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{{Use Canadian English|date=November 2022}}
'''Oak Island''' is one of about 400 [[island]]s located in [[Mahone Bay]], which is on the South Shore of [[Nova Scotia]], [[Canada]]. The 140 acre tree-covered island rises to a maximum of 35 feet above sea level and is known around the world as the location of the so-called '''Money Pit'''. The Money Pit is the site of numerous excavations in the [[19th Century|19th]] and [[20th Century]] to recover treasure believed by many to be buried there.
{{Short description|Island in Nova Scotia, Canada}}
{{About|the island in Nova Scotia|the island in North Carolina|Oak Island (North Carolina)|other uses|Oak Island (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox islands
⚫
| name = Oak Island
| image_map = Oak Island.png
| image_name = Island and Wharf, Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, August 1931.jpg
| image_caption = Island and Wharf, 1931
| location = [[Nova Scotia]], Canada
| coordinates = {{coord|44.5135|-64.2939|format=dms|type:isle_region:CA-NS|display=inline,title}}
| total_islands = 1
| country = Canada
| country_admin_divisions_title = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
| country_admin_divisions = [[Nova Scotia]]
| population = Seasonal{{efn|There were at least two recorded people living on the island until Dan Blankenship's death in March 2019.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118122714/http://www.history.com/shows/the-curse-of-oak-island/cast/david-Blankenship|archive-date=January 18, 2018|url=http://www.history.com/shows/the-curse-of-oak-island/cast/david-blankenship|title=David Blankenship|work=[[History Channel]]|access-date=March 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/research-documents/excavations/dan-blankenship/|title=Dan Blankenship|work=www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk|access-date=January 17, 2018}}</ref>}}
}}


'''Oak Island''' is a privately owned island in [[Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia|Lunenburg County]] on the south shore of [[Nova Scotia]], [[Canada]]. The tree-covered island is one of several islands in [[Mahone Bay]], and is connected to the mainland by a [[causeway]]. The nearest community is the rural community of [[Western Shore, Nova Scotia|Western Shore]] which faces the island, while the nearest village is [[Chester, Nova Scotia|Chester]]. The island is best known for various theories about [[buried treasure]] or historical artifacts, and the associated attempts to explore the site.
In [[1795]] a young man, Daniel McGinnis, is said to have discovered a circular depression in the south eastern end of the island with a tree nearby which had had its branches chopped to support a pulley. With some other friends he excavated the depression and discovered a layer of flagstones a few feet below. As they dug down they discovered layers of logs at about every ten feet. They abandoned the excavation at 30 feet, only to resume eight years later having set up a company, The Onslow Company, for the purpose of funding the recovery what they believed to be treasure buried by pirates. They continued excavating down to 90 feet, finding layers of logs every ten feet, and apparently layers of [[charcoal]], [[putty]] and [[coconut]] [[fibre]] at 40, 50 and 60 feet respectively.


==Geography==
At 90 feet they apparently recovered a stone bearing an inscription of indecipherable symbols. The pit subsequently flooded up to the 33 foot level; pumping did not reduce the water level, and the excavation was abandoned. The flooding was caused by the existence of a 500 foot tunnel from the pit leading to Smith's Cove nearby and so linking it to the sea.
===Climate===
{{main|Climate of Nova Scotia}}


The majority of Nova Scotia is a [[humid continental climate]] with hot and humid summers, and cold or frigid winters. While there is no [[weather station]] on the island or along [[Mahone Bay]], there is one towards the west in the town of [[Bridgewater, Nova Scotia|Bridgewater]]. The average annual temperature given in Bridgewater is {{convert|7.1|°C}}, while the precipitation runs at {{convert|1536.7|mm}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=996308&cityname=Bridgewater%2C+Nova+Scotia%2C+Canada&units=|title=Bridgewater, Nova Scotia|work=www.weatherbase.com|access-date=February 7, 2019}}</ref> The island and surrounding coasts can be hidden in fog for as many as 90 days a year.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yo_xAgAAQBAJ&q=Climate+Oak+Island+nova+scotia&pg=PT245|title=The Unsolved Oak Island Mystery 3-Book Bundle|author=Lionel and Patricia Fanthorpe, Lee Lamb|publisher=Dundurn|date=Mar 4, 2014|isbn=9781459729018|access-date=February 7, 2019}}</ref> These coasts are also vulnerable to powerful storms which include [[nor'easter]]s and [[List of Canada hurricanes|hurricanes]].
A new company, the Truro Company, was formed in [[1849]] and re-excavated the shaft back down to 86 feet at which point it flooded again. They then drilled down into the ground below the bottom of the shaft. The drill allegedly passed through a [[spruce]] platform at 98 feet and then through 22 inches of what was described as "metal in pieces", 8 inches of oak, and then another 22 inches of metal followed by 4 inches of [[oak]] and another spruce layer. One account states that they recovered three small [[gold]] links of a [[chain]] from [[mud]] stuck to the [[drill]]. They attempted to prevent the pit from flooding by [[dam]]ming Smith's Cove and subsequently by excavating a shaft into the tunnel to block it and prevent the pit from flooding.


