Treasure Hunting in East Texas

Treasure Hunting Areas

• Treasure hunting in East Texas takes place primarily in two types of areas: places where legend says treasure is buried, and locales like former towns, farms or camps.
  There are three areas in particular where treasure is buried, according to local rumors. Rumor has it that at the bottom of Hendricks Lake near the Sabine River, close to Tatum in Panola County, lies a fortune in silver supposedly stolen from a Spanish galleon by the so-called "Pirate of the Gulf," Jean Lafitte, in the early 19th Century. The banks of the Red River are also said to hold treasure, although from more recent bank robberies. About $10,000 in stolen gold coin reportedly is buried at the confluence the Little Wichita River and the Red River. Outlaw Sam Bass supposedly robbed a train transporting gold coins in 1877. The gold is rumored to be hidden at Cove Hollow about 30 miles from Denton.

Treasure Hunting Clubs

• Treasure hunters in the field typically prefer to be alone, so they have a clear claim to what they might discover. They do like to socialize after the treasure hunting is done and discuss their finds. The main club supporting treasure hunters in the area is the East Texas Treasure Hunters Association, which meets every second Monday of the month in the Longview High School Aquatic Center at 6:30 p.m.

Seasons for Teasure Hunting

• The weather in East Texas is mild and sunny. Outdoor activities, including treasure hunting, are possible during large parts of the year. Winter&'s cold and the hurricane season limit what you can do outdoors.

Treasure Hunting Permits and Laws

• No permits are required to go hunting for treasure with a metal detector. However, the areas where treasure is supposedly buried is often private land. A permit from the land owner is required for any anything that is not simple right of way, such as digging for and removing treasure.

Treasure Hunting Techniques

• Use a metal detector to hunt for treasure. Its magnetic coil will emit a warning signal when there is a change in the magnetic field. The detector is sensitive enough to discover individual coins. But the area the detector can sweep is limited to the reach of the person holding it. Treasure hunters in East Texas try to seek out specific areas where treasure may be buried by consulting old documents and maps and relying on folklore about pirates and other outlaws.