That set off a huge treasure hunting stampede. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. i will try and take a picture of the location. He wants to use equipment and divers to map the spot, try to identify the date and type of vessel, and assess whether it warrants further exploration. But the gold and diamond jewl was the confirmation I needed. Found bones of mamouth and Indian tools. Do you have This information begs the question, though, How did Jean Lafitte have treasure in the first place, and if he did, why would he leave it behind?. My grandfathers mother lived next to his mother and we were told of the storys on where some was at. It is now thought that the money is on the southernmost tip of Padre Island. Hits are sounded off. Dallas Morning News, August 1, 1965. In Colombian newspapers, his death was lamented and his obituary described him as a brave naval officer. More than once the crane almost toppled into the water. (All you English teachers out there, stop making fun of me for using the what is now known as phrase two sentences in a row.) It was stuck in the crack of the stairs. The stolen bounty was part of the Mexican payroll in 1836 and its allegedly buried 5 feet deep near the oak tree. Apparently, he found a chest full of Spanish coins and jewelry amounting to over $80,000. So where is it? . WebSpanish silver stolen by the privateer, Jean Lafitte. Buried Treasures of Texas: Legends of Outlaw Loot, Pirate Hoards, Buried Mines, Ingots in Lakes, and Santa Anna's Pack-Train Gold, W. C. Jameson. F 386 .6 .J27 1991. The Treasures of Galveston Bay: Facts and Legends of Hidden, Lost and Buried Treasure Located in the Galveston Bay Area, Carroll Lewis. His body was buried at sea in the Gulf of Honduras. Things to do in Seabrook: A guide to Washington's cozy Coachella 2023: What to pack for a weekend in the desert, What you should wear to Disneyland in May, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). If information about one of the last searchers had been documented and publicized it would likely have discouraged further similar attempts in the future. Oil workers actually picked up readings that metal was to be found at the bottom of the lake. On his visits to Hendricks Lake with his son, they got a hit and brought a diver along to search the bottom. Jean Lafitte, a one-time resident of Louisiana and privateer, is believed by some to have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. Other variations of the mystery say Lafitte buried the treasure in multiple locations along the Gulf Coast. The treasure was hidden in the Rocky Mountains and clues to its location were included in a 2010 poem penned by Fenn called The Thrill of the Chase.. hunt presented by Christian, Rick and Marty offer to send Matty Blake down to One such story, according to multiple sources, says Bass stashed loot in an old hollow tree around 2 miles west of Round Rock. What about you? Some of them do have people who can corroborate the stories. Rumor has it that some of the money is hidden in Cove Hollow, near Denton. Lafitte lived on Galveston island in the state of Texas, USA - from 1817 to 1821. A treasured mystery, Jean Sounds like the Hendricks lake treasure. Not a bad location to camp, near the river. ", As for the shipwreck in Lake Miller, Vogel says, "There is something actually down there. By 1829, the mythical lost silver mine of San Saba began appearing on Austins maps of Texas. It also has references to other lost treasure spots in Texas. Then it unexpectedly spills into the wide-open lake that he has sought. We use cookies to provide you with the best possible browsing experience. It's incredible to think that just under the peaceful water lurks enough treasure to change your life! In the early 1800s, Stephen F. Austin, on his first trip to Texas, also heard about a rich silver mine on the San Saba River and a gold mine on the Llano. Small but made like a brick. His headquarters was a two-story building which became known as Maison Rouge - so called as it was painted red.Around 1820, Lafitte reportedly married Madeline Regaud. Yes I visited his home the Mason rouge in Campeche Galveston tx. Fort Worth Daily Gazette, October 3, 1884. Even though some, including Waldrop and Stotlar, had looked into draining the lake, there were no other attempts at that folly. This catch rendered a lot of attention and by 1884, the Sabine River was riddled with silver hunters. History suggests there is a possibility that hidden treasuresgold coins, doubloons, precious jewelryare somewhere beneath the surface just waiting to be found! He was moving logs across the lake when they snagged on the submerged wreckage, which was then in only about 2 feet of silt, historical accounts state. By clicking "Accept," you agree to the use of cookies on Pelican State of Mind. Many treasure hunters are convinced the money continues to lie beneath the mud of Little Cypress Creek in Upshur County. I have no doubt that the Historians will decry what Ive said here, and Im cool with that, I know what I saw and found, and I know what others saw and found. In 1969 an MIT graduate with a degree in electrical engineering and a patent for an underwater device for locating metals motored along the surface of Hendricks Lake in an eight-foot fiberglass boat towing