He went to England to consult Harold T. Wilkins, author of Captain Kidd and His Skeleton Island, about a link he found between Oak Island and a map in Wilkins' book. [83], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}4431N 6417W / 44.51N 64.29W / 44.51; -64.29, Stories of buried treasure on Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, William Chappell and Gilbert Hedden (19281939), Restall family and Robert Dunfield (19591966), Oak Island Tours & The Michigan Group (2005present). B. McCully which retold the story of the stone. Finding this in the Money Pit made a lot of sense and offered the potential for many more coins to be found. By Dylan Taylor-Lehman Published: May 13, 2021. Something thats fascinating about this discovery is that rhodolite gems are generally found in Africa, many miles away from Oak Island. But the smallest object seems to be the most significant for the season. Later treasure hunters claimed that coconut fibres were discovered beneath the surface of a beach, Smith's Cove, in 1851. [52], Franklin D. Roosevelt, stirred by family stories originating from his sailing and trading grandfather (and Oak Island financier) Warren Delano Jr., began following the mystery in late 1909 and early 1910. One final attempt was made in 1864 to intersect the money pit, resulting in alleged flood tunnels again being breached. [33] After December 2010, the departments repealed the treasure-trove license and replaced it with an Oak Island Treasure Act. It was later speculated that the treasure had fallen through the new shaft into a deep void causing the new shaft to flood as well. The parchment had two letters, "vi" or "wi", written in India ink. On January 2, 1864, Historical Society of Nova Scotia secretary John Hunter-Duvar contacted treasure hunter George Cooke. It was a venture that paid off. Current Episode (aired 10 Jan. 2023) A Lot to Be Desired [18][19] Another shaft was dug in the spring of 1862, one which was 107 feet (33m) deep. One question that some people ask about Oak Island is why this is supposedly the home of buried treasure. In this rendering McGinnis first finds the depression in 1795 while on a fishing expedition. Furthermore, between 1690 and 1730, it was allegedly quite common for pirates to visit Oak Island. company. A fluke anchor and parts of an oil light were some of the other items he dug up during the Oak Island excavation. So, if it was mined in Africa, how did it find its way to Oak Island? After all, it provides potential new pathways that can lead to other new discoveries. According to the curse, there is a treasure on the island. He was allegedly replaced by Gilbert Hedden, who came in with his company, Bethlehem Steel, to see if they could make progress where Chappell had failed. It has been agreed that a deep pit is constructed, one of the pages said, adding that wealth is safely hidden. The document also talked about a concealed entrance by a tunnel from the coast, which might refer to what the Lagina brothers had already found. Just because the Lagina brothers wanted to unearth secrets in places like Oak Island didnt mean they could afford to. Thats just something we all have to be patient for. Prince Henry Sinclair said in his Journals that the treasure was buried in two locations. The Lagina brothers might find an answer to that one day. In brief, the argument is that since old silver coins often contain zinc and copper, finding elevated levels of those elements in groundwater on Oak Island could indicate the presence of buried silver coins. [4][13] However, the first published account of what had taken place on the Island did not appear until October 16, 1862, when Anthony Vaughan's memories were recorded by The Transcript for posterity. The curse states that seven people will die before the prize is found, and so far, six people have been killed trying to get at it. Probably the very first account of any sign of treasure on Oak Island was at the end of the 18th Century. [24] The second accidental death occurred on March 26, 1897, when a worker named Maynard Kaiser fell to his death. [36], Although one expedition claimed to have found a flood tunnel lined with flat stones at 90 feet (27m),[6] geologist Robert Dunfield wrote that he carefully examined the walls of the re-excavated pit and was unable to locate any evidence of a tunnel. The Oak Island mystery is a series of stories of buried treasure and unexplained objects found on or near Oak Island in Nova Scotia. The treasure was placed there in 1398 by Prince Henry Sinclair from his ship, the Katherine. Since the 19th century, many attempts have been made by explorers from different parts of the globe to locate cryptic artifacts and treasures. According to them, he had both the knowledge and the skill to create something like this. Bowdoin described the rock as "of a basalt type hard and fine-grained". By. These were Anthony Vaughn, Daniel McGinnis, and John Smith, who were out together on a fishing trip. [80][self-published source], Author Joy Steele suggests that the money pit is actually a tar kiln dating to the historical period