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Cleaning out unpaid storage units can lead to a profitable endeavor. Just ask Larry Houston, of Anderson, Mo. He found an original Jesse James treasure map among the items left behind.

A couple of years back, Larry said he cleaned out a storage unit that had been abandoned by the person leasing it. He ran across a crude drawing on an old oilcloth that also had a 1913 Mena, Arkansas newspaper attached to the back of it. The newspaper was torn and tattered, barely legible except for the date. However, two notes accompanied the oilcloth, both explaining that it was a treasure map given by Jesse James and how it had been passed down to each family member through several generations.

One of the notes went on to explain how many years ago two men in the family had searched for the treasure but came up empty-handed. They figured the lay of the land near the river might have changed since the map was written.

A quick search on the Internet and I found some interesting information that might be helpful in locating this treasure site coinciding with this map. Situated on Old Line Road, a military road connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas and Fort Towson in Indian Territory, was a hand-hewn squatter's cabin, still standing today in Mena, a tourist attraction owned by the city. The cabin was used as a stopover by many people, including members of the James Gang. This information is a brief outline of what is posted on: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~menaarkansashistory/mena.html

It would be fairly easy to run down the property transactions at the county clerk's office to see if any of the people mentioned in the family notes found in the treasure map coincide with the previous owners of the cabin in Mena.

A nearby cave and spring called Horsethief Spring between Mena and the Oklahoma line, is said to be another place the James Gang holed up. The present landowner is the federal government as it is situated in the Ouachita National Forest but possibly they would also have more historical information on record.

Mr. Huston is not a treasure hunter, so thinking there would be more interest locally, he consigned the map to a Mena flea market for quite a while with no results. He recently got the map back in his possession and has decided to sell it, as well as the family notes, at an ebay auction. The auction ends in just three days, so make sure you log on soon. View the auction by clicking on the following link:

Mr. Huston's story is another reminder that we never know what historical treasures may be hidden amongst a bunch of old unwanted junk.

I wanted to send you this photo of some of the more interesting finds of mine lately.

The band in the top left hand corner is the one I was telling you about.....It's made from a silver 1943 Australian shilling. I found it underneath the self creek bridge here on Lake Greeson.

The band at the top right hand corner is a white gold man's wedding band, at least a size 14. Inscribed inside are the words, "true love waits."

The ring on the bottom is an unusual silver ring that I found almost right next to a senior ring. I was able to find the owner of the class ring, after a two-week search, but she had no idea about this little silver ring.

The other is just a sterling silver toe ring. I find lots of toe rings! They apparently don't stay on very well.

Hi Lee,

Here's an item my brother and I found in about two feet of hard shale under a bluff. It's not a Civil War button that I can find, and we are looking for someone, anyone with any ideas as to what it might be. Norman Towler jeepcj940@earthlink.net

I have found an unusual object the size and shape of a toilet paper roll holder only flat on one side (not both sides with a beveled edge). It is a dark silver gray color with hints of reflected light all over it.

I used the White's XLT to find it and identify as "03" on the signagraph and a single, a full bar on the graph. I guess that means pure iron?

However, it is not magnetic, whatsoever, actually does conduct on the ohmmeter to a dead short, powders when you scratch it, and will not rust ever? It did not react with liquid Tarnex, either.

Every test on the XLT is the same, 03 number. This cannot be alien, like a meteorite, because it is looking and feeling like a manufactured or poured (cast) pin. One friend said to me it looked like a grinding stone pin (key), perhaps, and the extreme heat generated by the stones caused it to have different properties, or characteristics.

It was found at about two and a half feet down in a creek bed, under a fallen 200 year old tree that is now growing roots at an alarming rate 12 to 15 feet straight up into the air, 15 feet across, and some are growing diagonally as they are trellising and self grafting into each other. Two very old sheets of rusting metal where uncovered at the same depth.

If this is silver, why does it feel so light and like a stone? Why does it also register 03? Why would so much junk be under the base of a 200 year old tree? Please help me with this anomaly?

Thanks, C.W. Cordogan CWCordogan@aol.com

August
24—The Mo-Kan Search and Recovery Club of Kansas City will present the 27th Annual Hunt in Lathrop, Mo., north of Kansas City off I-35. For more information contact Chuck Clevenger, P.O. Box 10661, Kansas City, MO or call (816) 436-0697, email Terry Theiss, outboundace@hotmail.com
30-31—Foresthill Heritage Celebration, Gold Miner’s Gathering and California State Gold Panning Championships. For info contact Mother Lode Goldhound Assoc., P.O. Box 149, Foresthill, Calif., www.goldhounds.com or email golddust@starband.net

