This installment of my Lost Treasures series of posts finds us in Connecticut. No Gold Rush bandits here, so let’s explore what kind of Lost Treasures might be waiting for some lucky searcher to discover in the Constitution State!
Benedict Arnold’s Connecticut Treasure
With the state nickname, one can appreciate Connecticut’s ties to the American Revolution. One such tale involves the infamous Benedict Arnold. As the story goes, General Arnold, disenchanted by his perceived disrespect by his peers and superiors, and his court-martial for misuse of funds, agreed to defect and hand over West Point to the British in return for £20,000. Rumors say he buried at least a portion of his ill-gotten gains, perhaps in Connecticut. There doesn’t seem to be a document detailing the money he received or its disposition, but it is fun to think a buried Revolutionary War treasure could be near his home or along frequently traveled routes.
Winsted, Connecticut Bank Robbery
As most states do, Connecticut also has a bank robbery story. In 1861, thieves robbed the Winsted Bank of gold and silver coins and bank notes. The heist totaled about $50,000 (about $1.9 million in today’s dollars). According to the story, the robbers ripped up the floor above the vault, split the stone sitting on top of the vault, removed the valuables, replaced the stone pieces, and restored the floor. They fled, burying the coins along the way. The authorities captured the thieves, but never recovered the loot. Somewhere around Winsted, a cache of coins may be sitting there waiting for a lucky person to find it!
Captain Kidd’s Connecticut Treasure
No post like this would be complete without a good pirate story, and Connecticut has a few. My favorite involves Captain Kidd. Captain Kidd was a notorious pirate who sailed the waters around Connecticut (and many other places). This tale alleges that Captain Kidd hid treasure on Charles Island off Milford. Even though no one has found the treasure, if the story is true, it could be worth millions.
There is a darker element to the story. According to Atlas Obscura, the island is cursed! A Paugusset chief cursed the island after trading the land to European settlers. Then, in 1699, Captain Kidd cursed the island after burying the aforementioned treasure. Lastly, Connecticut sailors found an Aztec treasure stashed in a cave in Mexico. The Aztec emperor Cuauhtémoc supposedly cursed the loot, and most of the sailors who brought the treasure home died. The remaining sailor buried the spoils on Charles Island, transferring the curse to the island. If you want to go treasure hunting, mind the tides and maybe the curses!
That’s my short list of Connecticut’s lost treasures. There are certainly more missing treasures, so happy hunting!
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