===Ecology===
The next attempt was made in [[1861]] by a new company, the Oak Island Association, which apparently led to the collapse of the bottom of the shaft into a natural cave underneath it. The first fatality during the excavations occurred when the boiler of a [[pumping engine]] burst &mdash; in total about six people have been killed in [[accident]]s during the various excavations. The company gave up when they exhausted their funds in [[1864]].
Oak Island is made up of a [[temperate broadleaf and mixed forest]], known regionally as the [[New England/Acadian forests]]. Wildlife in the Mahone Bay area includes [[great blue heron]]s, [[black guillemot]]s, [[osprey]], [[Leach's storm petrel]]s, and [[razorbill]]s. Non-specific [[eagle]]s and [[puffin]]s are also mentioned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mahoneislands.ns.ca/islands/|title=The Islands Today: Overview|work=Mahone Islands Conservation Association|access-date=February 11, 2019}}</ref> The [[roseate tern]] is considered an [[endangered species]] in the area and is protected by the [[Government of Canada|Canadian government]]. Efforts to restore their habitat, such as curbing the population of other bird species, have been undertaken.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/052/details-eng.cfm?pid=10038|title=Deterring Gull Nesting at Mahone Bay Tern Colonies|author=Environment Canada|work=Canadian Environment Assessment Agency|date=7 July 2008|access-date=February 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mahoneislands.ns.ca/islands/challenges.php|title=The Islands Today: Challenges|work=Mahone Islands Conservation Association|access-date=February 11, 2019}}</ref>


===Geology===
Numerous further excavations were made by different people in [[1866]], [[1893]], [[1909]], [[1931]], [[1936]] and [[1959]], none of which were successful. In [[1965]] the area of the pit was dug out using a 70-ton digging [[crane (machine)|crane]] with a clam bucket to a depth of 140 feet and width of 100 feet; the [[soil]] removed being carefully examined for artifacts. Consequently the location of the original shaft is no longer precisely known. Assembling the crane required the construction of a causeway (which still exists) from the western end of the island to Crandall's Point on the mainland two hundred metres away.
The geology of Oak Island was first mapped in 1924 by J. W. Goldthwait of the [[Geological Survey of Canada]], who interpreted the island as a composite of four [[drumlin]]s.<ref name="Bathymetry Analysis">{{cite web|url=http://www.criticalenquiry.org/oakisland/fader_2.html|title=Bathymetry Analysis of the Oak Island area|author=Gordon B. J. Fader and Robert C. Courtney|work=www.criticalenquiry.org|access-date=February 6, 2019}}</ref> These drumlins are "elongated hills" which consist of multiple layers of [[till]] resting on bedrock and are from different phases of [[Glacial motion|glacial advance]] that span the past 75,000 years.<ref name="Archaeological Findings">{{cite web |url=https://www.oakislandtours.ca/uploads/5/0/8/8/50887171/a02_smiths_cove_oak_island_les_m_aug_2006.pdf |title=Review of Explorations, Archaeological Findings and Original Workings at Smith's Cove Oak Island, Nova Scotia|author=Les MacPhie and John Wonnacott|work=www.oakislandtours.ca|pages=7, 10, 12, 13, 17|date=August 12, 2006|access-date=February 6, 2019}}</ref> The layers on top of the [[bedrock]] are mainly made up of "Lawrencetown" and slate till. The former of these two is considered a type of [[clay]] till which is made up of 50% sand, 30% [[silt]], and 20% clay.<ref name="Archaeological Findings"/> In the main area that has been [[#Oak Island mystery|searched for treasure]] along with the till lie bits of [[anhydrite]] which become more [[Competence (geology)|competent]] deeper down. Researchers Les MacPhie, and John Wonnacott concluded that the deep deposits at the east end of the Island make up the drumlin formations.<ref name="Archaeological Findings"/>