September
6-7—18th Annual Hunt sponsored by the Niagara Frontier Relic Hunters Association at Wendt Beach Park, Derby, New York. Kid’s hunt added this year. Contact Joe Cartonia (716) 632-6129 or Bob Weber (716) 633-7151 or log on to: http://members.aol.com/nfrhaclub/nfrha.htm
6—Michigan Treasure Hunters 30th Annual Open Hunt held at the KC Campground, Milan, Michigan. For more information contact Barbara Whitman, 29135 King Rd., Huron Twp., MI 48174, (734) 789-8294 or email ross.soderberg@worldnet.att.net
19-21—Join the Valley Prospectors Gold and Treasure Hunters Rendezvous at the Rancho Jurupa Park in the city of Riverside, California, off Mission Blvd. and Crestmore Rd. To register and more info contact: Alice Corey via email Alpennymae@aol.com and Trish Beuler at Tbeuler@msn.com The Club web site is available by logging on to http://www.geocities.com/valleyprospectors/
20-21—FMDAC Treasure Hunt, Coeur d’Alene Casino, Worley, Idaho. For additional information email cstreasure@centurytel.net or packratnest@webtv.net or call (509) 796-3952.
20-21—Midwest Coinshooters and Historical Club of St. Louis, Mo. will host the 3rd Annual Open Ultimate Beach and Waterhunt, Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Dewitt, Ill. Contact via email abeach01@sbcglobal.net or send SASE to James Wurth, 67 Kings Dr., Florissant, MO 63034.
20-21—Genesee Valley Treasure Seekers fifth annual hunt, Java Center, New York. Website www.gvts.org or write Genesee Valley Seekers, 398 Chestnut Ridge Road, Rochester, NY 14624.

October
4-5—Granite State Treasure Hunters Club for Historic Preservation annual hunt at Lake Shore Farm Resort in Northwood, New Hampshire. For info visit the website www.gsthc.com or write Ronald Pinard, 51 Ox Lane, Epsom, NH 03234, huntmaster@netzero.net
4-5—Best of the Midwest Competition and Treasure Hunt, Roland Lewis Park, South 27th, Vernon, Illinois, sponsored by the Tri-State Metal Detecting Club. For additional info contact Michael Pope, 513 SE Third Street, Fairfield, IL 62837, (618) 842-2912.
10-11—Gem and Mineral Festival, Sunapee State Park, Route 103, Newbury, New Hampshire. Visit the Capital Mineral Club website at www.capitalmineralclub.org or call John McCrory at (603) 796-2152.
10-11—30th Annual Deep South Treasure Hunt, Smith Lake Park, Alabama. Call (205) 856-2629 or email lrmacky@aol.com
11—Special Charity Day Hunt, 100% of the profit goes to benefit the Roy, McKenna Food Bank, at Point Defiance Park in the Fort Nisqually picnic area. Contact Roy, McKenna Food Bank Day Hunt, P.O. Box 226, Roy, WA 98580 or call Rich Loveless (253) 535-1170 or email mrcoinhunter@msn.com
11-12—The Antelope Valley Treasure Hunter’s Society will be hosting their 17th annual High Desert Showdown at the Totem Pole Ranch in Littlerock, California. For more information contact Rick Wyatt prospectorrw@msn.com or (661) 943-1124. To view a hunt flier log on to http://www.qnet.com/~guy14kt/
12—16th Annual Open Beach Treasure Hunt, sponsored by the Deep Search Metal Detecting Club, Belmar Beach, New Jersey, between 11th and 12th Avenues. For more info contact Glen Gunther guntherg@optionline.net or call (732) 926-0028.
12—The Tulsey Town Treasure Hunter’s Club will sponsor the 13th Annual National Treasure Hunt at the Creek County Fairgrounds, Supulpa, Oklahoma. For information call Clark Shilling at (918) 274-3743 or write him at 10112 N. Bridgewater Circle, Owasso, OK 74055, email shillingec@msn.com 18—Fun in the Sand Beach Hunt hosted by the Memphis Metal Detecting Club at Sardis Lake, Sardis, Mississippi. For more information email Lloyd Barlow Lloyd@dotbarlow.com or contact Steve Davis, P.O. Box 502 Ellendale, TN 38029, (901) 372-2325.
19—Three Rivers Research and Recovery are having a hunt at The Bob Maxwell Field, Southside Park in Princeton, Indiana. For more information call Dave Perry at (812)-385-5676.
24-25—The American Metal Detecting Association (AMDA) and Clark County Parks and Community Services announce the Second Annual Metal Detectorists-Treasure Hunters-Prospectors Rendevous in Laughlin, Nevada. For more info contact Carolyn Garrett, 5043 Strasbourg Way, Sacramento, CA 95842, phone (916) 331-7931, email cgarrettwc@aol.com

January 2004
16-17—47th Annual Gila County Gem and Mineral Show, Gila County Fairgrounds, Globe, Arizona. Contact Bill Morrow (928) 425-0194.