when "Oak Island served as a tar-making location as part of the British naval stores industry". He helped discover tools that had been down there for hundreds of years, like the Acadian ax that was reportedly 250 years old. And the treasure will be found after seven men have died on Oak Island looking for it. Every time the Lagina brothers unearth something on The Curse of Oak Island, they cant always be sure that theyve actually found something of value. In a January 27 letter to Hunter-Duvar, Cooke claimed that Smith built the stone into his chimney in 1824 and said that he was shown the stone by Smith in the chimney around 1850, when "there were some crudely cut letters, figures or characters upon it. [30] Divers sent to the bottom of Borehole 10-X in 2016 found no artifacts. Theyre not the first to do this, though, as Oak Island has quite a rich history, some of which is even steeped in tragedy. This led to the theory that the beach had been converted into a siphon, feeding seawater into the pit through a man-made tunnel. History/YouTube. The effect caused the next two platforms to drop as well, with any treasure now resting some 119 feet (36m) below ground along with an estimated 10,000 board feet (24m3) of lumber. Published: Nov. 09, 2021, 2:33 p.m. NEW! Restall, his son, Graeser and Hiltz all died. Summary Report of Geological Survey Branch of the Department of Mines. I think . For those not up to speed with treasure-hunting lore, Oak Island is a small island located off the coast of Nova Scotia that has captivated lovers of mystery for hundreds of years. There will be a new episode of "The Curse of Oak Island" tonight, November 23, airing on History. Doyle, Lynn C. "Nova Scotia's Treasure Island". The stone was reportedly brought by A. O. Creighton (of the 1866 expedition) from the Smith home to Creighton's bookbindery in Halifax. [6] The three men reportedly abandoned the excavation at 30 feet (9.1m) due to "superstitious dread". [1] Although these items can be considered treasure in their own right, no significant main treasure site has ever been found. William Chappell and his son Melbourne R. Chappell were also a big help, with this father and son being involved in the Oak Island excavations in the 1900s. 163-foot (50m) shaft southwest of what he believed was the site of the 1897 shaft (which was thought, without evidence, to be near the original pit). To prove it, by the time the show's eighth season ended in mid-2021, the island's mystery hadn't been solved, but left viewers with many open questions and unsolved theories. [44][45] With the Lagina brothers now the primary treasure hunters on Oak Island, its up to them to discover what all those who came before them couldnt. The earth was noticeably loose, not as hard-packed as the surrounding soil. He reportedly continued to keep up with all the happenings here throughout his life, apparently hopeful that someone would succeed where hed failed. However, understanding who built things like the Money Pit could potentially help make a big step towards finding the answer. "[64], According to the earliest theory, the pit held a pirate treasure buried by Captain Kidd;[4][65] Kidd and Henry Avery reportedly took treasure together, and Oak Island was their community bank. Zena Halpern is someone else whos fascinated by the mystery of Oak Island and actually wrote the book The Templar Mission to Oak Island and Beyond.. They had proper excavation tools for the job, so the chances of success seemed pretty good. From manuscripts outing William Shakespeare as a fraud to treasures from the Knights Templar, peoples imaginations have run wild over the years. All Treasure Hunting May 15, 2022 #1 From the Oak Island Tours website: Oak Island is a private Island and is closed until further notice. When a plan to shut off the alleged flood tunnels from Smith's Cove didn't work, the company decided to shift focus to the original main shaft. [3] Byrd advised Franklin D. Roosevelt about the island;[57] the men forged a relationship, forming the United States Antarctic Service (USAS, a federal-government program) with Byrd nominally in command.[58]. In 1939, he informed King George VI about developments on the island. The characters were there all right, but no person present could decipher them. According to an account written in 1862, after the Onslow Company had excavated to 8090 feet (2427 metres), the pit flooded with seawater up to the 33-foot (10m) level; attempts to remove the water were unsuccessful. Well, copper. He estimates that something went down at least 100 years before this stuff, suggesting the 17th century or earlier. Fans of "Curse of Oak Island" subreddit Recommended more than four years ago, and the Backing. Some of the stuff theyve found relatively recently include a possible ships slipway and some keys and nails from centuries ago. Either way, Marty Lagina is confident that something significant happened on Oak Island many years ago. Thankfully, Oak Island has continued to serve them well, offering up some incredible finds, like the Roman sword they unearthed in season three. [34] The act, which became effective on January 1, 2011, allows treasure hunting to continue on the island under the terms of a licence issued by the Minister of Natural Resources. Anyone can buy a metal detector and use it to find treasure. However, it takes passion, determination, and expertise to really get somewhere with one of these. This alleged that the pirate Captain Kid had buried millions of dollars worth of treasure in the area. [74] Leary's "The Second Cryptographic Shakespeare", published in 1990, identified ciphers in Shakespeare's plays and poems which pointed to Bacon's authorship. Chasing after this treasure, however, wasn't for the faint of heart, as the area is laced with booby traps and hidden surprises. 