Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt Quick Overview:
- Released December 2024 by Michael O’Connell
- Clues inside the books (available on Amazon (Kindle)– but also on the hunt’s website (of which the Hard Copy purchase price is discounted)
- Two different treasures chests hidden – (Wait, there’s more – see update below!)
- BOTG is required to find them – the search area is the new England states -as well as New York, New Jersey, and Pa
- Total treasure value over $100,000
How Many Treasure Chests are hidden?
UPDATE! There are more than TWO TREASURES!
On April 27th, 2025, username Murky Solution (on the MW Discord) found a treasure hidden in the Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt. However, this wasn’t one of the two known hidden treasure chests! It was a bonus – found on the path of discovery! How exciting!
SIX QUESTIONS WITH ‘MURKY SOLUTON’ – finder of the first hidden cache!
Below is an image of the cache that was found near the Eric Sloane Museum in Kent, CT.
This first found treasure was a surprise for many searchers to learn! I asked Michael a few questions about this discovery (4/28/25):
- Q) Please share your thoughts when you heard one of your hidden treasures was found! That had to be exciting!
I’m really happy for the person that found the hidden treasure that I placed there in honor of Forrest Fenn’s close relationship with Eric Sloane.
- Q) Also, with this new discovery – can you confirm there are still two treasures yet to find – or how many treasures are there to find? Is the $100,000 value stated in the book spread out between these discoveries or can offer any clarification on this matter?
There is only one chest in Riley’s Treasure Chase for youth under 18 to seek. It is on the back cover of the book. This treasure is worth many many thousands of dollars and is not part of Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt. It’s a separate chase for our youth. Riley’s Treasure Chase is at bestbostontourguide.com. It’s a tour guide of Boston American Revolution era…
(It remains yet to find)
Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt is for PG 13. The Grand Prize is on the back cover. It is a historical tour guide of 9 states. Its purpose to get people outdoors on fun adventures with family and friends. There are a number of consolation prizes in this Treasure Hunt designed to get folks to have fun touring America in those 9 states. There is well over $100,000 in treasure in Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt.
Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt is a historical tour guide. People may read for pleasure, but they must go boots on the ground to get the treasures. So far (4/28/25), one treasure has been found in CT. It’s a nice treasure but there is much more treasure out there for people to seek by learning US history.
Obviously, the book referenced 9 different states and alluded to multiple treasures there. My book is educational and fun and not a mechanism for anyone to get wealthy.
The finder knows stuff others do not know about my treasure hunts. It is a big advantage to find one of Lady Liberty’s Treasure chests!
I did this for people to have fun, get outdoors, and not for anyone to get rich or make money. If others seek that they should do Justin Posey’s and Jon Collins Black’s treasure hunts. My goal is to teach US history in a fun way – not to make money selling books. America 250!
Who is Michael O’Connell?
Michael O’Connell is the creator of Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt and Riley’s Treasure Chase. He was an active searcher in the Forrest Fenn hunt who was inspired to create his own hunt on the East Coast! I had the pleasure of asking him Six Questions! Enjoy.
Six Questions with Michael (Posted January 2025):
Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt (and Riley’s Treasure Chase) are hunts for over $100,000 in treasures hidden in the Northeast. It’s a pleasure to be able to learn more about the hunts from the creator, himself – Michael O’Connell. These hunts will surely offer lots of great times, memories, explorations, and fun for those who dare to take up the challenges! And for those who follow the clues correctly in the book – the adventures will lead to treasures!
Let’s hear what Michael has to say about these two hunts!
- 1Q) Thanks Michael for this opportunity to get to know more about you and your treasure hunts. Please share what inspired you to create these hunts and what you would like searchers to enjoy most during their explorations?
First, I wish to thank Jenny Kile for allowing me to participate in the Six Questions going forward each year. I greatly enjoyed the 6 Questions with Forrest Fenn over the years. He was important to me, I admired him, and miss him very much.
My beautiful wife Laurel inspired my first book for PG13 through adults of any age: Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt. My dog Riley inspired my book for youth under 18: Riley’s Treasure Chase. When you read both books it becomes clear why they inspired these works. Several treasure hunters have sent me emails indicating that if you read Riley’s Treasure Chase book first, then the Lady Liberty Treasure Hunt book becomes clearer. I will confirm that is in fact true.
