In this week’s episode, “MAPPING IT OUT”, the show began with the Oak Island team meeting in the WAR ROOM where they were teleconferencing with Vanessa Lucido of ROC Equipment. They were discussing their upcoming plans in the MONEY PIT area. The team mentioned that they planned to drill to a depth of 220 feet and Vanessa said that was acceptable. Marty Lagina mentioned that they wanted to put as many caissons down as possible, and he asked Vanessa about which diameter they should use. She suggested the 7-to-8-foot caissons rather than the 10 footers because they would be quicker to lay down. Vanessa said that ROC could be ready within a couple weeks of the meeting.
The action shifted to the NORTH SWAMP Area, where the Oak Island Team continued their excavation. The team noted that there were a number of axe cut chips being found. The team seemed baffled by this and not sure what it meant. It should be noted that lumbering was conducted on the island at times in its history. Then an apparent stake was found that was coming through a board. This brought up the fact that Fred Nolan found survey stakes in the Swamp area that were carbon dated to the 1500’s. This aligns with early Portuguese, English and French interests exploring Nova Scotia. After more work it was noticed that planks and boards were laid down and stretched for quite a distance. Archeologist Laird Niven was called in and he suggested that Dr. Ian Spooner be consulted to date some of the wood samples.
We were then taken to the WAR ROOM, where the Oak Island team met with Terry Deveau of NEARA, which is the New England Antiquities Research Association. Terry presented the team with some research that he worked on at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History in Hartford, Connecticut. According to research completed by the Compendium, Terry first started working on this material in 2006. Terry mentioned that he found some interesting documents regarding Oak Island by a man named William B. Goodwin. It was explained that Goodwin was from a wealthy Hartford family and was a historian. It was mentioned that Goodwin would spend summers in Chester, Nova Scotia and was on Oak Island in the 1930’s and associated with treasure hunter, Fred Blair at the time. It was mentioned that 26 boxes of Goodwin’s papers were reviewed, and a map was found that interested the team. It appeared to be a sketch made by Goodwin based on a map owned by Fred Blair, with that map’s current whereabouts being unknown. The team seemed to think that this map may be indicating that there are three separate treasure caches on the western side of the island on Lot 1 and 21. These lots were McGinnis land at one time. This led to speculation that treasure is buried in these spots and plans were made to investigate the area.
We were then taken to LOT 1, where the Oak Island team began their investigation of the Blair Map which was then redubbed as the Goodwin Map. The team started at Center Road and followed the map to the first stone that had an X carved on it. Metal detectorist Gary Drayton scanned the area around and below it and recorded no hits. Then the team tried to locate the next stone, which was noted as having X’s and squares on it. This stone was located as well, but Gary again recorded no hits of any metals. The team would continue working this map in hopes of finding more matching landmarks and something of consequence.
The action then took us to the LOT 5 EXCAVATION area, where the Oak Island team continued their excavation of the foundation and brick kiln circular feature. Archeologist Fiona Steele mentioned that they have been finding a lot of objects in their new test pit area. Some of the objects were glass, pearlware, high glazed brick, and rosehead spikes. Fiona noted that these are not modern pieces, and continued work may tie this area to the Money Pit. Rick Lagina mentioned, “they have never found a structure made entirely of brick.”, although many bricks are being discovered in various locations on the island. This would indicate that the possibility they were being made on the island and transported, which would explain the circular brick kiln on Lot 5. In fact, the Compendium reported last season about the suspected “Brick Factory” on Lot 9/10 that Fred Nolan located in the 1970’s, but the team has yet to investigate this feature for some unknown reason.
