Unlocking The Secrets Of Oak Island: Lagina Brothers Quest To Solve 220-Year-Old Mystery

Who Buried Treasure Here?

Theories have swirled between explorers and researchers like a breeze through the leaves of the trees on Oak Island since the island was first discovered. Back in the 1700s, explorers discovered the island as one of over 300 in Mahone Bay. At first, the island appeared to be just like the others. However, the early adventurers noticed something odd. Out of all those islands, this one was the only one to be covered in red oak trees, which is why it was given the name Oak Island. This abnormality gave the island an air of mystery that would only become more mysterious when a group of young men exploring the area made an amazing discovery years later.

An Ancient Tablet Was Discovered

In 1796, a group of young boys were sailing through Mahone Bay when they pulled ashore Oak Island. They set off to explore the island and eventually came across something strange. They noticed an odd depression in the ground, and their curiosity was immediately piqued. The boys reported what they found, and nothing came of it, at first. Nearly a full decade later, the Onslow Company launched a team to search the area. The dig expedition went deep until it finally hit something at 90 feet down. The researchers looked into the Earth and were astonished at what they discovered. An ancient stone tablet carved with strange markings stared back at them, waiting to be translated.

The Mysterious Pit

When the diggers from the Onslow company discovered the stone tablet, they knew they were on to something. Like anyone who was curious and believed they were close to treasure, the men kept digging further down into the earth. They reached an odd layer of buried oak logs and quickly removed them. But, when they tried to keep digging, water began filling up the pit at a rapid pace, completely impeding their progress. The diggers desperately tried to dig a tunnel to redirect the water, but it was impossible. Apparently, the pit was designed with a 500-foot waterway that connected to Smith’s Cove. This allowed water to get in freely from the sea. Whenever there’s an attempt to empty it, it quickly fills up again from the vast, endless ocean waters.

Decoding The Message

The researchers who discovered the tablet tried their best, but they didn’t have the knowledge or resources needed to translate the strange script on the tablet. It wasn’t until a full 90 years later that the message on the stone would finally be revealed, and it was all thanks to a professor at Halifax. In 1886, the message was finally decoded. It read, “forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried.” No one could be sure what it meant by pounds. Despite its mysterious nature, many took the message to mean that there was treasure worth up to 2 million dollars buried forty feet below where the stone tablet had been found. This sparked the interest of treasure hunters around the world, and would eventually lead the Lagina brothers to Oak Island.

Was It Shakespeare’s Treasure?

The alleged treasure drew attention from all around the world, and scholars and enthusiasts from all over began theorizing about the treasure’s origins. One theory posits that the treasure may have belonged to the great bard himself- Shakespeare. Of course, the theory isn’t that simply. Some people don’t believe that the great works still taught in high schools today were actually written by William Shakespeare. Many think that his literary works were actually written by Francis Bacon. This has led some treasure hunters to hypothesize that Bacon may have dug the pit to bury his manuscripts and his earnings. Of course, that theory has been widely dismissed by current scholars and those who have studied Shakespeare’s work and life extensively. So, let’s move on to the next theory.

Marie Antoinette

Another popular theory suggests that the hidden treasure of Oak Island actually belongs to another prominent historical figure. Some believe that the infamous royal lady herself, Marie Antoinette, is responsible for the treasure buried here. Legend says that Marie sent one of her maids all the way to Nova Scotia with strict instructions to hide her wealth and jewelry on the island. According to the legend, the French Navy was even involved in the operation. Of course, none of this was ever confirmed, and many believe that the likelihood of this theory being true is very low.

Is It An Old Pirate’s Treasure?

The other main theory revolves around pirates. Pirates are well-known for stealing treasure from others and hoarding it somewhere only they can find it. Some people believe that the buried treasure on Oak Island hails from Captain Kidd, but others have a different theory. It’s recorded that at one time, Captain Blackbeard claimed to have hidden something “where none but Satan and myself can find it.” Some treasure hunters believe that he may have been referring to Oak Island, and the treasure buried deep in its Earth could be the bounties collected by Captain Blackbeard over the years.

