Local Legend Says Ghosts Guard Buried Treasure in Washburn, Maine

A legend in the tiny town of Washburn, Maine, talks of buried gold and the supernatural forces who protect it.

The Legend of Mathias Black Began in the Early 1800's

The story centers around a man named Mathias Black, who made his fortune in New Brunswick, Canada, working in the woods and salting salmon. This was in the early 1800s, so Maine was still very much a wild territory.

READ MORE: Which Maine Town Has the Oldest General Store Still in Operation?

Legend has it that by 1838, Mathias had accumulated over $20,000 in gold and decided he needed to separate himself from others. So he traveled along the Aroostook River and built a log cabin on a piece of land on Salmon Brook, in what is now the town of Washburn, Maine. He's said to have buried his gold on the riverbank for safekeeping. Soon after, the Aroostook War (have YOU ever heard of this?!) broke out between Maine and Canada, and Mathias got restless.

Mathias Moved Out of Maine But Locals Believe He Buried His Treasure

He decided to head to Canada, but as he rode through town, locals noticed his always-present saddle bags, filled with gold, were gone. Mathias Black left Maine and never returned to claim his fortune, prompting the locals to speculate that it must be buried somewhere on his farm.

Get our free mobile app

Legend has it that many people tried to find that gold, only to be met with unusual, and possibly even supernatural, resistance. According to the Aroostook History website, many men have tried to retrieve the gold but have experienced things like a darkening of the sky while the air became thick with sulfur or being hit with stones that appeared to be bitten off a large rock by a smokey-looking specter. The gold has never been found, but is it because the spirits protect it or because it doesn't exist?

When I started reading this story, I quickly thought of my metal detector. My Dad is originally from Washburn, so maybe he could point me to the area where Mathias Black lived. But after reading the last part of this story, I changed my mind. I'm not going to tangle with any spirits.