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? The other went north later over seas where he was killed during WW2. because Lafittes treasure was thought to be underwater there. They used 10-foot poles to outline the vessel, which measured roughly 75 feet by 35 feet, news reports stated. I have spoken to people who have been out there, muddied around and felt portions with their bare feet. Few besides him, who took part in the Battle of San Jacinto, are alive today. On the edge of this little-known Chambers County lake off the Trinity about 35 miles east of Houston, Jack wants to show where a ship sank in the 1800s. Beyond Oak Island Summary of Episode 1: Pirate "I had someone come talk to me about it just a few months ago. There are It's in a very odd place for a large boat.". "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. The search is called off for the time being. Other stories of Pirate Treasures are discussed. A.C. SoRelle, Jr., and his brother, Henry, were oilmen who brought detection equipment, draglines, and other heavy machinery to dig into the gumbo mud on the bottom of the lake. That was more of his commerce center, again where he exchanged merchandise for coin. It was a book on the treasures of Galveston and the surrounding area. Little is known about his origins, but he was probably born either in Basque-France or in the French colony Saint-Domingue. He could have stashed some treasure somewhere along the Eastern shore. I don't know about that if the government wanted to dig, they would. SAN ANTONIO You could find buried treasure in the Texas Hill Country -- an estimated $340 million worth. Louisiana is not exclusive to rumors of the treasures whereabouts too, as 5. Maybe well be writing about you and your discoveries in the future. Beyond Oak Island Episode 2 Summary: Wild West Gold and the Search at Robbers Roost Canyon for Butch Cassidys Lost Treasure, All can be found to have a questing theme within them. To this day, Texas is full of buried bootyor, to be a bit more accurate, full of stories about buried booty that no one has been able to find. Ho-hum, right? The Cherokees started getting their butts kicked. "He had talked to a man who had located the spot with a metal detector and walked on its deck. Now, more modern equipment was available, and one man used a metal detector and managed to get some interesting readings from the bottom of the lake. While his fleet took a hit, Lafitte himself managed to evade capture. The oilmen then built a raft with a hole in the center and sank large pipes into the goop on the lake bottom. And he says, Treasure has a way of keeping its secrets. An historian named Herbert Bolton, using the original journals of the Mexicans from the eighteenth century, found what is now known as the Boyd shaft on Honey Creek. Maybe they can help them in their search from the insights learned from their own pursuit of the Money Pit. I once made a scientific study of all the known shipwrecks, from ancient to modern, that occurred off the Texas coast. He sent soldiers to look for it, but they found nothing. One legend says the ship was laden with bearskins full of gold doubloons and silver pieces when it was run aground by Lafitte while attempting to evade a U. S. revenue cutter. Huge beautiful tree. Oil workers actually picked up readings that metal was to be found at the bottom of the lake. "It could be anything. Jean Laffite Lafitte's men are said to have loaded the silver into wagons and given them to a trader named Nicholas Trammel to take to St. Louis. Legend has it that El Pasos Guadalupe Mission was built in such a way that sends the noon sunlight shining straight on the mine.. Christian is not discouraged. Most who plied that area back then kept what they found close to the vest, and today that area is all open water, though many locals can still point out to you exactly where the Temple was. hendrickslake.com Here ya go Bum, Passed by it again on Tuesday. They got away with three thousand freshly-minted 1877 $20 gold pieces. Latest local news from South Texas from KSAT12. Another good book that has some good info on Lafitte is Coronado's Children, by J. Frank Dobie. instead of just one? Yes I visited his home the Mason rouge in Campeche Galveston tx. The enduring story of Hendricks Lake is a treasure legend that has been around for more than 150 years. Christian knows his pirate history! While challenging, the trip also exposes an otherworldly beauty and abundant wildlife, such as alligators sunning on rocks, great blue herons roosting on stumps and white egrets winging across the water. In related news - Art dealer Forrest Fenn revealed in June that a treasure chest he hid in the Rocky Mountains had been found. The Temple was located just North of what is today Little Lake, in Lafittes time it was Little Lake Barataria, where Bayou Perot and Bayou Rigolets meet. This is just the beginning! Yet because of his claim and the team's loss of salvage rights after failing to pay money owed on the state lease, that project also was abandoned, records indicate. Texas is estimated to have $340 million in buried treasure, more than any other state in the U.S., according to TexasHillCountry.com. was born in France around the year 1780 and traveled to the United States when JavaScript is disabled. They know its there. When one of the recent landowners near the lake sold their property to the mining company, they inserted a treasure clause that reserves the rights to one-half of any treasure trove found on the Property by Purchaser. There will always be true believers in the treasure legend of Hendricks Lake. Read More about USS Hatteras, This is a funny little slot filled with intricate features and attention-grabbing symbols. national hero. The Handbook of Texas devotes two