We were then taken back to LOT 1 AND 21, where the Oak Island team continued their treasure hunt using the Goodwin Map. The team felt that these landmarks were accurate and appeared to be valid. The team discovered the “Kidney” shaped stone. Gary scanned around it and under it, and again, no metal hits were detected. The next rock was described as having the “top cleaved off and looking like lightning hit it”. The team seemed excited to find it and Gary again scanned the area. This time Gary detected a metal hit. After some more work, Gary pulled out an iron cribbing spike. This spike was much like other spikes the team found on the island, although they seemed much more exuberant over this one. This led to speculation that there may be buried treasure in this area and a deeper excavation is necessary. It was noted that this area is close to where the team previously found swages which Carmen Legge mentioned were for mining and tunneling. It should be noted that a very large, quarried piece of slate is located on the island that may indicate that mining of slate, which is exclusive to the western side of the island, may have happened in this area.
The episode concluded at the NORTH SWAMP excavation area, where the Oak Island team continued to investigate the feature being unearthed. Dr. Ian Spooner was on site and noticed that there appeared to be layers, like steps going down, to a platform structure. The area has similarities to the STONE ROAD feature. It was noted that the elevation was the same as the COBBLED PATH and this platform seemed to be an extension. It was noted that these planks appeared to be very degraded. More survey stakes were discovered, and Dr. Spooner was asked to date them. He said it would be difficult, but he would cut the ends off and make an attempt. The team seemed baffled by the purpose of this area. It appears that these structures were put down to make an industrial operation easier for transporting the materials needed for the work and retrieval of resources that were being extracted in this writer’s opinion.
ANALYSIS: William Brownell Goodwin was born on October 7, 1866, in Hartford, Connecticut, to the Reverend Francis Goodwin and Mary Alsop Jackson. The Goodwin family was prominent in Hartford and his ancestor, also named William Goodwin, was one of its founders. Goodwin attended Yale University and graduated in 1888. While at Yale, Goodwin was a member of the Track and Field team. After graduation, Goodwin came to settle in Seattle, Washington and worked as secretary of the Merchant's Mill and Lumber Company. Goodwin organized and coached the first college football team at the University of Washington. Goodwin also founded the Seattle Athletic Club. During this time, Goodwin also traveled to the Yukon and spent time searching for gold. In 1898, Goodwin began working for the Aetna Fire Insurance Company and worked for them until his retirement in 1930. In 1931, he became an amateur archeologist and historian and made many trips throughout New England, including Oak Island. This is where Goodwin’s story takes a bizarre turn.
Goodwin bought Mystery Hill, now known as America’s Stonehenge, in New Hampshire in 1936. Goodwin believed that Irish monks built the stone structures found on the property around 1000 AD. Goodwin's theory was first published in 1939 in newspaper articles and later in his 1946 book “The Ruins of Great Ireland in New England”. He believed the site was built by Irish Culdee monks to create a Celtic monastery. Goodwin believed the myth that St. Brendan, an Irish priest, allegedly sailed to North America in the late 500s or early 600s. Goodwin rearranged many of the stones at Mystery Hill to support his theory. Goodwin's deception altered the site's archeological and historical record so it's impossible to know any real workings from forgeries. Many of the stones have drill marks from quarrying. Many archeologists believe that the structures resemble stone walls, huts, sheds, and foundations built in the 1700s and 1800s. It is also believed that some of these workings were constructed by indigenous peoples who lived in that area. Goodwin married Mary Hood in 1898 in Seattle and had no children. He died on May 17, 1950, in Hot Springs, Virginia at the age of 83.
Considering Goodwin’s background, his map of Oak Island is highly questionable. What we don’t know is if it is a mere copy of a diagram by Frederick Blair or something Goodwin conjured up and altered on his own. There is absolutely nothing about it in any of the files left by Blair or any other searcher, and nothing written about it by Blair’s attorney, R.V. Harris or any other writer. If it is based on Blair’s work, he would have thoroughly exhausted every effort to locate any possible treasure, as what occurred in the Money Pit area. What is a good bet is that the area was used for mining and other industrial activity and any exploration and excavation by the Oak Island team will reveal artifacts that will be attributed to tunneling and the hiding of treasure.
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Good day from the Compendium!