WORLD WIDE MAGAZINE, MAY 1920 (BOTH PICS)
In this final part of our series, “THE MYSTERY OF THE OAK ISLAND POSTCARD”, Compendium Investigations is focusing on the structure that was hidden in “The Money Pit Postcard” picture. It was caught in a photograph that appeared in World Wide Magazine in May 1920. This photograph was taken at the same time as the postcard picture but at a slightly different angle. Compendium Investigations has demonstrated that the photograph was taken in 1909 during The Old Gold Salvage and Wrecking Company operation. The photograph reveals what appears to be a roof of a house with a chimney in the middle of the roof, at a lower elevation. In Part I, Compendium Investigations proposed that this hidden structure may have been John Smith’s house that was the alleged location of the elusive 90 FT Stone.
THE OAK ISLAND TREASURE COMPANY PROSPECTUS, 1893
REVIEW OF EXPLORATIONS, ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS AND ORIGINAL WORKINGS, LES MACPHIE, 2006
Compendium Investigations gathered information on what we know about the location of Smith’s House and Barn. In the Oak Island Treasure Company Prospectus of 1893, there is a diagram that shows the general location of the house and barn in relation to the Money Pit location. This is the basis for many subsequent references to the location of both structures. This is also illustrated in the MacPhie reports, but according to Compendium Investigations analysis, this does not coincide with the location of the structure in the World Wide Magazine - Money Pit photograph. Further analysis was needed.
THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND – THE HISTORY CHANNEL
ROPER SURVEY 1937 (PIC 2) – NOVA SCOTIA ARCHIVES
LOZIER SURVEY, 1916 (PIC 3)– OAK ISLAND TOURS
According to the 1959 survey by Fred Nolan and George Bates (Pic 1) you can clearly see the “Old House Foundation” labeled in close proximity to the alleged Money Pit location. In newspaper articles, the house was noted as being 12 to 15 feet away from The Money Pit, although this seems to be in error and was 45 further feet away then that measurement. The Roper survey of 1937 (Pic 2) and the Lozier survey of 1916 (Pic 3), both show this same foundation with certain variations that confirm the foundation’s existence. Is there any more evidence to support this structure’s location?
REVIEW OF GEOTECHNICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS, LES MACPHIE, 2008 (BOTH PICS)
There have been no known photographs of John Smith’s House. In reports compiled by researcher Les MacPhie, he used a photograph that shows a structure with a note, “Smith’s House?”. It is also labeled, “Money Pit Area from South Shore Cove 1860’s.” MacPhie’s source for this photograph was “The Oak Island Mystery”, by R.V. Harris in 1958. In studying the photograph, Compendium Investigations is confident in saying the structure is not John Smith’s house, but his barn. It is somewhat deceptive because of the angle from which the photograph was taken from the South Shore. It is also apparent that the photograph was taken in 1909 and not the 1860’s by the rigging and buildings shown in the photo. Compendium Investigations has found numerous errors by R.V. Harris in his information and have found him not to be a reliable informant for information regarding Oak Island.
OAKISLANDMYSTERY.COM
THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND – THE HISTORY CHANNEL
During our investigation, an aerial photograph from the summer of 1931, with the Chappell shaft visible, caught our attention. We studied several of these photographs looking for clues regarding this mystery. In the recent, “John Smith’s Home of Secrets” short by “The Curse of Oak Island”, this photograph is detailed. It shows a pile of stones/boulders that the crew believes are the remnants of John Smith’s foundation. The crew used the Roper survey, that was referenced earlier, to locate what they believe was the location of Smith’s foundation. Compendium Investigations concurs with our colleagues that this is possibly the remnants of that structure . Was it John Smith’s foundation? It appears possible based on the surveys and sketches that our investigation has detailed. Although, it does not match the mystery structure that has been identified by the World Wide Magazine photograph.