There are two types of bedrock that lie under Oak Island; the southeastern portion consists of "[[Mississippian (geology)|Mississippian]] Windsor Group [[limestone]]" and [[gypsum]], and the northwestern part is [[Geologic time scale|Cambro-Ordovician]] Halifax Formation [[slate]].<ref name="Bathymetry Analysis"/> Oak Island and the area that is now [[Mahone Bay]] was once a [[lagoon]] 8,000 years [[Before Present|BP]], before the sea level rose with the melting glaciers.<ref name="Archaeological Findings"/> Dr. Ian Spooner of [[Acadia University]] has stated that the current triangular swamp on Oak Island was once a [[cove]]. Analysis done of core samples taken from the swamp show that a "significant [[Saline water|saltwater]] intrusion" occurred as recently as the late 1300s or early 1400s. While Spooner said that this was likely from "human manipulation", he did not rule out the possibility of an enormous storm.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAvADQAAQBAJ&dq=Oak+Island+ian+spooner&pg=PT432|title=2020 Postscript: The Search Continues|work=The Curse of Oak Island: The Story of the World’s Longest Treasure Hunt|author=Randall Sullivan|publisher=Atlantic Monthly Press|year=2018|isbn=9780802189059}}</ref>
Another attempt was made by a company, the Triton Alliance, in [[1976]] with the excavation of 237 foot shaft supported by a [[steel]] [[caisson]]. [[Camera]]s lowered down it into a [[cave]] underneath allegedly recorded some chests, a "human hand" and some tools. The shaft subsequently collapsed and the excavation was again abandoned. They apparently paid for a survey by the [[Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution]] in [[1995]] but the results were not published.


==Human history==
Various opinions have been put forward as to what the pit might contain. Most of these suggest treasure which has been buried by any of a wide variety of people &mdash; the [[pirate]] [[Captain Kidd]], British troops during the [[American revolution]], [[Spain|Spanish]] [[sailor]]s from a wrecked [[galleon]], the [[Inca Empire|Incas]] or even the exiled [[France|French]] [[Knights Templar]].
<!--This section is about the overall history of humans on the Island (summary), for the treasure/mystery we have a separate article on that-->
{{See also|History of Nova Scotia}}


The first known indigenous people in [[Nova Scotia]] are the [[Mi'kmaq]], who have lived in present-day Nova Scotia and [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] for several thousand years.<ref>{{cite web |first=John Nick |last=Jeddore |date=August 25, 2011 |title=There were no Indians here ... |website=TheIndependent.ca |url=http://theindependent.ca/2011/08/25/there-were-no-indians-here/}}</ref> The area that encompasses Oak Island was once known as the "Segepenegatig" region. While it is unknown when Europeans first encountered Oak Island, the earliest confirmed European residents date back to the 1750s when French fishermen built a few houses on the future site of the nearby village of [[Chester, Nova Scotia|Chester]].<ref name=mather>{{cite book |last=DesBrisay |first=Mather Byles |author-link=Mather Byles DesBrisay |title=History of the county of Lunenburg |year=1895 |location=Toronto |publisher=W. Briggs |lccn=01022095 |pages=619 |oclc=04067460 |url=https://archive.org/stream/historycountylu00desbgoog}}</ref> Following the [[Expulsion of the Acadians]] during the [[Seven Years' War]], the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British authorities]] encouraged British colonists from [[New England]] to settle in Nova Scotia.<ref name=mather/> Land was made available to settlers in 1759 through the [[Shorham grant]], and Chester was officially founded that same year.<ref name=mather/>
Since the [[1970s]], few people have believed in any possible connection to pirates, due primarily to the massive scale of the subterranean construction.


