5 Southwest Michigan Spots You Might Find Gold or Buried Treasure
I ain't sayin' you're a gold digger, but there might be some buried treasure near Kalamazoo.
When you think of buried treasure or prospecting gold, what comes to mind? Many people associate buried treasure with legendary pirates' stories or criminals hiding the riches they stole from others.
Many times, buried or hidden treasures have an innocent origin story. Sometimes, it could be as simple as bad weather.
With that in mind, here are 5 spots where it's reasonable to believe treasure or gold can be found along with the backstory of that treasure.
5 Southwest Michigan Spots Where You Might Find Gold or Buried Treasure
Superior Street in Albion, Michigan
The official Historical Albion Michigan website shares a story about how the Great Flood of March 1908 carried lots of gold, silver, and other jewelry out of Church's Jewelry Store,
The floodwaters of the Kalamazoo River rose to a foot over the Superior St. bridge in downtown Albion. The bridge, then an arched cement and brick structure, could not withstand the onslaught of the raging waters. Ice chunks pounded the foundations of the bridge, as well as the pillars supporting the buildings/businesses that had been erected over the River.
Some, but not all, of the jewelry was recovered. It could be anywhere, under the ground or in the Kalamazoo River near Albion.
Allegan, Michigan
In 1906, the State Board of Geological Survey of Michigan reported gold in streams that connect to Lake Michigan in Allegan. This revived the gold mining trend that died down in the 1800s.
Gravel Pits in Dowagiac, Michigan
In 1894, an 11-carat diamond was found in a gravel pit by a sand and gravel contractor, according to Michigan Tech University. The man that found the precious stone had it verified by the Smithsonian Institute and sold it to a local jeweler for $100. To put that in perspective, it would be worth over $3.6 million today. The diamond was likely there due to glacial drifts. So, it is likely that more diamonds are in those gravel pits.
Fort St. Joseph in Niles, Michigan
There is an old story that has kept treasure hunters excited for hundreds of years. In this tale that revolves around the spot you see in the picture above, when settlers knew they were about to be attacked, they put all of their valuables in a cannon, sealed it, and sank it into the St. Joe River. The story, as it's being told at Treasurenet.com, says that the canon has never been recovered.
Singapore / Saugatuck, Michigan
Singapore, Michigan, is now considered a ghost town. However, it was a booming city in the mid-1800s. The lakeshore town was devastated by fires in 1871. The ruins of Singapore are buried under Saugutuck. Then, in 1887, a Spanish Silver coin dated 1682 was found where Singapore, Michigan once thrived. There are no reports on how much that Silver coin is worth today, but you can see pictures of it by tapping here.
Important Note: Do not break state or local laws when treasure hunting and prospecting. Stay golden, pony boy.
READ MORE: This is the Wealthiest Town in Michigan
Here Are Some Places In Michigan Where There's Lost Treasure
Gold Found at Lake Superior
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