Oak Island is a minimal island found in Nova Scotia, Canada. Over 200 years people are in search of treasure which is believed to be buried somewhere on this island. The Oak Island story can be regarded as one of the most intriguing and mysterious tales of treasure hunting in the whole world. Individuals have been using their lives, their wealth and even some lost their lives in search of what lies under this small land. And what the hell is the Oak Island treasure and why does it affect so many people so much?
The history of the Oak Island started in 1795. When a young teenager Daniel McGinnis was walking on the island, he came across a strange circular depression of the ground. He had inquisitive curiosity like a young man, and he resolved to dig. He excavated, and found wooden planks in very frequent layers. This was not natural. They were evidently there deliberately. He took his friends and continued to dig on but they never discovered what was in the bottom. Rather, they discovered even greater mystery. The pit was filled with water at a particular depth. When people pumped the water out several times, the pit was filling once again. It was as though somebody has set up a very smart trap to guard whatever is buried inside of it.
Hundreds of people have attempted to unravel the mystery of the Money Pit since that original discovery though it is also known as that original dig site. This search has involved some of the most renowned names and organizations in the years. Even Franklin D. Roosevelt who became the President of the United States at later stage used to be a member of a treasure hunting group on the Oak Island when he was young. This tells us something. People have a magnetic attraction towards this island. It attracts them because it promises them something extraordinary beneath the surface.
What then do the people think is really there buried? It has numerous theories and to be honest, nobody can say which theory is right. Others assume that the treasure is the possession of a renowned pirate Captain Kidd who was known to conceal huge sums of money prior to his execution in 1701. People think it might be the treasure of Knights Templar, a strong organization of the Middle Ages which people associate with some lost religious objects on the conspiracy theories. Others even suppose that there are there buried original copies of manuscripts written by Francis Bacon, which in the opinion of some theorists would be sufficient to demonstrate that Bacon was the true author of the plays of Shakespeare. Another theory is that secretly before the French Revolution, the jewels in the possession of Marie Antoinette had been shipped to Oak Island. I believe that with this many theories it is more about human imagination than about what is actually present. That is what is interesting about it, too, though.
The mystery has remained and some evidence has been discovered within the years. The island has produced pieces of ancient parchment, metals, coconut fibers, which do not originate in Canada and evidence of what seems to have been at least several centuries of human activity. The story was introduced to a new generation of viewers in 2017 and later (after 2018) through the television show titled The Curse of Oak Island. The show is based on the lives of two brothers Rick and Marty Lagina who have put a great amount of money and effort into locating the treasure. Modern technology has also helped them explore places that they could not access in the past because of age such as metal detectors, drilling equipment, and underwater cameras. And still, the treasure is not discovered.
Local legend Oak Island has a well-known local legend which states that the treasure on the island will be discovered when seven people have died searching the treasure and also when all the oak trees in the Island are lost. Up to now, there are six individuals who have died due to the treasure hunt in a number of different accidents over the years. I believe that such a legend contributes to the mystery and at the same time helps to remind us that obsession can be a dangerous thing. People have lost their savings, and their time as well as their relationship due to the chase after something that does not necessarily exist.
However, to be fair, it does not seem to matter anymore whether there is a buried treasure on Oak Island or not. Its true treasure may be the tale itself. It is a tale of human interest, of the need to discover something extraordinary and how a mystery can capture our interest over a period of over two hundred years. The island shows us that there are occasions when it is the journey and not the goal that is prized.
Will somebody finally crack the opening of the mystery of Oak Island during our lifetime? I cannot say. However, I believe that people will never give up as long as that pit is there.