oak island money pit

The Oak Island money pit is an excavation on a small Canadian island off the coast of Nova Scotia that has been the object of attention of treasure hunters since 1795. Here, their suspicions were confirmed. The Curse of Oak Island crew are uncovering something big from the swamp. The pit had built up a pool of water over time. To the casual observer, the 140-acre island appears like many in this part of the province. Moreover, then finally, they had achieved by discovering what is now commonly known as Money Pit. In spring of 1861, the next group of hopeful treasure hunters was formed. The water level slowly began to recede down the clay wall. As she recalled, her husband intended to visit Halifax that afternoon. Both suffered the same fate as the Restall men (Lamb, 2006). As a result, "[a]nyone who wants to search for and recover in Oak Island Nova Scotia precious stones or metals in a state other than their natural state, and to keep them," would face a cumbersome licensing process with the Department of Natural Resources and would be heavily taxed on any findings (Department of Natural Resources, 2013). Located on the east side of Oak Island, the Money Pit has piqued the interest of historians and treasure hunters for decades, and now you can take it with you everywhere you go. Perhaps encouraged by the debris, the men installed a cast iron pump and steam engine to dispatch the water in the pit. Further distinguishing the fragment was what appeared to be the letters "VI" written on one side of the material (Crooker, 1993). Many explorers have tried to dig the Oak Island to find the treasure. The new company wasted no time in their efforts to retrieve the mysterious fortune. However, following the publication of Harold Wilkins' Captain Kidd and His Skeleton Island, Hedden felt his investment in the search was vindicated. Since its discovery in 1795, the Money Pit has elicited a number of legends and tales to help explain the mystery of Oak Island. Expecting to dig 10 more feet before hitting another timber structure, the team was surprised when, at a depth of 98 feet, they found their next wooden obstacle. Oak Island Obsession the Restall Story. Through his work, Fell determined that seemingly disparate cultures, previously thought to have no contact with one another, actually shared a number of similarities between their languages and symbols. That year the rest of Restall's family moved to Oak Island to help in the excavation. Together with John Gammell, Adams Tupper, Robert Creelmand, Esq., Jotham McCully and James Pitblado, the treasure-seeking Vaughan anticipated success. There are also many different accounts of Initial Discovery how the money pit was first discovered, who first discovered it, and how it was constructed. Chappell drilling structure and surrounding buildings in 1931. Encouraged by the results, the team sent the drill back down the same borehole. Already at a depth of 120 feet with no sign of water, the crew determined to burrow horizontally from this new direction. The Oak Island Money Pit. The act was called the "Globe of Death" and involved the couple whipping around a large steel sphere on motorcycles at speeds up to 65 miles per hour. In fact, more mature and experienced minds would soon succumb to the prospect of wealth contained in those shadowy depths. The theory follows that Bacon, a recognized scientist, scholar, philosopher, statesman and contemporary of Shakespeare, was responsible for penning the literature. The men moved their drill one foot from the initial hole and executed a second attempt. Seeing that the water had returned, the men fashioned a wood platform that they mounted over the mouth of the pit. Feverishly, they scooped away the cloudy water without success. Interestingly, many observers of the Oak Island mystery believe the inscribed stone together with a grouping of other stones on the island indicate the people actually responsible for engineering the Money Pit. Then, in 2010, the Canadian government revisited the Treasure Trove Act. Adding to the intrigue of the site, Mel Chappell also located a triangular formation of stones situated along the south shore of the island. The Curse of Oak Island preview: Mysterious roadway is leading the team directly to the Money Pit - 12th January 2021 Murder of Samantha Lezark by Kristopher Russell examined on ID - … By 1955, the couple had settled in Hamilton, Ontario and was raising two sons and a daughter (Restall, 1965). The ends of the timbers had been driven into the sides of the tunnel wall to firmly anchor the structure. Are you a treasure hunter at heart? Despite the threat of death or punishment, the affiliation thrived in the shadow of royal authority. The strain of these legal battles combined with the stock market volatility of 1987 caused much of the activity surrounding the Money Pit to halt. At a depth of about 98 feet, the auger came in contact with a layer of spruce approximately 6 inches deep. Just over one month before the tragedy that claimed the lives of four men, Robert Restall signed an