The first major group of settlers arrived in the Chester area from [[Massachusetts]] in 1761, and Oak Island was officially surveyed and divided into 32 four-acre lots in the following year. A large part of the island was owned at the time by the Monro, Lynch, Seacombe, and Young families who had been granted the land in 1759. In the early days of British settlement, the island was known locally as "Smith's Island," after an early settler of the area named Edward Smith. Cartographer [[Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres]] renamed the island "Gloucester Isle" in 1778. Shortly thereafter, the locally used name "Oak Island" was officially adopted for the Island. Early residents included Edward Smith in the 1760s and Anthony Vaughn Sr. in the early 1770s. In 1784, the government made additional [[Land grant|land grants]], this time to former soldiers, which included parts of Oak Island.<ref name=mather/> It was not until July 6, 1818, that the original lot owners' names were mapped for the [[Nova Scotia Crown Lands office]].<ref>{{cite book |last=DesBrisay |first=Mather Byles |date=1895 |title=History of the county of Lunenburg |url=https://archive.org/stream/historycountylu00desbgoog#page/n318/mode/2up/search/Oak+Island |location=Toronto |publisher=[[William Briggs (publisher)|William Briggs]] |author-link=Mather Byles DesBrisay |edition=2|page=300}}</ref> Oak Island has been intermittently owned by treasure hunters ever since [[#Oak Island mystery|old legends]] were first published in 1857.<ref name="Treasure">{{cite web |last=Whipps |first=Heather |title=For Sale: Island with Mysterious Money Pit |url=http://www.livescience.com/history/051107_oak_island.html |access-date=5 December 2005 |date=7 November 2005 |work=[[Live Science]] |publisher=[[Purch]]}}</ref> The hunt for treasure got so extensive that in 1965 a [[causeway]] was built from the western end of the island to Crandall's Point on the mainland, two hundred metres away in order to bring heavy machinery onto the island.<ref>[[History (U.S. TV channel)|The History Channel]], ''Decoding the Past: The Templar Code'', video documentary, November 7, 2005, written by Marcy Marzuni</ref>
According to the legend, the inability of excavators to gain access to the contents of the Pit is due to the presence of a complex flooding system which has foiled repeated excavation attempts over the last two centuries. Proponents claim that at least one of the beaches on the island is entirely artificial, acting as a giant [[sponge]] due to thick layers of coconut fibres beneath the surface (coconuts are not indigenous to Nova Scotia). Water enters the Money Pit through an ingenious system of tunnels that delivers it from the "sponge" to drains in the side of the pit.


The most recent owners include a treasure hunter named Dan Blankenship, who initially partnered with "Oak Island Tours Inc.," run by David Tobias. Oak Island Tours eventually dissolved, and in February 2019 it was announced that a new partnership had been formed with a company called the "Michigan Group".<ref name="Michigan Group">{{cite web|url=http://oakislandsociety.ca/oak-island-sold/|title=Dan Blankenship confirms new treasure hunting partners|author=Angie Zinck|work=Oak Island Society|date=February 3, 2019|access-date=February 4, 2019}}</ref> This group consisted of brothers Rick and [[Marty Lagina]], Craig Tester, and Alan Kostrzewa who had been purchasing lots from Tobias.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marivineyards.com/winery/villa-mari-team|title=Marty Lagina - Alex Lagina - Oak Island - Curse of Oak Island - Winery Traverse City|website=www.marivineyards.com|access-date=2019-11-12}}</ref><ref name="Michigan Group"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mynorth.com/2014/01/qa-with-oak-islands-marty-lagina-and-craig-tester/|title=Q&A with Oak Island's Marty Lagina & Craig Tester|author=Evan Perry|work=My North|date=January 31, 2014|access-date=February 4, 2019}}</ref> Blankenship owned the island with the Michigan Group until his death on March 17, 2019, at the age of 95.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dan-blankenship-treasure-hunter-oak-island-funeral-1.5071691|title=Famed N.S. treasure hunter brought about new era in Oak Island mystery|publisher=CBC|author=Aly Thomson|date=March 26, 2019|access-date=March 27, 2019}}</ref>
A dissenting view is that the account of the discovery at the end of the [[18th Century]] through to the mid-19th century is based on unverified [[folklore]] and entirely false. This view is supported by the fact that the earliest known written description of the Money Pit is a news article published in the ''Liverpool Transcript'' newspaper in October [[1862]], which included an oral account of the early years of the excavation attempts as told by several diggers. No corroborating material exists, making the story told by these men impossible to verify. It is not certain that any elements of the original tale (e.g. "oak platforms", an "inscribed stone", or even the tree) actually existed, and many details have changed repeatedly since this version was published. Many elements found in the Oak Island story &mdash; such as the discovery of tantalising but inconclusive objects, and a message in indecipherable code &mdash; are commonly found in other tales of [[treasure]] and [[piracy]] (see the [[Edgar Allan Poe]] [[story]] [[The Gold Bug]] for example), so it is not known whether the early account of the Money Pit is due to several stories which have been merged together.