his electronics. I am interesting in pirates treasures in Connecticut. So, if you google Money Hill in Abita Springs ,La . The northwest tip of Padre Island has for years been known as Treasure Dunes. There is even an event in La Porte, Texas centered around the treasure called the Annual Search for Lafittes Gold.. Its said that John Singer buried a chest in the mid-1800s containing $60,000-$80,000 in various Spanish coins, silver bars and jewelry which he acquired through salvaging shipwrecks. George Ward asks Jenny Kile Six Questions! It was also the location that US Forces attacked, causing his band to make a hasty retreat. He linked up with B.H. Mary Roger also tells us about how some fishermen much later got an unusual catch in their hoop net when fishing in the Sabine River; entangled in their net were several silver bars. Six wagon loads of silver carried north along Trammels Trace. years later! My Grandpa told me often when I was very young that everyone thought that Lafittes fort was on Grand Isle, but it never was. The Sam Bass Loot In perhaps his greatest venture, Texass legendary stagecoach and bank robber Sam Bass traveled to Big Springs, Nebraska, with his sidekick Joel Collins and held up the Union Pacific Railroad. mystery afoot! I once made a scientific study of all the known shipwrecks, from ancient to modern, that occurred off the Texas coast. Other potential treasure troves require a longer drive but if youre willing to camp out or find a hotel, AirBnb, etc., you could be in for a big payday. the treasure be today? WebHe was a French pirate and privateer. The silver has yet to be discovered, according to Lone Star Treasure, which says the story is based on a Spanish document from the conquistador era. Just about every book written about Texas in that era mentioned it. However, she says her husband remained certain that Lafitte's ship was buried in that mud. As a former channel of the Sabine, Hendricks Lake is fed intermittently by Black Slough and by seasonal overflow from both Cherokee Bayou and the Sabine River. While his fleet took a hit, Lafitte himself managed to evade capture. Throughout Lafittes the naval operations and common routes of port ships in the Mississippi River And if so is the treasure still there? The chest was filled with gold, jewelry and other valuables, worth an estimated $1 million. Franklin Mountains, El Paso, TX 79904, USA, Back in the 1860s, a man named Isaac Singer started a clothing manufacturing company in Texas. He was a It happens every now and then," Hamilton said. These questions Just another myth? He then buried it in a sand dune on, In the early 19th century, the Texas army pushed Cherokee Indians from Tyler to Upshur County. Singer buried the chest after being forced to leave his home and returned several times in an effort to find his buried treasure but was never able to recover his fortune. It is my sincere belief that the Hendricks Lake treasure was silver taken by Lafitte from capturing of the Spanish ship Santa Rosa in Matagorda Bay in 1820. I have spoken to people who have been out there, muddied around and felt portions with their bare feet. In searching some old newspapers.found a newspaper article from 1935, a full page on Jean Lafitte. Probably inside the hidden stairs that went to the first floor of his mason rouge. Visibility is nil, so it is a touchy situation. Later, someone else who got high metal readings tried to dynamite the bottom of the lake. My husband even traveled to Austin to talk to historian J. Frank Dobie about it.". If anyone has heared or knows any more info please let me know. And if so is the treasure still there? Because of his track record and reputation, Jean Lafitte was still seen as a criminal in the eyes of the United States. Christian knows his pirate history! I have a file 2 in thick on Hendricks lake treasure. You will see it gets its name from the treasure being buried there. Jack feels at home here. the Texas Gulf Coast. In the 1950s, the Sabine River and the nearby lake (Hendricks Lake) experienced a new onslaught of treasure seekers when the story of Laffites silver was published by the True West magazine. that is. Although the lake was searched in the 50s and 60s, nothing was found at that time. Handbook of Texas Online, For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. they might find something, a storm rolls in. The family thinks this could be a clue as to where the actual treasure is. They did their research and, with dredging equipment and electronics gear, made multiple trips to Hendricks Lake but had no success. As they retreated, they headed into what is now known as Upshur County. consisted of the currency he would receive in exchange for his foreign goods as Paul Uncle Fox Tatum, son of the founder of Tatum, Texas, carried out the first documented attempt to recover the treasure in 1884. Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure, History of Louisianas State Bird: The Brown Pelican, Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire. I studied it very well and found a hidden marking on a wall beside the stairs and a solid wall pit with a hole in the top. Join the adventures in Beyond Oak Island- Tuesdays at 10PM and summaries and more in depth looks into the many stories of treasure, here at MW! No matter where you are in the state, youre bound to be able to search for some tempting hidden loot. Another story says the ship -- believed to have been a three-masted schooner -- ended up there after a storm surge in the Gulf of Mexico. Back in the 1580s, Spanish conquistadors and priests often passed beneath the peaks of the Franklins on their way to New Mexico to colonize the Indian villages. At this time, Galveston island was largely uninhabited, except by Native American Karankawa indians. But there is no proof Lafitte scuttled a boat there, he says. Eventually, the Mexicans unloaded the moneygold and silver coinsso they could make an escape. Lots of glass also. Jean Lafittes treasure Photo of Hendricks Lake, courtesy of Gary L. Pinkerton One particularly famous legend is that of Jean Lafittes treasure. Besides the mysteries surrounding the locations of Lafittes buried booty, comes the mystery of the man himself. In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. After getting some readings at the bottom of the lake (Hendricks Lake), two Dallas oilmen actually brought in a giant crane and attached a drag bucket to the cable. "Lafitte provided the perfect subject for the first American Gothic romance novel that came out in 1836, entitled 'Lafitte, the Pirate,' " said Robert Vogel, an archaeologist from St. Paul, Minn. Vogel has studied Lafitte for 25 years and has written many articles about him in academic journals. The desire to believe that millions of dollars of silver bars still lie at the bottom of Hendricks Lake is not for the treasure hunters only. It is this tale that Christian wants to follow up on. Please note that some historians believe Lafitte had no significant treasure as he left Galveston or that he took his treasure with him to Louisiana. My step father also grew up in East Texas, but in the country on a farm. He married Cecilia Taylor, daughter of frontiersman Anson Taylor, who lost three sons at the Alamo. The elderly owner has an attractive home and keeps a wonderful They know its there. They say this inspired them to reach out to other treasure hunters and hear their stories. Jean Epperson, a Chambers County history buff, believes the ship might more likely belong to one of Lafitte's officers, Lt. Andrew Roach. Ever seen an oak tree with a carving of two eagle wings on it? Barnie Waldrop, a Carthage television repairman, had used his own electronics to search the lake for years. The silver was never recovered. Do you think you could find them? The man who told this did not or would not tell me the names of the two men. unclear why Lafitte had to bury his treasure or even where he was last seen. 1. His exact whereabouts after that goal to once again evade U.S. seizure and to come back to it later. I determined that there were maybe five that might have contained some sort of treasure. Even though any treasure would most likely have been stripped from the vessel after it foundered, information on the ship's construction and artifacts such as tools and cannons could prove valuable, he said. Supposedly, it still lies buried beneath the dirt. Maybe well be writing about you and your discoveries in the future. Skip Hollandsworth specializes in long-form narratives. accepts, and the show continues at Hendricks Lake in East Texas. Jean Lafitte was sent to the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Island where he took command of the island - with an iron fist. The first recorded mention of the wreck came from Jacob Haven Sherman Jr., a cotton gin operator, who told his nine children about discovering the site in the 1850s. There are many accounts that say Lafitte settled in The one I am thinking of was found. that the treasure was on board one of Lafittes vessels and sank to the ocean Keep in mind that the Lake was not there it there would be a river in its place. California musician Nathan Smith might have actually found one of Texas hidden treasure troves. According to legend, the infamous robber Sam Bass stole 3,000 gold bars worth $20 each from the Union Pacific Railroad. Others have mounted full-scale salvage expeditions with backhoes and monster trucks and whatnot. The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry. Here ya go Bum, Passed by it again on Tuesday. Some fishermen in the last century pulled several silver bars from those very waters with a hoop net. He could have stashed some treasure somewhere along the Eastern shore. Bass reportedly stole 3,000 gold bars from Union Pacific Railroad, some of which have been recovered, but there are gold bars that have still not been found, according to OnlyInYourState.com. storytelling? MW Questions: Are Keywords for the Null Cipher Used in The Great US Treasure Hunt? Read More about The wreck of La Belle, Did the infamous privateer Jean Laffite steal a $2 million fortune in silver from a Spanish galleon and bury it in the Sabine River near the East Texas town Sabine? My step father knew where one of these markers were, he had found it while hunting years ago and thought it might be a grave marker or something. James Bowie went on an expedition to find it. says that a swamp in the Natalbany River in Springfield, Louisiana, was drained The mud is deep on the bottom, and just as To this day, Beyond Oak Island: The search for stolen pirate silver