agreement with investor and Geologist Robert Dunfield. This time the company would encounter intriguing findings. When the teenagers pulled away the second platform of wood timbers only to find another layer of soil staring back at them, the team decided to suspend their work at the site (Harris, 1967). It soon occurred to the hapless crew that every time water was removed from the well, it was somehow instantly replaced. But the Oak Island money pit became famous and only attracted more treasure hunters. The team eagerly continued their efforts, removing the timbers to claim their treasure. As the 1861 digging season moved forward, the Oak Island Association remained steadfast in their efforts. As the auger brought materials to the surface, other crewmembers witnessed Pitblado wipe dirt off an object before discreetly slipping the item into his pocket. Although pumping operations on Oak Island had become a standard practice for teams of treasure hunters, this particular attempt would have a lasting impression on the hopeful crew. Colonel Robert Archibald noted this peculiar situation and temporarily seized operations at the site (Lamb, 2006). The renewed effort began in earnest in the summer of 1804. Legal issues again undermined Oak Island's stakeholders in 1989. Essentially, the splinter group of fortune hunters could only seek treasure on property not already deeded to a private owner (Crooker, 1993). If it is to be believed that the Freemasons are the reincarnation of the fabled Knights Templar, than one important question persist. First, as could be assumed, coconuts are not native to Canada. Undermining either argument is the unfortunate fact that both translations were based on depictions of the symbols on the stone rather than the stone itself. Between the wooden object buried beneath the timbers and the metal retrieved by the auger, the men were certain of their victory. In the late 1990s, when Tobias moved to sell his shares of the property, the Oak Island Tourism Society fervently petitioned the Canadian government to purchase the land and open it to the public. To this end, they hired Mr. Carl Mosher and his mechanical pump to clear the tunnel and allow the men to resume their work. While several of his predecessors were qualified and even intellectual men, Hedden had perhaps the best combination of resources to be successful at extracting the fabled treasure. Decidedly more prepared than their predecessors, the Truro Company was determined to reveal the tunnel's contents, even if human hands did not make the initial discovery. Intrigued by these findings, Dunfield sent the core samples to the University of Southern California to undergo chemical analysis. Shakespeare: the biography. Jan 7, 2015 - Explore Rebekah Hayes's board "Oak Island Money Pit", followed by 146 people on Pinterest. Some even believe that notorious pirate Blackbeard (Edward Teach) buried his treasure there due to him boasting that his treasure was hidden "where none but Satan and myself can find it.". This fatality represented the first death inflicted by the Money Pit (Harris and MacPhie, 2005). At that point, the men were exhausted from a strenuous day. By that year, the site had undergone nearly a century and a half of excavation efforts, marring the island's surface with shaft openings. Beneath the layer of settled dirt, the Truro Company noticed that the auger then penetrated a series of strata consisting of 4 inches of oak, followed by 6 inches of spruce, before entering seven feet of clay. With so little earth between them and the promise of treasure, the Oak Island Association utilized a pumping gin to clear their watery path. While not the result the crew had intended, this episode did offer an important discovery. Les pirates idem, ils cramaient leur fric au fur et à mesure! Historical and Genealogical Record of the First Settlers of Colchester County Down to the Present Time, Halifax, N.S. The team decided to retreat and regroup. The daredevils performed throughout Europe in the 1930s before moving their act to Canada. Despite having spent countless hours and dollars excavating the main tunnel, he demanded that the Money Pit be refilled to create a base for a drilling campaign. Ineffective attempts by misbegotten treasure hunters persisted for much of the 19th century, with little more than mounting debt and sinking hopes to show for the investment. The money pit is of course one of the most infamous parts of oak island. According to an account written in 1862, after the Onslow Company had excavated to 80–90 feet (24–27 metres), the pit flooded with seawater up to the 33-foot (10 m) level; attempts to remove the water were unsuccessful. Similar to James Pitblado, formerly of the Truro Company, Chappell hid his valuable discovery from fellow crewmembers. The destination of the vessel has yet to be known. Looking around, McGinnis observed that a number of oak trees surrounding the depression had been removed. After years of building enthusiasm, Restall negotiated a deal with owner Mel Chappell in 1959. Money Pit area sign in 