Buried Treasures of the Appalachians

Readers learn that indeed some of the gold has been found, and this should motivate them to get lucky and search on their own. -School Library Journal

A cedar chest that had been packed with gold coins robbed from a bank just south of Lexington, Kentucky in 1860 was recovered 50 years later by a fishing guide at King’s Mill Pond. Only a handful of coins were left in the chest, which had mostly rotted away. Is the rest settled beneath the silt of the pond today?

The Appalachian Mountains have witnessed untold fortunes gained and lost. The confluence and clashes of a number of cultures - Native American Indian, French, Spanish, pioneer, and Union and Confederate forces - often resulted in struggles over mineral resources or fights about stashes of gold and silver that were hidden for later retrieval. W.C. Jameson gathered his material from journals, maps, on-site research in the Southern Appalachian Mountains and from interviews with people whose lives have been entwined with the search for long lost treasures.

This book contains 40 legends with accounts of caves stacked from floor to ceiling with gold ingots; of caches guarded by skeletons and curses; and of Union payrolls scattered to the four winds. These Civil War era stories tell of courage, responsibility and resourcefulness that will teach readers as well as entertain.

W.C. Jameson Bio: W.C. Jameson is the award-winning and best-selling author of more than seventy books and over 1,500 articles and essays. In addition, he is an accomplished songwriter and performer, having recorded five albums of his original music and acted in five films. He has written the soundtracks for four films, and wrote and performed in the musical, ＂Whatever Happened to the Outlaw, Jesse James?＂ Jameson is the best-selling treasure author in the world. Perhaps he is known best, as the creator of the popular Buried Treasures of America series for August House. His success and fame as a professional treasure hunter has led to appearances on television’s ＂Unsolved Mysteries,＂ the Travel Channel, the Discovery Channel, Nightline, and National Public Radio. He also consulted with the production team for the highly successful feature film, ＂National Treasure,＂ starring Nicholas Cage. One of Jameson’s most popular books is Billy the Kid: Beyond the Grave, a regional bestseller. This controversial book presents stunning evidence that the famous outlaw, Billy the Kid, was not killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881 but went on to live an adventurous and productive life for the next sixty-nine years. Jameson has won numerous awards for his writing from a number of professional associations. A nationally recognized and honored author, he has served as a judge for several prestigious literary competitions. When not on an expedition or writing a book, Jameson tours the country performing his music at folk festivals, colleges and universities, concert halls, and roadhouses.