pages to Lafitte's establishment of a base in Galveston around 1816. So where is it? hill on the Lakes side, the scans show some promising images. Interest in the ship resurfaced nine years later when Elder H. Sherman, grandson of the man who first reported the wreck, remembered that his grandfather had driven a spike into an oak tree to mark the ship's location. Jean Lafittes treasure Photo of Hendricks Lake, courtesy of Gary L. Pinkerton One particularly famous legend is that of Jean Lafittes treasure. The chest was filled with gold, jewelry and other valuables, worth an estimated $1 million. I'm a descendant of his first mate and so while as a general rule I love history/archeology/treasure hunting, naturally this is the treasure that interests me the most. They lowered another contraption through the pipe to the lake floor. Jean Laffite (sometimes spelled Lafitte) was a pirate and the subject of many stories of romance and adventure across the Gulf of Mexico during the early 19th chagrin of the locals that helped drain the swamp, there was no trace of the WebAlso mentioned was the lost mine of Wyndham Creek in Beauregard Parish, which also hugs the Louisiana/Texas border along the Sabine River. La Belle was a French ship that sank in Matagorda Bay in 1685 after running aground in a storm. Probably inside the hidden stairs that went to the first floor of his mason rouge. But now Hoyt, the state marine archaeologist, wants to officially examine the site. the naval operations and common routes of port ships in the Mississippi River While at my favorite used book store some months ago I stumbled across a copy of a book that I read as a kid. Cush Reeves. Nobody knows for sure if all of these legends are true, but theyre interesting to read about nonetheless. have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. 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. 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. treasure Let us know in the comments The man who was killed left an estate of 60,000 in cash plus land in Mississippi. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). 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. Legendary outlaw Sam Bass is said to have buried his bounty from stagecoach, train and bank robberies in several areas around the Texas Hill County. The Sabine River could potentially hold a $2 million fortune in stolen silver. But there is no proof Lafitte scuttled a boat there, he says. Okay, that was a really bad joke. any leads as to where Lafittes treasure might be? On an 1863 map of the area, it was named Flanagan Lake but since the 1880s has been known by its present name. Oil workers actually picked up readings that metal was to be found at the bottom of the lake. Because of his track record and reputation, Jean Lafitte was still seen as a criminal in the eyes of the United States. They say this inspired them to reach out to other treasure hunters and hear their stories. 3. Many of them are wandering through the beaches and backlands with nothing more than metal detectors. The divers do feel some round objects, and a piece is MW Questions: Are Keywords for the Null Cipher Used in The Great US Treasure Hunt? The northwest tip of Padre Island has for years been known as Treasure Dunes. he was in his early twenties. Texas https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/hendricks-lake. Texas, I learned, is full of buried treasureor, to be a bit more accurate, full of stories about buried treasures that no one has been able to find. wagons to be pushed down an embankment and into a lake. The four-mile trek into the backwaters off the Trinity River becomes strenuous as he pushes his boat over cypress stumps and cuts through debris. And if so is the treasure still there? . I think I found Lafitte's treasure You must log in or register to reply here. Wheres your backyard? Beyond Oak Island: The search for stolen pirate silver in Both of them had consulted with Harry Rieseberg, the self-described worlds greatest underwater treasure hunter who had written articles about the legend in treasure magazines of the time. 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. Over the years there have been many who made a minimal effort or spent a little time at the lake only to discover that the conditions were too difficult and they had neither the time nor the money for such an undertaking. The project was abandoned, however, for lack of financing. Subscribe to the Pelican State of Mind blog by providing your email below! Jean Lafitte was sent to the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Island where he took command of the island - with an iron fist. Chambliss Jr. of Beaumont, F.F. No treasure chests, hooks or parrot skeletons have been reported as of yet. 4. So, if you google Money Hill in Abita Springs ,La . Found a mamouth tooth a a tiny brick made of shell it has letters P on it and the other I cant make out. My favorite part of the legend is that the Guadalupe Mission in El Paso was built in way so that the shadows of the mission point to the Lost Padre Mine. North of Tatum, in the middle of the woods, lies Hendricks Lake. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Others have mounted full-scale salvage expeditions with backhoes and monster trucks and whatnot. He fled New Orleans to Lake Pontchartrain. It was a cloudy evening with low visibility, and Laffite attempted to capture what appeared to be two Spanish merchant vessels. consisted of the currency he would receive in exchange for his foreign goods as All they found was a big sawblade from one of the sawmills that had operated on the lake; they left the artifact behind for future treasure hunters. People claim that a $2 million fortune stolen from the Spanish by Jean Lafitte was buried in the Sabine River. States officials granted him legal authority to pirate and capture British His treasure 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. Lafitte fought many bloody battles with these Karankawas. The state of Ever seen an oak tree with a carving of two eagle wings on it? This article provides images of newspapers from 1921, and one column in particular that talks about Lafittes treasure. Krigar and Leo Behme, two World War II veterans who had advertised in the Houston Chronicle that they wanted to use surplus mine detectors to locate buried treasure. The story of rogue pirate Jean Lafitte is a fascinating one. In 1816 Jean Lafitte, who was reputed to be an agent of the Spanish government (Agent 13, to be exact), raided a Spanish vessel called the Santa Rosa. He linked up with B.H. When a giant storm hit the region, the raft was washed away and destroyed. Click the image below to read our free eBook "The Big Book of Credit Union MythsBUSTED! The Treasure of Jean Lafitte. I know this thread is quite old now, but I'm wondering if any other information has been discovered about this? They send a probe down and it hit metal just before a giant storm hit, destroying the raft and any other evidence. Singer & Co., which was renamed the Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865. treasure of Jean Lafitte. 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. Many believe the treasure still lurks under the water, just waiting to be discovered. Christian Another legend has it that in 1595, Juan de Oate hid five silver bars, 4,336 gold ingots, nine burro loads of jewels, and four priceless Aztec codices (books or manuscripts) in the mine. 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. 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. Numerous springs within and around the lake keep it filled. True West Magazine article on Jean Lafitte. Between 1821 and 1828, Mexico issued many laws restricting or outlawing slavery. Much to the Jack feels at home here. This same engineer, only two years earlier, had led the team who located the Tecumseh, a Union metalclad ship sunk during the battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864. Two films, starring Fredric March in the 1930s and Yul Brynner in the 1950s, also romanticized Lafitte's life, although Vogel notes that the pirate's life was "more equivalent to that of a 19th century cocaine smuggler. 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. One such story, according to multiple sources, says Bass stashed loot in an old hollow tree around 2 miles west of Round Rock. 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. They then filled in the shaft. Jean Lafitte: History & Mystery - National Park Service Even the location and date of his birth varies on the document or biography at hand. Despite this, no silver bars were found. but what is clear is that he settled in the New Orleans area with his mother and the fear of being captured, Lafitte allegedly buried his treasure with the "He just got stuck.". : they "found it". Theres The silver was never recovered. The show starts with the Lagina brothers, Rick and Marty, sharing how their search on Oak Island opened them up to a world full of mysteries and lost treasures to explore. She has reported on several high-profile stories during her career at KSAT and specializes in trending news and things to do around Texas and San Antonio. and brother in the early 1800s. http://community.webshots.com/user/famleeroots, http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,109722.0.html, THE Random Chat Thread - AKA "The RCT" - No shirt or shoes required - Open 24 / 7, Metal Detectorists Ordered To Repay 1.2 Million Between Them 'Immediately'. They also had a raft built from which large pipes were sunk into the lake bottom, and used a metal detector to search the sediment. The smuggling operations of the well-known privateer eventually came to a screeching halt, though, when the United States began enforcing the embargo in New Orleans city limits some time after the act passed. My Grandpa told me often when I was very young that everyone thought that Lafittes fort was on Grand Isle, but it never was. Many treasure hunters are convinced the money continues to lie beneath the mud of Little Cypress Creek in Upshur County. scrambling to find answers. He frequently returned to Galveston or the barrier islands near New Orleans to unload booty or take on supplies procured by Pierre. Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. The ships turned out to be heavily armed privateers and they mounted a frontal counterattack that included heavy fire. You must log in or register to reply here. The basic story is that in 1816 silver stolen by pirate Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. But I am humored by the following observations : 1) have you ever noticed that when these fabled treasures are discussed, that the past tense of the word "find" is invariably always used. Is the image on this article what the actual chest looked like? wrong move on Lafittes mason rouge. The elderly owner has an attractive home and keeps a wonderful 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.. Rumor has it the outlaw hid gold in canvas sacks on Packsaddle Mountain and that some of it could still be there. The tried to dynamite the bottom, but ended up with no silver for this efforts. To him it is the Chase and the history. And where? With the Have you ever heard of any of these stories about mysterious lost treasure in Texas? 