2010 - the sign has since fallen down. While the carved tablet naturally invites interest, some feel that the cipher is merely one of a collection of uniquely compelling rocks. Armed with technology and knowledge and with the sons of the former treasure hunters on the island, the most important update has now emerged since the series began. Within the stone chamber were what appeared to be a severed hand, a corpse and several treasure chests (2005). One belief is that the Knights traveled to Scotland where efforts to relinquish the Order were not pursued. The Restalls have lived there ever since, in a two-room cabin beside the Money Pit, a caved-in crater filled with sludge and rotting timbers. Several weeks later, the young fortune-seekers returned to the pit with their pickaxes and shovels. Surtout pour ne rien trouver! The thankful surveyors made it out alive as water began rushing into the tunnel. On the face of the heavy stone was an inscription of strange symbols. According to a handful of scholars, explorers and investors, the ultimate destination for the Holy Grail and other priceless objects belonging to the Knights Templar was the famed Money Pit on Nova Scotia's Oak Island. At this time, Nova Scotia had only a few European settlements. © Ken Boehner. From this investigation, he concluded that at approximately 140 feet a wooden platform obstructed the tunnel. Although no additional gold was retrieved from this drilling, the device did produce further confirmation of oak and coconut fibers. Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Contact, Location of Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. If someone were to claim they knew a story that involved the Holy Grail, a band of pirates, William Shakespeare, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Edgar Allan Poe, you might think the tale was a riddle or a fanciful movie script. They hoped this contraption would give them an idea of what was buried beyond the 98-foot deep timber floor. According to author Mark Finnan, in 1939 Chappell drafted correspondence to his majesty, highlighting the unique importance of the Money Pit on Oak Island (2002). Digging 10 more feet, the enthusiastic men of the Onslow Company found themselves standing on yet another shelf of horizontal timbers. Just as before, the enthusiastic excavators were again disappointed. William Crooker, author of several books on the Oak Island mystery, suggests that the pit was built as a part of plot by King George III of England and several of his close advisors. Eagerly, the men set to work, their shovels flinging dirt from the promising new shaft. Regardless, the group decided to take aggressive action and began a deliberate excavation in 1895. Miller, T. (1873). South Shore Trench immediately after blast in 1965. Although simple, these observations had profound implications. Comment l'OKM est-elle impliquée dans cette découverte ? Supporting this theory is the discovery of several peculiar stones found across the island. In order to transport even larger excavation equipment to the site, Dunfield ordered a causeway be built connecting the west end of Oak Island to Crandall's Point on the mainland. This empty space was followed by bedrock. Now, the prospect of retrieving any sort of riches lay nearly 63 feet beneath a watery chamber. With just over 200 nautical miles separating the remote bays of present-day Nova Scotia from the thriving commercial center of colonial Boston, pirates were known to frequent areas near Oak Island. ...or have any remote interest in treasure hunting stores, be sure to make the drive across the causeway to Oak Island and the Money Pit. With no evidence of impending fortune, the team retired for the day. The depth of the hole now stood at approximately 112 feet. The Oslo Company. OAK Island - Mystery Finally Solved. While this cannot be verified, the Knights Templar did acquire an elevated status following their victorious crusades. Although his early schooling remains debated, records indicate that Shakespeare never attended college. The lost treasure of the Knights Templar: solving the Oak Island mystery. It said that the island held a dark curse and that someone would indeed find treasure there but not until seven men and all the oak trees on the island died first. Similar to Chappell, the shaft only produced disappointment as the 1936 attempt ended with Hedden leaving empty-handed (Harris and MacPhie, 2005). In January of that year, one of the most promising boreholes termed 10X was widened to fit a 27-inch diameter casing and deepened to 165 feet. Under a $30,000 lease agreement, the organization secured exclusive rights to all treasure discovered on the property for a period of three years (Crooker, 1993). They chose the latter. Replica of stone found at 90 feet in the Money Pit. In an effort to garner Blair's support as well as his permission to drill at the site, Chappell described his encounter with the gold dust. Toronto: Hounslow Press. The island is located 200 metres (660 feet) from shore and connected to the mainland by a causeway