Oak Island is populated on a seasonal basis with two permanent homes and two cottages being occupied part-time.<ref name="Michigan Group"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chesterbound.com/Oak_Island/faq.htm |title=Explore Oak Island Display |work=Chester Municipal Heritage Society |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528115901/http://www.chesterbound.com/Oak_Island/faq.htm |archive-date=28 May 2016}}</ref> While the island remains private property, public access is granted to those who schedule tours ahead of time.<ref>{{Cite web|title=contact|url=https://www.oakislandtours.ca/contact.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=OAK ISLAND - NOVA SCOTIA|language=en}}</ref>
It is also noteworthy that the island lies on a [[glacier|glacial]] [[tumulus]] system and is underlain by a series of water-filled [[limestone]] caves; which offers an alternate explanation for the repeated flooding of the pit and the shafts dug around it.


== Oak Island mystery ==
Oak Island is also well-known because [[Franklin Roosevelt]], former [[President of the United States of America]], was once a [[treasure hunter]] there, part of the Old Gold Salvage group of 1909 and kept up with news and developments for most of his life.
{{Main|Oak Island mystery}}


Oak Island has been a subject for treasure hunters ever since the late 1700s, with rumours that [[William Kidd|Captain Kidd]]'s treasure was buried there. While there is little evidence to support what went on during the early excavations, stories began to be published and documented as early as 1856. Since that time there have been many theories that extend beyond that of Captain Kidd which include stories of religious artifacts, manuscripts, and [[Marie Antoinette]]'s jewels. The "treasure" has also been prone to criticism by those who have dismissed search areas as natural phenomena.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.csicop.org/si/show/secrets_of_oak_island/ |title=The Secrets of Oak Island |last=Nickell |first=Joe |author-link=Joe Nickell |journal=[[Skeptical Inquirer]] |date=March 2000 |volume=24 |issue=2 |access-date=2015-11-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103221316/http://www.csicop.org/si/show/secrets_of_oak_island |archive-date=2016-11-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
⚫
==External links==
* [http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/ Oak Island Treasure (The Money Pit)]
* [http://forum.oakislandtreasure.co.uk Oak Island Treasure Forum]
* [http://www.oakislandsociety.ca Oak Island Tourism Society]
* [http://www.criticalenquiry.org/oakisland Critical Enquiry: Oak Island]


Areas of interest on the island with regard to treasure hunters include a location known as the "Money Pit", which is allegedly the original searchers’ spot. Located on the east side of Oak Island, the Money Pit is—or was—a shaft more than {{convert|100|ft}} deep. According to island lore, it first drew the attention of a local teenager in 1795, who noticed an indentation in the ground and, with some friends, started to dig—only to find a man-made shaft featuring wooden platforms every {{convert|10|ft}} down to the {{convert|90|ft|adj=on}} level of depth.
⚫
[[de:Oak Island]]

There is also a formation of boulders called "Nolan's Cross", named after a former treasure hunter, and a triangle-shaped swamp. Lastly, there has been activity on a beach at a place called "Smith's Cove". Various objects including non-native [[Coir|coconut fibre]] have been found there.<ref name="Treasure"/> More recent archaeological discoveries in the Smith's Cove area have included an allegedly pre-15th-century lead cross and various wooden earthworks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/the-curse-of-oak-island-breakthrough-lead-cross-is-pre-15th-century-and-could-have-knights-templar-connection/|title=The Curse of Oak Island breakthrough: Lead cross is pre-15th century and could have Knights Templar connection|date=2018-12-19|website=Monsters and Critics|access-date=2019-04-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/the-curse-of-oak-island-recap-team-discover-a-second-mysterious-structure-at-smiths-cove/|title=The Curse of Oak Island recap: Team discover a second mysterious structure at Smith's Cove|date=2019-01-23|website=Monsters and Critics|access-date=2019-04-11}}</ref>

More than fifty books have been published recounting the island's history and exploring competing theories.<ref>{{cite book |last=Conlin |first=Dan |author-link=Dan Conlin |title=Pirates of the Atlantic: Robbery, Murder and Mayhem off the Canadian East Coast |location=Halifax |publisher=Formac Publishing Company Limited |date=16 October 2009 |page=86 |isbn=9780887807411 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P4IgnwEACAAJ&pg=PA86}}</ref> Several works of [[fiction]] have also been based upon the Money Pit, including ''[[Eric Walters|The Money Pit Mystery]]'', ''[[Riptide (novel)|Riptide]]'', ''[[The Hand of Robin Squires]]'', and ''Betrayed: The Legend of Oak Island''. In January 2014, the [[History (U.S. TV network)|History Channel]] began airing a reality TV show called ''[[The Curse of Oak Island]]'' about a group of modern treasure hunters. These hunters include brothers Rick and Marty Lagina of the "Michigan Group".<ref>{{cite book |first=J Douglas |last=Kenyon |title=Missing Connections: Challenging the Consensus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IVNOBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA57 |publisher=[[Atlantis Rising]] |date=1 February 2016 |page=57 |isbn=9780990690429}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://mynorth.com/2016/06/rick-marty-lagina-last-treasure-hunters/ |title=Rick and Marty Lagina: The Last Treasure Hunters |first=Lou |last=Blouin |date=27 June 2016 |access-date=28 August 2018 |work=[[MyNorth]] |publisher=Prism Publications}}</ref> The series has documented finds such as centuries-old coins, an antique [[brooch]], and a lead cross that was allegedly made between 1200 and 1600 A.D.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.distractify.com/p/do-they-ever-find-anything-oak-island|title=Do They Ever Find Anything on Oak Island? Plus, How to Visit|author=Amber Garrett|work=distractify.com|access-date=May 8, 2019}}</ref>