Another reason that I was inspired to create these books is to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the birth of American Liberty 1775 – 1784 to 2025 – 2034. Let’s remember America, and celebrate together!
- 2Q) For those who don’t have a book yet, please let them know how they can get involved! Plus, how long do you expect the hunt to last?
To get into my treasure hunts please go to my websites: ladylibertystreasurehunt.com and/or rileystreasurechase.com read the postings, and make a discounted purchase of the books from my websites IngramSpark direct purchase links.
Treasure Hunts are very difficult to predict for when they will end. It depends on the number of people that buy the books, and how many people decide to go boots on the ground searching for the treasure chests. People do not have to go treasure hunting, they may simply enjoy the book to learn about US history or try to partner with others going boots on the ground. If you partner with others, make certain you have clear written agreements so everyone is treated fairly, if or when a treasure chest is found.
- 3Q) Can you confirm that there are only two hidden treasure caches to discover – that one treasure cache is hidden for Riley’s Treasure Chase and another treasure cache is hidden for Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt. Will a searcher need any special equipment to find these treasure caches (metal detector, shovel, etc)?
I can confirm that all the treasures listed in both books are hidden inside their book map areas, and those two chest pictures on the back covers were hidden before I released the books. The rest is a journey of discovery, and is an adventure for those who buy the two books. They may choose to share their discoveries with Mysterious Writings or Cowlazars Youtube shows. I am a regular at these great venues.
- 4Q) In the book you mention hiking miles, as well as biking miles. Will searchers have to hike or bike miles to retrieve Lady Liberty’s treasure? What about Riley’s Treasure Chase Treasure? How far of a distance are they hidden from where you park?
I did not measure the distance or time when I hiked or biked when I hid the treasures. I would think both treasure books should be read at least twice, then folks may plan their days, and go have fun. A couple of treasure hunters emailed me about similarities between my Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt book and Jon Collins Black’s The Treasure Inside. They asked if I collaborated with him. I own Jon Collins Black treasure hunt book but released my books a week before his.
I did not know of his content, and believe my treasure hunts are the largest in Massachusetts and the US Northeast, as best I know. I like Jon’s book and recommend it to anyone considering my books, too. Someone asked if you could search his treasure and mine at the same time? I guess you could plan out trips if you were searching in the Northeast US. None of my treasure is in Canada but I hope Canadians will travel south in the spring, summer or autumn and go treasure hunting!
- 5Q) I realize you encourage visiting the many locations mentioned in the books, and that is a worthy goal. However, in order to find the hidden treasures, must a searcher visit more than just the location of the treasure? Are all the clues necessary to find the treasure in the book, and do those clues of the book provide an exact location to the hidden cache?
Both books contain clues or hints to their respective treasures. Rileys Treasure Chase is only in Massachusetts. Lady Liberty’s Treasure Hunt 9 states are in play: New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I will try to make oversized maps available when these treasure hunts grow to critical mass. Please invite your family, friends and social media contacts to join my treasure hunts. I’m a regular person like all of you. I’m not a multi-millionaire. I work for an hourly rate to pay my bills. I need all your help to please grow these treasure hunts so they fulfill their mission to get 20,000 or more people off their computers and devices and outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air on memorable historical quests and adventures.
- 6Q) What advice would you give a new searcher or new person to the hobby of treasure hunting? How should they look for clues in your books? Are the clues given via codes and ciphers to solve or are they more Riddley? Or how would you describe the clues in your books?
If someone is new to treasure hunting, Congratulations you will have fun on my treasure hunts. Go with a friend or family. Plan ahead of time. Dress comfortably. Know the weather. Bring water. Hike or bike within your ability levels. No need to wade or swim in any rivers, no winter conditions searching please, be safe always, and try not to get lost. Have a cell phone, compass and map of where you are going. Bring a camera to take pictures or video, and share your fun adventures on social media like Facebook, X, Instagram, Twitter, Tittok, Reddit, etc please! The clues and hints will have to be figured out by the treasure hunters over time, for now.