Stumped on a treasure related question? Is your non-profit group hosting an upcoming event? Get the word out to readers around the world. Email the question to: managingeditor@losttreasure.com

GOLD PANNING CONCENTRATES $7.50 per bag. Send check or M.O. to: Joseph Sokoloski, 541 Alter St., Hazleton, PA 18201 (570) 459-1275 11/03

For sale: RESEARCH compiled by Michael Paul Henson (deceased), 20 pages per U.S. state, all 50 states, $5 per state. Send check or money order to Mrs. M.P. Henson, P.O. Box 980, Jeffersonville, IN 47131-0980. RIGHT HERE IN THE USA—Fields available where diamonds can be picked up for FREE. Send $2 for info. Contact Society, P.O. Box 23321, Santa Barbara, CA 93121

TREASURE TAPES FOR SALE- All States. For more information call Carroll Basil at (812) 282-9986 or send a letter requesting information to 226 Short Street, Carksville, IN 47129

THOUSANDS BACK ISSUES MAGAZINES. TREASURE, DESERT, TREASURE HUNTING BOOKS. SEND $1.00 FOR LISTS. BILL HENDRICKSON, 2019 CENTER, CORTEZ, CO 81321. 11/03
LARGE COLLECTIONS OF OLD TREASURE MAGAZINES. SEND $1 WITH SASE TO MERLE KELLY, 794 LOCHAVEN, SPRINGFIELD, OR 97477

SLING YOUR DETECTOR. Purchase a shoulder sling to carry your detector. Sling is 36” long and will fit up to a 1” diameter shaft. Get one for your sand scoop, too! Send $11.95 each, check or M.O to: “Leonardo”, 101 Austin Ave., Old Bridge, NJ 08857 09/03

LEARN TO DOWSE $5 POSTAGE PAID. Will dowse lost items, send complete description, map $25. Rechey Davidson, 10040 Private Road 3814, Quinlan, TX 75474 or recheyd@hawkpci.net 01/04

FREE VALUABLE BROCHURE Dowsing rods, books, map dowsing. Fred Stewart, P.O. Box 267, Johnson City, TN 37605 09/03

MAP DOWSING 40 years experience. Gold, silver, all metals, guns, water. If it’s in the ground, I can find it. Send $40 money order to: Map Dowsing, 1347 Elkhart Circle, Tavares, FL 32778 or mapdowing@cs.com 12/03

WOULD YOU like to have a topographic map dowsed for a treasure cache site? Be sure to include information on treasure. It’s $20 for one map. Mail to: Mr. Francis Zarnowski, Mod 9, 1 Veterans Drive, Spring City, PA 19475-1241 04/04

FIREARMS, Ammunition, Archery Products, Hunting Equipment, Scopes, Tools, Electronics, Leather Wear, Household Items and Gifts. Wholesale Pricing!! www.mbkunlimited.com or www.mbkunlimited.net 12/03

TREASURE LIGHTS An Ultra Light Weight Flashlight Attachment that holds a solitaire Mag-Lite. Can be clamped onto most any detector and adjusted in all directions for night time treasure hunting. To order visit: http://treasure_lights.tripod.com 12/03

DOUG’S LOST-N-FOUND METAL DETECTORS New and used. Buying metal detector finds. Write 507 Irvine Ave. NW, Bemidji, MN 56601-2926. Call (218) 751-3819 after 5 p.m. 11/03

PREDATOR TOOLS, The highest quality digging tools made, designed by George Lesche. For information contact Pamela Lesche Enterprises, Inc., 35 South Woodruff Road, Bridgeton, NJ 08302, phone (856) 455-3790, fax (856) 455-6604, web www.predatortools.com 09/03

PRE-1900 DOG LICENSES--Top Dollar paid by serious collector. Also wanted 1900-1920 Washington D.C. tags and numerals. Diane Bandy (412) 635-9439 03/04

MINELAB LONG SLEEVE JACKET XL Excellent condition, Give price. Call Bob (301) 390-6022. 10/03

DONATE your unwanted and broken metal detectors to the Girl and Boy Scout and local church groups. J.H. Kytle, P.O. Box 535, Colbert, GA 30628 11/03

www.GOLDMAPS.COM
Find Nuggets. Pan gold. Virginia, Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, and California (321-783-4595 06/04

SAVE$ SAVE$ SAVE$ Owner retiring for health reasons. My loss is your gain. Garrett, Fisher, Minelab & others will be sold at or below dealer cost. For more info call 1-800-889-9540 02/04

I CAN FIND ANYTHING BURIED ON LAND AND SEA Coins, currency, jewelry, guns knives, saddle bags, gold bars, diamonds, relics. Email currencylocator@yahoo.com
1/04

FITZGERALD'S EQUIPMENT, Like New, PPL Treasure Finder Rod, Tuned to find Gold Targets. (660) 288-3026, Harry Gaw, Keytesville, MO 65261 11/03

TREASURE CAVES Plus Catalog, $3.00, George Bryant, Box 255, Hanson, KY 42413 11/03