Does a buried treasure lay waiting to be found in Elysian Park, LA?
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Elysian Park was founded in 1886, and is the oldest park of Los Angeles. It is also one of the largest parks of LA with almost 600 acres of forest lined ridges, hidden canyons, and secluded trails. Could there be a lost treasure to find within Elysian Park? Apparently so.
The story of buried treasure within the park is not a new one. On January 27, 1896, an article about the search for buried gold was published in The Omaha Daily Bee. The story was about a wealthy cattle rancher, Francisco Avila (1772-1832) who owned lands of Los Angeles back in the day. According to the article, he ‘had accumulated about $100,000 in coin and jewels, and fearing bandits, decided to bury it, selecting a canyon in what is now the park.’
Francisco is said to have died shortly after he buried the treasure. So did the Indian friend who had helped him bury the cache. Supposedly, only his wife then knew of its location. But without need of it, she didn’t retrieve it after her husband’s death, and when she later tried, she failed. The treasure was lost.
Before Senora Avila passed away, however, she shared the story of her husband’s buried treasure with a young girl. This young girl is said to have shared it with others who searched for the hidden treasure. Again, the gold and jewels could not be found. Is it still there?
The location of the park leads to other tales of treasure being buried there, as well. During the unstable times of the Mexican American War, wealthy families are said to have buried their valuables within the canyons of the park. With US Troops nearby, and fear of being raided by oncoming armies, families of the area took to the canyons’ ruggedness for safekeeping their fortunes. It is believed not all families returned to retrieve their stashes, and they could still be there too!
Treasure Hunters have been searching there over the years looking for signs of lost gold. Stones with curious markings and dugout tunnels have been discovered, but nothing of notable worth.
Today, it is illegal to dig there without a permit, but who knows, with washouts and such, maybe a gold coin or two, or a whole stash, will resurface itself, and be found!
Best of luck with all that you seek! Always Treasure the Adventure!
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