459K views 7 months ago Based on the treasure hunt of the legendary Oak Island, the History Channel's show, The Curse of Oak Island is one of the most fascinating reality shows based on. "New season of Oak Island new nails, pieces of wood and rocks waiting to be found," another added in November 2021. If the hoard is discovered it is thought it will be the most valuable haul ever to be found. Michigan Brothers Finally Unearth 220-Year-Old Secret Hidden In Oak Island By Hannah Pennington, Published on Jul 28, 2022 They say that big things come in small packages. Theories about artifacts present on the island range from pirate treasure to Shakespearean manuscripts to the Holy Grail or the Ark of the Covenant, with the Grail and the Ark having been buried there by the Knights Templar. 33 . The Mystery of Oak Island, a popular show on the History Channel, highlights a two-hundred-year-old tale of buried treasure on Oak Island in Nova Scotia. When they came ashore to restock their supplies, they reportedly located a depression in the ground. I think the curse is a myth to scare off treasure hunters. It was a selection of ship logs that appeared to reference the Money Pit and treasure hidden within. At one point, one of the platforms placed in the original shaft at 98 feet (30m) collapsed and dropped to a lower level. On October 5, 1789, revolutionaries incited an angry mob of Parisian working women to march on the Palace of Versailles. So, they purchased half of the Oak Island Tour company, which came with partial land ownership and the rights to whatever they discovered. Unfortunately, if the Oak Island treasure is real, theres no guarantee of when the Lagina brothers will find it. Theres the possibility that it might be linked to the legend of Marie Antoinettes gems. Thankfully, the chances of learning the truth continue to grow thanks to the efforts of the Lagina brothers. [27] Further excavations were made in 1935 and 1936, none of which was successful.[28]. The Lagina brothers have the benefit of joining the Oak Island treasure hunt several centuries after it began. The Mystery Of The Oak Island Treasure And Money Pit Inside The Enduring Hunt For The Mysterious Oak Island Treasure Published June 17, 2021 Updated November 27, 2021 For more than 200 years, treasure hunters have flocked to Oak Island in search of pirate gold which is said to be buried in the "Money Pit" on the Nova Scotia isle. Plenty of these have revolved around the Money Pit, which seemed to be exposed to a lot of water. Were not sure that the law would look at their actions too kindly if they did. The Blankenships had actually been involved with searching for treasure on Oak Island long before the Lagina brothers. He well remembered seeing the stone as a boy. [12] When efforts failed to shut off the flood system, one final shaft was dug 118 feet (36m) deep with the branched-off tunnel going under the original shaft. Nov 17 2021; Updated: 4:59 ET, Nov 17 2021; . On appeal, Triton lost again in 1989 and Nolan's damages were reduced. Supposedly, these manuscripts would reveal Francis Bacon as the real author of all his celebrated works. The symbols associated with the "Forty feet below" translation first appeared in 1949's True Tales of Buried Treasure by explorer and historian Edward Rowe Snow. Lots of migratory birds are coming through in both spring and fall migrations.". Then logs of spruce and oak were unearthed at irregular intervals, and some of the wood was charred. Chappell could only stay with the excavation project for so long before he reportedly ran out of funding. After all, Oak Island is just a small landmass in Canadian waters, so its not like it sees a lot of foot traffic from tourists who might stumble upon something. Freemason Dennis King examines the Masonic aspects of the Oak Island legend in his article, "The Oak Island Legend: The Masonic Angle". [51] It was found that Kempton had stated in a letter dated April 1949 that he had obtained his information from "a school teacher long since dead". If this was authentic, it meant that Ancient Romans had been on Oak Island thousands of years ago. Another pirate theory involved Edward Teach (Blackbeard), who said that he buried his treasure "where none but Satan and myself can find it. The artificial swamp that changed the hunt for treasure on Oak Island Dr. Sponer, took a slightly different approach