From cypress-fringed swamps to churning river passages, Mississippi provides a natural backdrop for treasure hunting--all in a setting reminiscent of a Mark Twain adventure. The state’s distinctively southern landscape is rumored to hide gold and valuables hidden by war veterans, bandits and even pirates.
Unless you’re a true prospector with better luck than hundreds of year’s worth of treasure hunters, it’s unlikely you’ll actually strike buried gold while vacationing in Mississippi. Still, history buffs are sure to enjoy exploring these quirky legends and uncovering some of Mississippi’s not-so-ancient finds.
The location of most of Mississippi’s legendary treasures remains as elusive today as in years gone by. Mississippi’s entire coastline is allegedly sprinkled with buried pirate booty dating to the 19th Century. Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs make a good starting point for an outing, with the latter is home to Pirate’s House, which is connected to an elaborate underground tunnel system.
Additional finds include family treasures hidden near Vicksburg during the Civil War, gold buried and never recovered by feuding brothers in Greenland, buried kegs of stolen gold from 1865 in Greenwood, and a “very valuable” hidden treasure near a Calhoun City mansion. On the more notorious side, the 19th century Copeland gang reportedly buried stolen goods in the Catahoula Swamp.
If you’re looking for a little less intense treasure hunting with a dash of added fun, it’s worth checking out the Mo-Joe Treasure Hunt on Ship Island. This annual event began in November, 2008 and offers excursions out of Gulfport with wining, dining and two hours worth of buried treasure searching.
If you are ready to get your hands dirty, consider a search for treasures of the natural variety. You can head toward Glen Allen, Mississippi to experience a real fossil hunt. Over 500 fossils reportedly from the Rancholabrean Epoch of the Ice Age have been uncovered between river mile markers 499 and 639.
If the thrill of the hunt is what’s more important to you, consider a modern day version of treasure hunting called geocaching. Geocachers use hand-held global positioning devices to find trinkets buried in locations listed by latitude and longitude coordinates online at www.geocaching.com. As of February 2011, over 3,000 hidden geocaches were registered in Mississippi. Some of the most notable hunts are located in the Tombigbee National Forest, with lush fauna providing the perfect landscape for photographic treasures in addition to tangible finds.
