The curse of the Oak Island: Here’s what you didn’t know
All of us have been fascinated by treasure troves and stories of treasure hunts, thanks to fictions and movies. In reality too, there are places known for hidden treasures. But can you imagine one that has a treasure trove and is cursed too? Probably not. We are talking about Oak Island, the land which is special not only for its treasures but also for its uncanny curse. Are you wondering what this curse is? Well, so are we! Come, let’s explore the treasure theories and curse of Oak Island, together.
Where is the Oak Island?
Oak Island is situated on the south shore of the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. It is one among the 300 plus islands that comprise the Mahone Bay. It is a forest area ranging across 140 acres. Interestingly, this island has made a name for itself and has legends associated with it, since late 18th century. As you can already guess, this legend has to do with buried treasures, that may just be cursed.
Hidden treasures of Oak Island
Well, it all started in 1795 when a man named Daniel McGinnis while exploring the Oak Island discovered a shallow ditch on the ground. As expected, he was intrigued and along with two of his friends decided to dig up the area. Do you know what they found? A layer of oak logs, flagstones and wooden platforms, going as deep as 10 feet. They also came upon a boulder that was covered in strange markings, which they found hard to decipher. However, eventually, it was revealed by an expert that the markings read as follows, “Forty feet below, two million pounds are buried.” As you can imagine, this writing itself was enough to keep treasure seekers hooked.
McGinnis and his companions came back to the site, and with the help of a construction company called Onslow dug up as deep as 100 feet. But they still couldn’t find anything. As if that wasn’t disappointing enough, they found the pit (now popularly called as the ‘Money Pit’) flooded with 60 feet of water once they came back from a break. Guess what? These treasure seekers eventually bought land on the island. In fact, there’s a popular belief that they had managed to find some of the treasures as was evident from their sudden prosperity in the early 19th century.
Later, in 1849, another team of treasure hunters dug up the pit but could only find empty space and invaluable metal far down. Another treasure hunter named Frederick Blair was able to find iron and coconut fibres, alongside an old piece of parchment in the 1890s, but nothing more. Fast forward to 1965, an adventurer named Robert Dunfield even found evidence of porcelain dishware near a cavern. Following this, five years later, another team sent down a powerful camera down the Money Pit. The image captured may have been that of buried treasure chests. But you will be fascinated to know that till date, no one has managed to dig up any treasure. Sad, isn’t it?
Who stashed treasure on the Oak Island?
Have you been wondering who, if at all, buried treasure in Oak Island? Well, there are many theories surrounding it. Many believe that the treasures were stashed by infamous pirates such as Captain Kidd and Edward Blackbeard Teach, while there are others who believe that secret societies like Knights Templar was involved. In contrast, literary experts believe that renowned philosopher and scientific thinker Francis Bacon had buried several original Shakespeare manuscripts in this cursed island. If these theories weren’t bizarre enough, wait for this one: Jewels of Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France before the French Revolution, are apparently buried deep on the Oak Island. Intriguing, isn’t it?
Unearthing the curse of the Oak Island
The curse of the oak island dates back to the late 18th century. As it turns out, the Oak Island, as the name suggests, was originally covered in red oak trees. However, in the early 19th century, a black ant infestation had largely destroyed all the oaks. Thereafter, although the name of the island was retained, it became home to spruce trees and other perennial shrubs.
There are also lore and legends, according to which ill luck befalls anyone who steps on the Oak Island in search of treasures. These beliefs have been further strengthened thanks to persistent floods, serious injuries and fatalities that happened in the area. In fact, there is a widespread prediction that until seven treasure hunters have lost their lives in succession, no treasure will ever be uncovered. Interestingly, the current number stands at six.
What’s more interesting is that, the current owners of this part of the Oak Island, brothers Rick and Marty Lagina, have been conducting a reality TV series called ‘The Curse of the Oak Island’ since early 21st century.