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). the Texas Gulf Coast. You are using an out of date browser. ", As for the shipwreck in Lake Miller, Vogel says, "There is something actually down there. What is the latest news? "I think he came up through this cut to find cypress trees to repair his boats and sometimes would stash ships here to hide them, taking them into the shallowest waters that he could get," he says. TSHA | Hendricks Lake - Handbook of Texas It is still Ie. Eventually, the Mexicans unloaded the moneygold and silver coinsso they could make an escape. My grandfather never got to look for the treasure s. Ive heard he would sometimes slip into Mobile Bay. But they got nothing. History suggests there is a possibility that hidden treasuresgold coins, doubloons, precious jewelryare somewhere beneath the surface just waiting to be found! But why? And where? Louisianas most well-known buried treasure mystery still to this day is the unfound treasure of Jean Lafitte. Jean Lafitte - TreasureNet The Original Treasure Every penny counts! Hidden gems in Texas are one of our state's greatest joys. But remember Lafittes black dogs are still around dont go a hunting unless you are prepared to suffer the consequences. It seem to be one less treasure for us to find. Visibility is nil, so it is a touchy situation. Orleanshe did not disappoint. though. Well, my beloved fellow Texas readers, though I have no idea whether anything Im about to pass on to you is the slightest bit accurate, here are six of the supposedly great Texas treasures still waiting to be found. A huge battle ensued between the two groups near what is now known as Tyler. http://www.texasescapes.com/DEPARTMENTS/Letters/LettersToEditorDecember2001.htm, THE Random Chat Thread - AKA "The RCT" - No shirt or shoes required - Open 24 / 7, Metal Detectorists Ordered To Repay 1.2 Million Between Them 'Immediately'. His brother, wanting to make something of himself as well, went exploring the coast of Texas to find buried treasure. Thats a lot of money for a man who was a laborer just a few years before. most well-known buried treasure mystery still to this day is the unfound pardoned by General Andrew Jackson in praise of his efforts and accomplishments The story goes that wagon loads of silver I always heard that an area Boat Company Owner started his business with a 5 gallon bucket of silver taken from that area. 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! Many buildings were built during this period. Since the U.S. claimed much of Laffites fortune as its own once he left Galveston, Laffite is believed to have buried an enormous treasure on one of the sandy islands near the Texas coast. Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure - Pelican State of Alternate versions of that story have been documented since the 1880s, with variations including that the silver was from Santa Anna and the battle of San Jacinto and that the treasure was in a different location nearby. Beyond Oak Island: The search for stolen pirate silver in His body was buried at sea in the Gulf of Honduras. About 229 treasure sites are spread across the Lone Star State, and some are even accessible to the public with permission from the landowners. Skip Hollandsworth specializes in long-form narratives. The Lost Padre Mine Somewhere in the Franklin Mountains overlooking the Rio Grande River in El Paso County is the Lost Padre Mine. The fortune is said to have been stolen from the Spanish by Jean Lafitte. Im ready to break out my metal detector! Discovering history is part of the adventure, and that never ends. His main focus is on Jean Lafittes treasure, Charles F. Grice, Interview by Gary Pinkerton, February 2019. which is said to contain many records and may hold the key to Frisbys buried treasure. In 1940, a new search team was formed. It is an awsome site! In the early 1820s, Great Colombia under the government of Simon Bolivar had begun commissioning former privateers as officers in their newly formed navy. says that a swamp in the Natalbany River in Springfield, Louisiana, was drained ships as a last-ditch effort to gain an advantage in the pivotal Battle of New ", This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, A family in Baytown, Texas tell their story. 6. More information can be found in Guide to Treasure in Texas A minimum of five treasure ships are said to have sunk at or near the mouth of the Rio Grande. If information about one of the last searchers had been documented and publicized it would likely have discouraged further similar attempts in the future. Gary L. Pinkerton, Barnie Waldrop, a Carthage television repairman, had used his own electronics to search the lake for years. She was then forgotten for nearly 300 years. brought up to the surface. Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure - Pelican State of During this time in New Orleans, Lafitte became a very rich man, acquiring extraordinary amounts of money, ships, and weapons. I also. 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I was born and raised in East Texas. Watch an alligator bask on a bayous bank. The ones found their range from the late 1770;s to 1814 or so. In a location on the lake, matching the tale, with a sloped Jean Lafitte became labeled by some as a He uses rain barrels to get his water. Lafitte eventually returned to smuggling at Galveston Island in Spanish Texas until he was forced out by the U.S. Navy in 1820. As early as next summer, Hoyt plans a preliminary investigation. He also might have(might have, I remind you)come across a wooden chest containing what was then $80,000 in jewelry and coins. They just might inspire you to become a treasure hunter and find some real adventure out there! The first episode premiered on Tuesday November 17 at 10PM EST on the History Channel. Here are seven stories of supposed buried lost treasure in Texas. The Rosa was carrying a treasure cargo of silver bars and gold nuggets. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section! Ten Notorious French Pirates