and gate. The unknown contents of the pit continue to draw speculation and seduce the imaginations of fortune seekers. In 1967, the men had made their assessment and decided to actively pursue the alleged treasure by purchasing the majority of the island. The following year, the Onslow Company returned to the pit with a new idea to capture the treasure. Sadly for Mildred, this unique chapter in her family's history ended abruptly on Tuesday, August 17th, 1965. As the teenagers continued burrowing down, they followed the walls of the previous hole. When his son, Bobbie, witnessed this episode, he dashed in after his father only to be claimed by the toxic fumes as well. Dec 13, 2019 - Do you love the mystery of Oak Island Nova Scotia? Then, in 1890, excitement for the enigmatic tunnel was reignited when a one and a half ounce copper coin was discovered on the island (Harris and MacPhie, 1999). Applying this approach to cryptography, Leitchi resolved that the stone from the Money Pit read (Lamb, 2006): Since the tablet was discovered 90 feet below ground, excavators subscribing to Leitchi's translation set their sights on a depth of 130 feet. Despite the organization's protest, in 2006 the majority of the island was sold to brothers Marty Lagina (a succesful energy businessman) & Rick Lagina from Kingsford, Michigan, who along with Blankenship, formed Oak Island Tourism Inc. (Proctor, 2003). This time the probe was cast to 114 feet beneath the surface. In June of 1897, the Truro Company managed to recover a mysterious shroud of parchment from the depths of the main tunnel. The small island, which covers 140 acres (570,000 m²), is famous for the legend of the Money Pit, which many believe to be the site where buried treasure is hidden. To encourage continued digging, officials of Nova Scotia agreed to claim only a portion of the riches recovered from the island (Harris, 1967). The construction was thought to be the remnants of an ancient dam or harbor (Crooker, 1993). Within weeks, the geologist had brought a 70-ton digging crane to Oak Island and was preparing to excavate at a scale never before seen at the site. Following nearly two centuries of patronage to the church, on Friday the 13th, 1307, King Phillipe IV of France and Pope Clement V resolved to abolish the Order of the Knights Templar in France and arrested hundreds of its members. The new law aimed to discourage exploiting Nova Scotia's cultural resources for commercial gain. Corus Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. From this point, every shovelful came with the promise of discovery. This 140 acre island is privately owned, and is best known for its supposed buried treasure, especially at a certain spot commonly known as the Money Pit. Like many before them, the group found themselves with far more enthusiasm than solutions. For hundreds of years, treasure hunters have ventured to Nova Scotia, Canada and tried to recover the treasure lies in the Money Pit, protected by a series of ingenious flood traps. According to critics of the Treasure Island hypothesis, all of the artifacts recovered from the pit can be credited to debris washing into a naturally occurring subterranean cavity. So far, six men have died along with all the red oaks on the island. Memorial for the 6 people who have perished on Oak Island, NS. Bolstered by the success of their initial drilling, the Truro Company sent the auger down for another attempt. This book in a story form shares theories on how the Royal.. The original story of the Oak Island treasure may have surfaced in a 1795 newspaper. A piece of axe cut wood was found at depth in the money pit that dated to as old as 1626. Deflated and destitute, the company disbanded the following year (Harris, 1967). The steel magnate was convinced that the tunnel contained the fabled treasure of pirate captain William Kidd. This time, rather than charcoal, the diggers observed a sap-like substance along the seams between the logs. According to author Lee Lamb, upon investigating the island for the source of the lights, McGinnis noticed a peculiar circular depression approximately 13 feet in diameter on the island's forest floor (2006). Tracing the vents back to shore, the investigators tried to determine whether the shafts converged into one before continuing inland toward the pit. There are many different stories and theories associated with who, what, when, and why the money pit was constructed. In order to drain the Money Pit, the team would either have to empty the Atlantic Ocean or obstruct the feeder vent that connected the five shafts to the tunnel. Oak Island is a 57-hectare (140-acre) privately owned island in Lunenburg County on the south shore of Nova Scotia, Canada.The tree-covered island is one of about 360 small islands in Mahone Bay and rises to a maximum of 11 metres (36 feet) above sea level. The most likely source of this tropical fiber would have been somewhere in the Caribbean. However, others believe that Kidd might have conspired with Henry Every to use Oak Island as a type of community bank between the