NOVA SCOTIA ARCHIVES (BOTH PICS)
Compendium Investigations was able to locate a sketch from Gilbert Hedden’s operation on Oak Island in 1935/36 that appears to show the location of the house in the World Wide Magazine photograph from 1909. This structure is labeled as “Old Foundation” on the sketch with “Well” and “Money Pit” labeled for reference. Hedden refers to this old foundation as being located in the “Hollow” which is the surrounding area which is at a lower elevation then the Money Pit area. Based on this information and the other surveys and sketches, it seems likely that there were multiple structures on Lot 18, owned by John Smith. But how can this be possible?
PAUL WROCLAWSKI DOCUMENTS/RESEARCH
In the article, “Tracking Oak Island treasure, Following the Smith family.” by Doug Crowell and Kel Hancock of the original Blockhouse Blog, they wrote, “He (John Smith) purchased Lot 18 (the Money Pit Lot) in June of 1795, and the deed is written in such a way as to infer that a structure already existed on this lot, and stories say he used the 90 Foot Stone as part of the fireplace in the NEW house that he was building.” Compendium Investigations found the deed and it reads as follows, “Lot of land situated lying and being on Oak Island, in the Township of Chester and county aforesaid, being known by Lot number Eighteen and described by running South thirty degrees west, on the West Line Sixty Six rods, on the East Line Sixty Three rods containing Four Acres more or less with all the BUILDINGS and improvements thereon and all rights privileges advantages, trees, wood, water, water courses, and other appurtenances there is belonging….”. Is there more evidence to suggest pre-existing buildings were on Lot 18 in 1795?
THE OAK ISLAND COMPENDIUM/BLOCKHOUSE BLOG
FRED NOLAN TREASURE MAP OF OAK ISLAND
In a letter from John Hunter-Duvar of the Historical Society of Nova Scotia to George Cooke of The Oak Island Association in 1864, he asked about the 90ft stone. It was mentioned by Mr. Cooke in a newspaper article regarding Oak Island. Mr. Cooke replied: “About 40 years ago (1824), at a time when nothing was doing at the island & when the prospects of the treasure seekers appeared altogether hopeless. Mr. Smith built what was then called his new house. In building it, he found that this interesting stone would suit admirably a corner in the back part of the chimney, the flat side out. Fourteen years ago (1850) Mr. Smith pointed out the stone then & I believe still in the chimney, and assured me that it was the identical stone taken out of the “Money Pit” on the island, in his presence.” There are other references that suggest a “New House” or “New Farmhouse” was built by Smith on Lot 18. It should be noted that Fred Nolan made a special “Treasure Map” of Oak Island and on this map, he had a very interesting landmark. It shows “Site of Smith Homestead 1804”. How could this be the site of Smith’s homestead when he didn’t build his “New Home” on Lot 18 until 1824, some twenty years later?
TORY STONE, THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND – THE HISTORY CHANNEL
Based on the evidence, it is Compendium Investigations opinion that there was indeed a pre-existing house that was near the Money Pit. John Smith lived in this house and started raising his family of 13 children, although six died on the island. This may be the reason why Smith built another home further away from the Money Pit for safety reasons. We believe that this “New Home” was captured in the World Wide Magazine article photograph and is the only known picture of Smith’s House that held the 90 FT. Stone. This suggests that the location of the Money Pit was known prior to 1795. This reinforces that the origin story of the “Three Boys” finding the Money Pit was pure fiction and raises major questions about what happened on Oak Island. It should be noted that Compendium Investigations report called “The Real 90FT Stone”, proposed that the “Tory Stone” may be the original 90FT Stone. The idea that the stone originated from another structure located in the area was also put forth. Considering the deed for Lot 18 mentions “BUILDINGS”, this has now become a stronger possibility. Compendium Investigations will update our readers about this developing story as we uncover new evidence.
We hope you enjoyed our series. Please watch for updates as they are discovered.
Good day from the Compendium!