Calling all arm-chair treasure hunters

[Detector]

I think it would be fun, interesting, and possibly profitable to see what the DodgeBoard members can do on researching a treasure legend. Most treasure legends are nothing more than exaggeration, but there are those few based on fact.

With the wealth of information available on the Internet I thought we could compile all sources and either say It could be true, or its a bunch of malarkey.

Lets start with one of the most well documented lost treasures in Kansas, the Martinez Silver. The Martinez Silver legend is typical of such treasure stories of southwest Kansas. People carrying valuables on the Santa Fe Trail get sacked by renegade Indians and the valuables are never recovered.

I'll get us started with a basic rundown of the story and then we can compile any and all information we can find on the Internet to see if we fill its fact or fiction.

Martinez Silver:
Date: Summer of 1853
Names: Jesus Martinez experienced wagon master that led some merchants from Santa Fe toward Missouri to purchase goods.
Location: Stories say they were attacked after one days travel after crossing the Arkansas/Cimarron.
Lost: 21 bags containing approximately 1000 silver dollars per bag.

All were said to be slaughtered with the exception of Martinez who buried the silver and made his way back to Santa Fe. He told his son who later came to southwest Kansas to search. By that time Dodge City had sprung up. Young Martinez was seen west of dodge poking a steel rod in the ground according to locals. He(young Martinez) is also to have told the story to some local cowboys in hopes they would help.

A link to the story: Lost Treasure: Martinez Silver

[The Drifter]

so they were attacked after crossing the cimarron and before the arkansas...wouldnt it be further south and west of dodge than where martinez jr. was looking.

[The Drifter]

http://www.nps.gov/safe/planyourvisi...d/SAFEmap1.pdf

this website shows a map of the santa fe trail and southwest of cimarron is a "Battle Ground." What battle?

[Detector]

so they were attacked after crossing the cimarron and before the arkansas...wouldnt it be further south and west of dodge than where martinez jr. was looking.

I've heard it several ways. It depends on if it was one day after the Cimarron crossing or one day after crossing the Cimarron. The Crossing of the Arkansas, near present day Cimarron, was called the Cimarron Crossing. I would guess a crossing of the Cimarron River might also be called the Cimarron crossing. I've never heard names used for the crossings on the Cimarron River.

I think the battle site was where Jedidiah Smith was killed. It was close to there anyway

[Happening]

I love the history of that era and area. I was wondering if anyone had the coordinates of those two Forts, Mann and Atkinson. I would like to plug them into my GPS and fly over them and see if I can make out anything. Thanks.

[Detector]

Fort Mann: N37 45.142 W100 04.596

Fort Atkinson: N37 45.150 W100 04.974

[Zeb]

I think the "Cimarron" or "Cimaron" was a vast area between the Arkansas and the Canadian River. That desert was also called the Cimarron in many books. IE "Across the Cimarron" Marshal George Bolds' Own Story of His Life and Adventures in the Cow Towns of the Wild West.

I have not read it but I don't think this book mentions the town Cimarron or the Cimarron crossing, but calls the vast area from here to New Mexico "The Cimarron"
Points of Rock was a popular stop, it is in the Cimarron Grass Lands located near Elkhart. That area was also known as Cimarron.

Lots of Cimarrons back then.

[Reddemons54]

This is a great idea Detector! I love researching history, especially about my home. Would be cool if it ever leads to a find as well. I am gonna start searching...

Here is a link to another version of the story Kansas Treasure Hunting - Fort Dodge

[Reddemons54]

And here is another link I have found, some very interesting stories. Its in the form of a journal, supposedly Robert M. Wright. I don't know if any of it is true or if he even wrote it, but its still an interesting read.


Robert M. Wright | Dodge City, Cowboy Capital | Chapter 1 | Founding of Dodge City and Fort Dodge, Kansas

[Zeb]

Yes Robert M. Wrights is true stuff and should be reguarded as the true history of Dodge City because he lived it right here. IMO

He used to get pizzed off when he would read things about Dodge City by people he had never heard of. Yes it was a wicked little town when the Cattle drivers came to town, but the towns people were as friendly as you would find anywhere.

Second hand stories of cow pokes getting drunk/fight'n mixed with the truth about Wyatt Earp bashing someones head from behind sure makes a good story to those back east. I don't think he found it amusing.