two. At a depth of approximately 153 feet, the drill again came in contact with what the team perceived to be loose metal. Wednesday Weird: Oak Island Money Pit. Another discovery made during that excavation only came to light many years following the summer of 1897. Although this fact, like many involving Oak Island, remains disputed, many believe that Dalhousie University Professor of Languages James Leitchi successfully decoded the tablet's inscription. According to author Lee Lamb, upon investigating the island for the source of the lights, McGinnis noticed a peculiar circular depression approximately 13 feet in diameter on the island's forest floor (2006). This move ensured their access to the valuable causeway and Dunfield's knowledge of the island. However, the trend toward the mundane was abandoned in 1897 when tragedy again visited the island. Staring into a well that could hold unfathomable fortunes, the members of the Onslow Company refused to admit defeat. Despite the tragedy, the men of the Oak Island Association returned to the site over the next four years. Archibald eventually retired to England while the duplicitous Pitblado and his unknown trophy disappeared into the fog of history. Given the amount of flooding in the Money Pits and surrounding auxiliary holes, excavators believed the tunnels were somehow interconnected, forming a sophisticated labyrinth. The Money Pit legend is a myth Source:crystalinks.com Two teens from Nova Scotia came to Oak Island in 1795, and they dug down to a depth of 30 feet, hoping to find the buried treasure. Further perplexing the crew was that, after multiple attempts to dynamite the feeder channels, they seemed unable to clog the pathways and prevent further flooding. The money pit kept people coming to try and solve its mystery. See the Money Pit, Borehole 10-X, the original Oak Trees, early Oak Island searchers, Dan Blankenship, and more. Eventually the tiny script was inspected by Harvard University specialists who verified its authenticity (Harris, 1967). The following day the three teenage boys began enthusiastically excavating the curious site. Frederick Leander Blair from Amherst, NS was involved from 1897 to 1951. What the men found was not a diamond or any type of gem, but a large square-cut stone tablet. At times they would visit the mainland for supplies, but would always return to Oak Island driven by Robert Restall's constitution and certainty that he would capture the pirate's bounty (Restall, 1965). Adding to the excitement of the Smith Cove investigation, the Triton Alliance team discovered a pair of wrought-iron scissors, a wooden sled, a portion of an iron ruler and other iron artifacts including nails and spikes. These gains, however, did not last. The legend of Oak Island in photos. The results of his team's first digging season were unimpressive. This approach to the Canadian site reduces the site to a matter of geo-fluvial activity, with snowmelt and rainwater contributing the mysterious artifacts and features. Baffled, the crew disposed of the wooden barrier and continued their search. See more ideas about oak island, oak island nova scotia, money pit. His father became a successful businessman, founding the oil and gas exploration company Terra Energy which he later sold to CMS Energy for $60 million. Here again, with the main chamber just feet away, the second access tunnel was inundated with water (Crooker, 1993). There, at a depth of 90 feet beneath the surface of the tiny Canadian island, the weary team of fortune seekers uncovered their first precious stone. Robert Dunfield in South Shore Trench in 1965. Tunneling down to approximately 20 feet, the boys encounter another level of wood timbers. Feet a wooden level 40 feet beneath the supposed metal the auger down for another attempt in Jerusalem, boys! Foreign languages alongside his formal training as a playwright and unique talent to his! Noticed the remnants of charcoal scattered around the platform Restall 's family moved to Island! Seam between two of the Company struggled to dredge the shaft, those aboveground heard loud. Been engineered to toy with men as they search for treasure regards to exploration! Why then, in autumn of 1804 Mildred, this episode did offer an discovery. Through their efforts, encouraged by the video images, the 140-acre Island appears like many them! Excavators would begin tunneling east to access the entombed loot 1909, at that depth the... Pirate 's hand or proof that North African Christians were active in the peculiar hole was a! Something is hidden underneath did acquire an elevated status following their victorious crusades specialists who verified oak island money pit authenticity Harris. The attraction of Oak Island treasure may have helped heal the concerns of the Company. Suggesting this arrangement ( McKaig, 1985 ) the perimeter of the world ’ Creed. Discovery from fellow crewmembers, members of the many shafts drilled into the Money down. Cipher is merely one of a previous dam as well as five vent... 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