A New Group Of Explorers

Admist the attempted decoding of the stone tablet and the discussion of where the supposed treasure comes from, a new group of explorers set foot on the island. The Truro Company sent a team of researchers to Oak Island in 1849, determined to extract whatever information from the pit they could. They’d discovered an efficient way to drill samples from the pit despite the challenges the water caused. After days, possibly weeks of work, they hit the jackpot. The explorers drilled through two chests filled with gold. According to the documents left behind by the researchers, they also found three gold links from a chain. However, these links went missing and no one could account for their disappearance.

The Perfect Storm

The Truro Company figured out the perfect way to continue digging. They planned to build a dam that would prevent water from refilling the pit, giving them access to the treasure buried beneath the mysterious island’s surface. As they were digging, they found an old, damaged dam, and realized someone else must have already attempted this. Unfortunately, an intense storm hit the island before they could move forward with their plans. The storm destroyed all their hard work and left the company with nothing salvageable. With their pockets drained and their hopes dashed, the Truro Company had no choice but to abandon their project.

The Legend Grew

Considering how close the Truro Company came to discovering the secrets of Oak Island, it makes sense that the legend surrounding the island began to grow. People all over were speculating about what kinds of treasures might be buried there and who the treasured belonged to. Along with that came claims of eerie lights and mysterious figures wandering the island. As if that weren’t creepy enough, a more disturbing part of the legend arose. Rumors began to spread that the island was cursed. According to legend, the treasure would only be revealed once seven people lost their lives in an attempt to find it. Despite this disturbing theory, dedicated researchers pressed on in their quest for answers.

The Curse Claims Its First Victim

As we now know, a supposed curse of Oak Island claims that the treasure won’t be revealed until seven people have lost their lives searching for it. Many people thought the idea of such a curse was crazy, but it didn’t take long for the island to claim its first victim. The Oak Island Association tried to take over the excavation of the pit in 1861, and they dedicated themselves to making a new shaft to stop the water from entering it. Sadly, tragic struck when the entire bottom part of the pit fell. The team was immersed in their work when the pump burst, and one of their members was killed. This horrible event only fueled speculation about the curse of Oak Island. Rumors began circulating, claiming that ghost pirates were guarding the treasure. And they were willing to kill to protect their bounty.

Even President Roosevelt Was Hooked

Many prominent figures became obsessed with the possibility of hidden treasure on Oak Island, including President Roosevelt. Stories passed down through the Roosevelt family intrigued the president, and he followed the island’s treasure mystery until his death in 1945. He was a member of The Old Salvage Group, whose mission was to uncover the island’s secrets. Roosevelt even planned on visiting the island himself in 1939. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions and sensitive international issues, his plans never came to fruition. Regardless, he watched the progress of the Old Salvage Group closely until his passing, clearly waiting for treasure to be found.

A New Discovery

There were still more mysteries to be discovered on Oak Island, and a New York businessman by the name of Gilbert Hedden was determined to get to the bottom of the legends. In 1928, he and his business partner Fred Blair took their expertise as operators of a steel fabricating firm and set out to see if they could solve the engineering issues previous explorers had faced. They drilled down the Money Pit and excavated other areas on the island with skill and technique honed by many years in the industry. Eventually, they were rewarded for their efforts. The pair came across another stone with markings similar to the one discovered in 1804. Some time later, they also found old timber at Smith’s Cove. The timber appeared to be the same material used to build the pit initially.

The Mystery Rocks

Roughly ten years after the New York businessmen made their attempt at uncovering the secrets of Oak Island, another treasure-hunting hopeful took his shot. Erwin Hamilton arrived on the island in 1939 and began drilling in 1939. He came across two fascinating discoveries during his time on the island. First, he found some unusual rocks and gravel roughly 190 feet down the money pit. Hamilton was able to determine that they were foreign to the area and must have been placed there intentionally. His next discovery was equally odd. He found a layer of natural limestone that contained some oak splinters. He believed a layer of wood existed beneath the limestone layer.

Victim Number 3

Now, we must discuss the tragic tale of Robert Restall. Restall was determined to discover the hidden secrets buried on Oak Island. He arrived on the island in 1959 and immediately began exploring. Rather quickly, he made his first interesting discovery. He found a stone with the numbers “1704” engraved on it. However, despite such a promising start, his search would end in tragedy. Restall transferred his family to Oak Island so they could witness his search, but Restall made a fatal error one day. He inhaled carbon monoxide from an engine, and it caused him to lose consciousness and fall down the money pit.