in This story was told to me several years ago by a man in his 80 s Back in 1940 or 41 two men hired to clean up around what is said to be Lafittes red house disapeared after a few days. Look it up. "The sunken boat lies somewhere in this vicinity, directly across from where there used to be an old Spanish fort and mission," Jack says, pointing to the northern shore. They will haunt you in your dreams for making a Singer & Co., which was renamed the Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865. They are convinced that booty galore is waiting to be found, J. Barto Arnold, the former marine archaeologist for the Texas Historical Commission, told me. By 1810, their successful smuggling operation had been supplemented with piracy. Could it be that there were multiple burial locations Other stories of Pirate Treasures are discussed. The Handbook of Texas devotes two pages to Lafitte's establishment of a base in Galveston around 1816. WebJean Lafitte is thought to have sunk a treasure ship containing $500,000 to $1,000,000 off south Padre Island. But they got nothing. It reads that a cache of ancient gold coins was found near Jefferson island. The story of rogue pirate Jean Lafitte is a fascinating one. I have a metal detector. People claim that a $2 million fortune stolen from the Spanish by Jean Lafitte was buried in the Sabine River. The Treasure of Jean Lafitte. scrambling to find answers. He landed ships at Grand Terre and Cheniere, and then brought the merchandise to The Temple to be auctioned. Its in the concrete shell stairs. Comanche Indians were said to be chasing a train of pack mules carrying hefty loads of silver in the early 1920s and the men in charge of the bounty buried the silver to keep it from being stolen. Tensions were high during this time between the United States and Great Britain, creating the War of 1812 and forcing the United States to be on edge about who they could and could not trust. An estimated $340 million., And as I write, the treasure hunters are out there, hunting, hunting, and hunting. A light came on when the probe hit metal. Every penny counts! Fearing an ambush by Native Americans, they then decided to hide the treasure by pushing it into the muddy waters of the Sabine River. https://www.tshaonline.org, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/hendricks-lake. Blackbeard and the mysterious unsolved code of Olivier Levassuer, or The Buzzard, are mentioned. Hispanic conquistadors reportedly hid a massive cache of gold and jewels in a mine shaft in the Franklin Mountains near El Pasos Guadalupe Mission, OnlyInYourState.com reported. Sherman, who died in 1879, said he was able to walk on its deck. Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure - Pelican State of The basic story is that in 1816 silver stolen by pirate In one Internet posting, I read the following: Texas has more buried treasure than any other state, with 229 sites within the states borders. With his business carrying on and continuing to grow, so did his wealth. He was also a ham radio operator. most well-known buried treasure mystery still to this day is the unfound He was now legally authorized by Great Colombia to take Spanish ships. Switching gears back to Louisiana, this Jean Lafitte tale quotes a former student of Mount Carmel Academy in New Orleans stating that the treasure is buried near an oak tree on the schools campus. Get monthly email updates and the chance to win a prize. Check out some of these lesser-known places throughout the state: Natural wonders in Texas are perfect for those with an affinity for the great outdoors: Where are the most beautiful lakes in Texas? This warrants some underwater metal detectors to be taken Packsaddle Mountain in eastern Llano County is another alleged Bass treasure location. treasure to speak of. As background, the Karankawa were an Indigenous people concentrated in southern Texas along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico; they consisted of several independent seasonal nomadic groups who shared the same language and much of the same culture.Lafitte named his island Campeche, after a Mexican outpost further south along the Gulf Coast of Mexico. Locating a ship that belonged to Lafitte or one of his officers would be a "significant find" because of the role he played on the Texas coast, said Hoyt. I've heard for years, about a spot along Dickinson Bayou where Lafitte supposedly hid Treasure (very very near a certain Cemetary), Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. But why? We are a community-supported, non-profit organization and we humbly ask for your support because the careful and accurate recording of our history has never been more important. WebIn his long obituary of March 6, the Galveston "News" noted that: "In the death of Charles Cronea, the last of Lafitte's band, so far as is known, has passed away. The state of The enduring story of Hendricks Lake is a treasure legend that has been around for more than 150 years. Thats a lot of money for a man who was a laborer just a few years before. have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. This article provides images of newspapers from 1921, and one column in particular that talks about Lafittes treasure. Some
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