== See also ==
* {{Portal inline|Canada}}

== Explanatory notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

⚫
== External links ==
{{Commonscat|Oak Island}}
* {{google maps |url= https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=44.512115,-64.293709&spn=0.01879,0.03931&t=k |title= Satellite image of Oak Island |link= no }}
* {{cite web |url= http://mmmgroup2.altervista.org/e-oak.html |url-status= live |archive-date= Aug 4, 2002 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20020804103503/http://members.xoom.virgilio.it/mmmgroup/e-oak.html |title= The Oak Island Treasure |publisher= MMM Group }}
* [http://www.friendsofoakisland.com/ Friends of Oak Island Society], successor to Oak Island Tourism Society, focusing on summer tours
* [http://www.oakislandmoneypit.com/ Oak Island Money Pit], Detailed resource covering the money pit's history

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Oak Island| ]]
[[Category:Islands of Mahone Bay]]
[[Category:Private islands of Canada]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Nova Scotia]]
[[Category:Buried treasure]]

Latest revision as of 01:45, 4 January 2025

This article is about the island in Nova Scotia. For the island in North Carolina, see Oak Island (North Carolina). For other uses, see Oak Island (disambiguation).
Oak Island
Island and Wharf, 1931
Geography
LocationNova Scotia, Canada
Coordinates44°30′49″N 64°17′38″W / 44.5135°N 64.2939°W / 44.5135; -64.2939
Total islands1
Administration
Canada
ProvinceNova Scotia
Demographics
PopulationSeasonal[a]

Oak Island is a privately owned island in Lunenburg County on the south shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. The tree-covered island is one of several islands in Mahone Bay, and is connected to the mainland by a causeway. The nearest community is the rural community of Western Shore which faces the island, while the nearest village is Chester. The island is best known for various theories about buried treasure or historical artifacts, and the associated attempts to explore the site.

Geography

[edit]

Climate

[edit]
Main article: Climate of Nova Scotia

The majority of Nova Scotia is a humid continental climate with hot and humid summers, and cold or frigid winters. While there is no weather station on the island or along Mahone Bay, there is one towards the west in the town of Bridgewater. The average annual temperature given in Bridgewater is 7.1 °C (44.8 °F), while the precipitation runs at 1,536.7 millimetres (60.50 in).[3] The island and surrounding coasts can be hidden in fog for as many as 90 days a year.[4] These coasts are also vulnerable to powerful storms which include nor'easters and hurricanes.

Ecology

[edit]

Oak Island is made up of a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest, known regionally as the New England/Acadian forests. Wildlife in the Mahone Bay area includes great blue herons, black guillemots, osprey, Leach's storm petrels, and razorbills. Non-specific eagles and puffins are also mentioned.[5] The roseate tern is considered an endangered species in the area and is protected by the Canadian government. Efforts to restore their habitat, such as curbing the population of other bird species, have been undertaken.[6][7]

Geology

[edit]

The geology of Oak Island was first mapped in 1924 by J. W. Goldthwait of the Geological Survey of Canada, who interpreted the island as a composite of four drumlins.[8] These drumlins are "elongated hills" which consist of multiple layers of till resting on bedrock and are from different phases of glacial advance that span the past 75,000 years.[9] The layers on top of the bedrock are mainly made up of "Lawrencetown" and slate till. The former of these two is considered a type of clay till which is made up of 50% sand, 30% silt, and 20% clay.[9] In the main area that has been searched for treasure along with the till lie bits of anhydrite which become more competent deeper down. Researchers Les MacPhie, and John Wonnacott concluded that the deep deposits at the east end of the Island make up the drumlin formations.[9]

