The "Bluegrass State
" of Kentucky has many treasure legends in its proud history and over the years many treasure hunters have attempted to locate and recover some of these lost caches 
of gold, silver, and other "goodies." In this post I've provided you with a short list of 5 of the better-known and most persistent Kentucky lost treasure legends 
along with what I trust are a few helpful tips:1. A few miles south of Henderson (in the Kentucky county of the same name) a large horde of of U.S. gold coins
of various denominations was buried long ago by the Harpe family in a small cave above a nearby stream. (Tip: Harpe's Head Road is in this area and a thorough background search of the Harpe family may reveal potential leads for development.)2. Over the years many U.S. silver type coins
dating from the late 1800s have been recovered by treasure hunters and detectorists along the banks of the Ohio River near West Paducah in McCracken County. (Tips: Most of the recoveries have occurred during low water periods so don't waste your time if the river is running too high. Talk to locals in the area for leads on the best areas to search.)Treasure Hunting
3. If you, like myself, have gold mining and prospecting skills in addition to your treasure hunting expertise, you may want to head for Kings Creek in the Pine Mountain area. Legend has it that there a number of "lost" silver and gold mines
in this region that were worked in the 1700s and early 1800s. (Tips: Make sure you do your research on this one because I've been mining and treasure hunting />for over 30 years and have never heard of extensive precious metals mineralization in Kentucky. Additionally, thorough sampling of King's Creek with a gold pan 
will reveal whether any "color" exists in the area.)4. Small treasure caches of paper money and silver and gold coin have been recovered in past years near the town of Horse Cave in Hart County. One of these caches was worth nearly $4,000. The stashed "goodies" in Hart County are said to have been buried in past years by various criminals, gamblers, bootleggers, and other "n'er-do-wells." (Tips: Research local newspapers for past articles on some of these cache recoveries. Talk to local relic or treasure hunters but be circumspect when doing so.)
Dickies Work Clothes
5. U.S. gold type coins valued at nearly one quarter million dollars ($250,000 is a chunk of change my friend) are said to have been buried by a wealthy farmer named Barnell on his spread near the town of Steff in Grayson County. (Tips: This one deserves further examination and research. I'd start by trying to get additional info on Barnell and his extended family. If you end up near Steff use common sense and don't broadcast your intentions.)
Good hunting and stay safe.
If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Kanaka Jack's Lost Placer Mine"
(c) J.R. 2009
Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com