Death Takes Another

Sadly, Death was working overtime on the day Robert Restall died. What happened immediately following his death led many to accept that the curse of Oak Island is true. The fourth victim to be claimed by the island was Restall’s son, Robert Jr. Robert Jr. was watching his father work and saw him fall into the pit. Desperate to rescue his father, the young man raced to the pit and tried to reach down for his father’s hand. Sadly, he inhaled the same noxious fumes as his father. Robert Jr. also fell to his death. The island’s death toll rose to four victims. Who would be next?

The Horseman Strikes Again

Sadly, on this day, the Horseman of Death was determined to secure as many victims as possible. After Robert Restall and his son fell into the pit, two workers in the area heard the commotion and came running. Karl Graeser and Cyril Hiltz ran to the pit and made a desperate attempt to save the lives of the Restall men. They tried to climb down the Money Pit to rescue the father and his son, but tragically, they also inhaled the carbon monoxide. They met their deaths in the pit. This was the biggest tragedy in the recorded history of the island. On this day, the Money Pit claimed four lives, bringing its total victims up to six. According to legend, one more person still needed to die before the treasure could be uncovered.

The Triton Alliance

Another group of explorers converged on the island in the late 1960s. The Triton Alliance made some interesting discoveries, such as a 300-year-old pair of wrought iron scissors. They continued searching the island for over a decade. In 1976, they came up with a brilliant idea. The group finally had access to some new technology and they were quick to utilize it. They sunk a Borehole 10-X steel tube into the ground and lowered a camera into the pit. Shockingly, they discovered several artifacts, a leather shoe, and a human hand. As if that weren’t astonishing enough, they also found three chests that looked exactly like the type of chests pirates would bury their treasure in.

Avoiding Tragedy

Enter The Lagina Brothers

On January 6, 2014, the first episode of the History Channel’s new documentary television series The Curse of Oak Island, premiered. It featured the Lagina brothers, who were on a mission to uncover the secrets of this island. As any treasure hunter would agree, the island was certainly cursed, but the Lagina brothers weren’t determined by the rumors and legends. The show was set to cover the history of the island, recent discoveries, theories, and earlier investigations of the site. Some of the biggest areas of interest the brothers would focus on throughout this show include the Money Pit, Smith’s Cove, Site 2, and The Swamp.

Getting Funded

The brothers poured as much of their personal finances into this expedition as they could, but they needed more funds to do the work needed to uncover the secrets of this island. Luckily, investors were just as curious about the legends of Oak Island as the Lagina brothers, and their participation in a TV documentary only further piqued the interest of those with deep pockets. They were able to achieve enough funding to get the equipment and resources they needed to begin their epic expedition, and they were clearly thrilled to be on the island they’d read and heard so much about.

The Benefits Of Modern Technology

The Lagina brothers had something special that previous explorers hadn’t had- the benefits of modern technology! Having access to safer and more efficient equipment made a tremendous difference and gave the brothers a fresh start in the search of Oak Island. With the help of their state-of-the-art technology, the brothers were able to search parts of the island that had previously been unexplored. Of course, the Money Pit was still a major area of interest, but the use of modern technology eliminated the issues previous treasure hunters had run into. Their efforts revealed secrets that exceeded their most wildest expectations.

The First Revelation

The first two seasons of The Curse of Oak Island went by without any significant findings or happenings. However, in season three, things began to heat up. The Lagina brothers uncovered some intriguing antiques, and they were hoping to unearth more. They drained a massive pit in search for more treasures and discovered an ancient sword. It appears to be a Roman sword which, if authenticated, could prove that Romans landed on American soil thousands of years ago. Not only would this be a rich historical discovery, but it also suggests that the treasure buried on the island could be far older and more valuable than anyone had anticipated.