There are two types of bedrock that lie under Oak Island; the southeastern portion consists of "Mississippian Windsor Group limestone" and gypsum, and the northwestern part is Cambro-Ordovician Halifax Formation slate.[8] Oak Island and the area that is now Mahone Bay was once a lagoon 8,000 years BP, before the sea level rose with the melting glaciers.[9] Dr. Ian Spooner of Acadia University has stated that the current triangular swamp on Oak Island was once a cove. Analysis done of core samples taken from the swamp show that a "significant saltwater intrusion" occurred as recently as the late 1300s or early 1400s. While Spooner said that this was likely from "human manipulation", he did not rule out the possibility of an enormous storm.[10]

Human history

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See also: History of Nova Scotia

The first known indigenous people in Nova Scotia are the Mi'kmaq, who have lived in present-day Nova Scotia and Newfoundland for several thousand years.[11] The area that encompasses Oak Island was once known as the "Segepenegatig" region. While it is unknown when Europeans first encountered Oak Island, the earliest confirmed European residents date back to the 1750s when French fishermen built a few houses on the future site of the nearby village of Chester.[12] Following the Expulsion of the Acadians during the Seven Years' War, the British authorities encouraged British colonists from New England to settle in Nova Scotia.[12] Land was made available to settlers in 1759 through the Shorham grant, and Chester was officially founded that same year.[12]

The first major group of settlers arrived in the Chester area from Massachusetts in 1761, and Oak Island was officially surveyed and divided into 32 four-acre lots in the following year. A large part of the island was owned at the time by the Monro, Lynch, Seacombe, and Young families who had been granted the land in 1759. In the early days of British settlement, the island was known locally as "Smith's Island," after an early settler of the area named Edward Smith. Cartographer Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres renamed the island "Gloucester Isle" in 1778. Shortly thereafter, the locally used name "Oak Island" was officially adopted for the Island. Early residents included Edward Smith in the 1760s and Anthony Vaughn Sr. in the early 1770s. In 1784, the government made additional land grants, this time to former soldiers, which included parts of Oak Island.[12] It was not until July 6, 1818, that the original lot owners' names were mapped for the Nova Scotia Crown Lands office.[13] Oak Island has been intermittently owned by treasure hunters ever since old legends were first published in 1857.[14] The hunt for treasure got so extensive that in 1965 a causeway was built from the western end of the island to Crandall's Point on the mainland, two hundred metres away in order to bring heavy machinery onto the island.[15]

The most recent owners include a treasure hunter named Dan Blankenship, who initially partnered with "Oak Island Tours Inc.," run by David Tobias. Oak Island Tours eventually dissolved, and in February 2019 it was announced that a new partnership had been formed with a company called the "Michigan Group".[16] This group consisted of brothers Rick and Marty Lagina, Craig Tester, and Alan Kostrzewa who had been purchasing lots from Tobias.[17][16][18] Blankenship owned the island with the Michigan Group until his death on March 17, 2019, at the age of 95.[19]

Oak Island is populated on a seasonal basis with two permanent homes and two cottages being occupied part-time.[16][20] While the island remains private property, public access is granted to those who schedule tours ahead of time.[21]

Oak Island mystery

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Main article: Oak Island mystery

Oak Island has been a subject for treasure hunters ever since the late 1700s, with rumours that Captain Kidd's treasure was buried there. While there is little evidence to support what went on during the early excavations, stories began to be published and documented as early as 1856. Since that time there have been many theories that extend beyond that of Captain Kidd which include stories of religious artifacts, manuscripts, and Marie Antoinette's jewels. The "treasure" has also been prone to criticism by those who have dismissed search areas as natural phenomena.[22]

Areas of interest on the island with regard to treasure hunters include a location known as the "Money Pit", which is allegedly the original searchers’ spot. Located on the east side of Oak Island, the Money Pit is—or was—a shaft more than 100 feet (30 m) deep. According to island lore, it first drew the attention of a local teenager in 1795, who noticed an indentation in the ground and, with some friends, started to dig—only to find a man-made shaft featuring wooden platforms every 10 feet (3.0 m) down to the 90-foot (27 m) level of depth.