in relation to searching for the exact location of the money pit. "Mystery of Captain Kidd's Treasure". [6], At the invitation of Boston-area businessman David Mugar, a two-week survey was conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in 1995 (the only known scientific study conducted on the site). The immediate suspicion was that another money pit had been found. Solving the mystery of Oak Island. In July 2010, Blankenship and the other stakeholders in Oak Island Tours announced on their website that the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage had granted them a treasure-trove license which allowed them to resume activities until December 31, 2010. Its unclear precisely why they chose to walk away, especially given the potential motivation of treasure. Whatever the reason, they left the sizable hole there on Oak Island, where others would eventually come along and continue it. Thats because water continued pouring into the pit after they drained what was there. This might not seem that valuable in a treasure hunt, but any discovery can play a significant role in revealing the longstanding mystery of Oak Island. After digging down, they found a wooden platform and stopped, but the story grew, and others came to dig. "The Curse of Oak Island" is a modern-day treasure hunt centuries in the making. [78] Steven Sora speculated that the pit could have been dug by exiled Knights Templar and might be the final resting place of the Holy Grail or the Ark of the Covenant. The rest of the company is owned by Blankenship. [12], Another shaft was then dug 109 feet (33m) deep northwest of the original shaft, and a tunnel was again branched off in an attempt to intersect the treasure. When youre a treasure hunter, finding something like a tunnel can be just as exciting as unearthing an ancient coin or piece of jewelry. One of the popular theories is that it contains manuscripts that would confirm that William Shakespeare was a fraud. Since the 18th century, attempts have been made to find treasure and artifacts. Money is always a good indicator that further treasure might exist nearby, so this discovery was a real accomplishment for the Lagina brothers. Lasting for almost two centuries, they had significant political and financial power in both Europe and the Middle East. The rest of the story is consistent with the first involving the logs found, but ends with all four individuals giving up after digging as much as they could. ; List of The Curse of Oak Island episodes: The Curse of Oak Island is a reality television series that premiered on January 5, 2014.The program features the Oak Island mystery. [40] An undated post-1893 letter by William Blair read, "Jefferson W. McDonald, who first mentioned Oak Island to me in 1893, worked under George Mitchell. The striking red beacon that crowns Ponce Inlet has become a symbol of the town. Oak Island has seen many visitors over the years as people have tried to solve its mystery and unearth the alleged treasure. Was it possible that Daniel and his friends had found his hiding spot? Gary Dreyton, an expert in metal discovery, found in the swamp a . 15. Harris provides no source for the claim that the stone was removed in 1865 or 1866. The woman then fled from London to Nova Scotia. The show did have an "expert" identify the piece as old and possibly 16th century but I don't think any actual dating, using scientific means, was ever implemented, or if it was, it was not later discussed. This, of course, would go a long way toward increasing the team's confidence that the treasure they are looking for is indeed on Oak Island. When they began their search, six people had lost their lives on Oak Island, four of which were back in the 1960s when Robert Restall and the others perished. Something like this can prove pivotal when searching for treasure hidden somewhere underground. Article in October issue, cited in Crooker 1978, 8586. (September 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) The following table shows most of the attractions found in all of the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts around the world. Oak Island Treasure Found April 20, 2021 The Money Pit Found Gagare1952 13.4K subscribers Subscribe 14K views 1 year ago Another treasure found in Oak Island by my friend John,. After all, people have been searching for centuries and still come up empty-handed. Two years later, Nolan's ownership of the lots was confirmed, but he was ordered to pay damages for interfering with Triton's tourist business. By this time, saltwater was undermining the walls of the original shaft, which some workers refused to enter. Since the season . With that in mind, it makes sense that there might be human remains buried somewhere on the island. William Chappell might not have been able to see the Oak Island excavation through to its conclusion, but there was no downplaying his contributions to the project. Smith built this stone into his fireplace, with the strange characters outermost, so that visitors might see and admire it. 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