A Treasure Map

Despite the plethora of explorers that came before the Lagina brothers, none had been equipped with an actual treasure map. During the third season of the TV series, a guest appeared that changed everything. Zen Halpern, author of The Templar Mission to Oak Island and Beyond, appeared on the show prepared to offer the brothers some helpful insights. While being interviewed for the show, Halpern explained his theory about the presence of 12th-century Templars on the island. He provided the brothers with a meticulously made replica of a French map from 1647. On the map were the terms “hatch,” “anchor,” and “valve,” which suggested that these things had been put in place for the purpose of treasure hunters. Additionally, the map provided clues that the treasure may have come from Africa. This wealth of information was yet another step up for the brothers.

Another Piece Of Parchment

While excavating, the crew came across an odd piece of fabric. After some analysis, they determined the fabric must be from a binder that held some sort of old manuscript. Excited by the find, the brothers pushed forward, hoping to find some leftover remnants of the manuscript. Interestingly, they unearthed a small piece of parchment made from animal leather. Even more interestingly, it bore markings that many thought resembled a medieval script of some sort. The brothers suggested that this piece of parchment may be linked to correspondences between Frederick Blair and Williman Chappell, who were involved in an investigation of the island decades previously.

The Ship Logs

A colleague of the Lagina brothers, Doug Crowell, found six pages of ship logs while searching the island. One of the entries was of particular interest to these modern-day treasure hunters. The contents read, “It has been agreed that a deep pit is dug, and treasure securely buried. The pit to have a secret entrance by a tunnel from the shore.” Obviously, this sparked the brother’s curiosity and made them eager to press forward with their excavations. Certainly, if these old ship logs referenced the treasure, then it must be buried somewhere on the island. The only question was- where was it buried?

Standing By Their Discoveries

Marty and Rick stand by their discoveries and are absolutely convinced that there’s something special about this island. The Lagina brothers have spoken extensively about their research on the island, their findings, and what it must mean about the island. Marty has been quoted as saying, “The evidence suggests that something quite odd did occur on this island prior to 1795. Something happened here prior to 1795 and apparently much earlier, at least 100 years.” However, many questions remain. Is the island genuinely cursed? Did pirates bury their treasure on the island? Or is it something even more fantastical?

A Band Of Brave Men

Rick and Marty Lagina weren’t the only minds behind the recent exploration of Oak Island. They couldn’t have had such an impactful experience if it weren’t for the help of their brave team. Armed with curiosity and passion, their friends Craig Tester and Dan and David Blankenship came along for the adventure. This group of men had the skills and courage needed to take on the curse of Oak Island and brave the island’s dangers in search of treasure. After nearly two centuries of explorations and excavations, it seems the Lagina brothers and their team ave made the most progress of all those who came before them.

More To Come

While the brothers have made some interesting discoveries, particularly that of the proposed Roman sword, not every day was filled with revelations. More often than not, their digs and excavations went unrewarded. Despite that, the Lagina brothers and their crew knew the importance of staying positive and keeping things in perspective. Often, they would sit around and examine the things they had found to remind themselves of the possibilities and keep their morale up. While it’s admirable to celebrate one’s achievements, it’s equally important to look toward the future. The Lagina brothers and their crew don’t plan on giving up their quest anytime soon. So, we can only hope that there will be more to come.

A Deeper Meaning

The exploration of Oak Island has been of massive interest to hundreds of thousands of viewers, and the television series has gained a massive following throughout its ten seasons. One such fan looked at the show not only as a source of entertainment but as an opportunity to learn. The fan lived in Texas and realized that his home was directly in the path of Hurricane Harvey. Concerned about the harsh challenges that flooding would cause, the Texas native ordered an Aqua Dam, just like the one used on the show. It saved his property while the rest of the homes on his block were destroyed due to flooding.

A Bunch Of Tar

We’ll wrap things up by presenting you with one more theory about this mysterious island. A woman named Joy Steele believes she’s solved the mystery, and we have to admit that her suggestion is very interesting. Joy suggests that there are many more pits on the island than just the famed Money Pit. She claims that these pits were dug by the British Army to aid in the construction and maintenance of their ships, and they were simply large storage vessels for tar. While this claim may seem too simple for some to accept, there is some legitimacy to her theory. Joy highlights various shipbuilding sites in North Carolina that were famous tar storage pits, and they look oddly similar to the setup on Oak Island. Could this be the answer to the mystery of Oak Island? Perhaps the Lagina brothers will be able to confirm or deny this theory for us.