There is also a formation of boulders called "Nolan's Cross", named after a former treasure hunter, and a triangle-shaped swamp. Lastly, there has been activity on a beach at a place called "Smith's Cove". Various objects including non-native coconut fibre have been found there.[14] More recent archaeological discoveries in the Smith's Cove area have included an allegedly pre-15th-century lead cross and various wooden earthworks.[23][24]

More than fifty books have been published recounting the island's history and exploring competing theories.[25] Several works of fiction have also been based upon the Money Pit, including The Money Pit Mystery, Riptide, The Hand of Robin Squires, and Betrayed: The Legend of Oak Island. In January 2014, the History Channel began airing a reality TV show called The Curse of Oak Island about a group of modern treasure hunters. These hunters include brothers Rick and Marty Lagina of the "Michigan Group".[26][27] The series has documented finds such as centuries-old coins, an antique brooch, and a lead cross that was allegedly made between 1200 and 1600 A.D.[28]

See also

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Explanatory notes

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  1. ^ There were at least two recorded people living on the island until Dan Blankenship's death in March 2019.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ "David Blankenship". History Channel. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  2. ^ "Dan Blankenship". www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  3. ^ "Bridgewater, Nova Scotia". www.weatherbase.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  4. ^ Lionel and Patricia Fanthorpe, Lee Lamb (Mar 4, 2014). The Unsolved Oak Island Mystery 3-Book Bundle. Dundurn. ISBN 9781459729018. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  5. ^ "The Islands Today: Overview". Mahone Islands Conservation Association. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  6. ^ Environment Canada (7 July 2008). "Deterring Gull Nesting at Mahone Bay Tern Colonies". Canadian Environment Assessment Agency. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  7. ^ "The Islands Today: Challenges". Mahone Islands Conservation Association. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Gordon B. J. Fader and Robert C. Courtney. "Bathymetry Analysis of the Oak Island area". www.criticalenquiry.org. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d Les MacPhie and John Wonnacott (August 12, 2006). "Review of Explorations, Archaeological Findings and Original Workings at Smith's Cove Oak Island, Nova Scotia" (PDF). www.oakislandtours.ca. pp. 7, 10, 12, 13, 17. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  10. ^ Randall Sullivan (2018). 2020 Postscript: The Search Continues. Atlantic Monthly Press. ISBN 9780802189059. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  11. ^ Jeddore, John Nick (August 25, 2011). "There were no Indians here ..." TheIndependent.ca.
  12. ^ a b c d DesBrisay, Mather Byles (1895). History of the county of Lunenburg. Toronto: W. Briggs. p. 619. LCCN 01022095. OCLC 04067460.
  13. ^ DesBrisay, Mather Byles (1895). History of the county of Lunenburg (2 ed.). Toronto: William Briggs. p. 300.
  14. ^ a b Whipps, Heather (7 November 2005). "For Sale: Island with Mysterious Money Pit". Live Science. Purch. Retrieved 5 December 2005.
  15. ^ The History Channel, Decoding the Past: The Templar Code, video documentary, November 7, 2005, written by Marcy Marzuni
  16. ^ a b c Angie Zinck (February 3, 2019). "Dan Blankenship confirms new treasure hunting partners". Oak Island Society. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  17. ^ "Marty Lagina - Alex Lagina - Oak Island - Curse of Oak Island - Winery Traverse City". www.marivineyards.com. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  18. ^ Evan Perry (January 31, 2014). "Q&A with Oak Island's Marty Lagina & Craig Tester". My North. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  19. ^ Aly Thomson (March 26, 2019). "Famed N.S. treasure hunter brought about new era in Oak Island mystery". CBC. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  20. ^ "Explore Oak Island Display". Chester Municipal Heritage Society. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016.
  21. ^ "contact". OAK ISLAND - NOVA SCOTIA. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  22. ^ Nickell, Joe (March 2000). "The Secrets of Oak Island". Skeptical Inquirer. 24 (2). Archived from the original on 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  23. ^ "The Curse of Oak Island breakthrough: Lead cross is pre-15th century and could have Knights Templar connection". Monsters and Critics. 2018-12-19. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  24. ^ "The Curse of Oak Island recap: Team discover a second mysterious structure at Smith's Cove". Monsters and Critics. 2019-01-23. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  25. ^ Conlin, Dan (16 October 2009). Pirates of the Atlantic: Robbery, Murder and Mayhem off the Canadian East Coast. Halifax: Formac Publishing Company Limited. p. 86. ISBN 9780887807411.
  26. ^ Kenyon, J Douglas (1 February 2016). Missing Connections: Challenging the Consensus. Atlantis Rising. p. 57. ISBN 9780990690429.
  27. ^ Blouin, Lou (27 June 2016). "Rick and Marty Lagina: The Last Treasure Hunters". MyNorth. Prism Publications. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  28. ^ Amber Garrett. "Do They Ever Find Anything on Oak Island? Plus, How to Visit". distractify.com. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
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