Oak Island
Oak Island is a 57 hectare (140 acres) privately owned island in Lunenberg County on the southern shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. The tree-covered island is one of about 360 small islands in Mahon Bay and rises to a maximum of 11 meters (36 ft) above sea level. The island is located 200 meters (660 ft) from shore and is connected to the mainland by a causeway and gate. The nearest community is the island community of the Western Shore, while the nearest village is Chester. The island is known for various theories about possible buried treasures or historical artifacts, and the exploration associated with them.
Climate
Most of Nova Scotia has a humid continental climate with hot, humid summers and cold or cold winters. While there is no weather station on the island, or along Mahon Bay, there is one looking west at Bridgewater. The average annual temperature received at Bridgewater is 7.1 °C (44.8 °F), while the precipitation is 1536.7 mm (60.50 in). The ocean has an impact on Oak Island in terms of visibility, as the southern coasts of Nova Scotia can be hidden in fog for up to 90 days a year. These coasts are also prone to strong storms which include nor'easters and hurricanes.
Ecology
Oak Island consists of temperate, broadleaf, and mixed forests, known regionally as New England/Acadian forests. Wildlife in the Mahon Bay area includes great blue herons, black guillemots, eagles, leech storm souls, and razorbills. In addition, unidentified vultures and puffins are also mentioned. On a special note is the rose tern, which is considered an endangered species in the area protected by the Canadian government. Efforts have been made to restore its habitat such as reducing the population of other bird species.
Geology
The geology of Oak Island was first mapped in 1924 by J.W. Goldthwait, of the Geological Survey of Canada, who interpreted the island as a compound of four drums. These tympanums are "extending mounds" made up of multiple layers of even resting on rocky boulders, and are from various stages of glacial advances that spanned over the past 75,000 years. The layers on top of the bedrock consist mainly of "Lawrencetown" and even slate. The first of the two types is considered a type of clay until it consists of 50% sand, 30% silt, and 20% clay. In the main area, the treasure was searched along with the pieces of anhydrite which became more efficient in-depth. Researchers Les MacPhie and John Wonnacott concluded that the deep sediments at the island's eastern end form the drum formations.
Two rocks lie under Oak Island. The southeastern portion consists of "Limestone of the Mississippi Windsor Group" and gypsum, while the northwest portion consists of the Cambro-Ordovician Halifax Formation. Oak Island and the area that is now Mahon Bay was once a lake 8000 years BP before sea levels rose with the melting of glaciers.
Human history
The first major indigenous peoples of Nova Scotia were the Mi'kmaq, who formed an Indian nation in present-day Canada several thousand years ago. The area that includes Oak Island was formerly known as the "Segepenegatig" area. While it is not known when Oak Island was first discovered, the tribe had a presence in the general area that included the entire island of Newfoundland. The oldest confirmed European population dates back to the 1850s in the form of French fishermen, who at this time had built a few houses on the future site of the nearby village of Chester, Nova Scotia. After expelling the Acadians during the Seven Years' War, the British Nova Scotia government enacted a series of measures to encourage settlement in the area by New Englanders of European descent. The land was provided to the settlers in 1759 by the Shoreham grant, and Chester was formally incorporated the same year.
The first large group of settlers arrived in the Chester area from Massachusetts in 1761, and Oak Island was formally surveyed and divided into 32 four-acre plots the following year. Much of the island at the time was owned by the Monroe, Lynch, Wycombe, and Young families who were given the land in 1759. In the early days of British settlement, the island was known locally as "Smith Island", after one of the area's first settlers named Edward Smith. Cartographer Joseph Frederic Wallet-Despairs renamed the island "Gloucester Island" in 1778. Soon after, the island was formally given the name "Oak Island." Among the early residents were Edward Smith in the 1860s and Anthony von Sr. in the early 1770s. In 1784, the government made additional land grants, this time to ex-soldiers, which included parts of Oak Island. The names of the original landowners for the Nova Scotia Crown Lands Office were not assigned until July 6, 1818.
Oak Island has been sporadically owned by treasure hunters since stories of settlers began to surface in the late 1700s. The treasure hunt was so widespread that in 1965 a bridge was built from the western end of the island to Crandall Point on the mainland, two hundred meters away to bring heavy machinery to the island. Oak Island had several new owners including a treasure hunter named Dan Blankenship, who initially partnered with Oak Island Tours, Inc. Managed by David Tobias. Oak Island Tours eventually dissolved, and in February 2019 it was announced that a new partnership with a company called the "Michigan Group" had been formed. This group consisted of brothers Rick and Marty Lagina, Craig Tester, and Alan Costizua who were buying lots of Tobias. It is unclear who was involved to what degree as Blankenship only disclosed Costrewa's name to the press, saying he was "on board". Blankenship and the Michigan group controlled the island until his death on March 17, 2019, at the age of 95. Oak Island is inhabited on a seasonal basis by two permanent homes and two part-time occupants. While the island remains private property, public access is granted by those who plan tours ahead of time.
Oak Island Mystery
Oak Island has been the subject of treasure hunters since the late 1700s, with rumors that Captain Kidd's treasure was buried there. While there is little evidence to support what happened during the early excavations, the stories began to be published and documented as early as 1856. Since that time, there have been many theories extending beyond Captain Kidd's theory which include among other things. Religious artifacts, manuscripts, and Marie Antoinette jewelry. The "treasure" was also criticized by those who considered the research areas to be natural phenomena.
Areas of interest on the island for treasure hunters include a site known as the Money Pit, which is purported to be the original place of the hunters. Located on the east side of Oak Island, the Money Pit is - or was - a pillar over 100 feet deep. According to island lore, it first came to the attention of a local teenager in 1795, who noticed a gaping hole in the ground and along with some friends began digging—only to find a man-made pole featuring wooden platforms every 10 feet down to a depth of 90 feet.
There is also a formation of rocks called "Nolan's Cross," named after a former treasure hunter with a theory about it, and a triangular-shaped swamp. Finally, there was a researcher's activity on one of the beaches at a place called "Smith's Cove". Various organisms including non-native coconut fibers have been found there. Recent archaeological finds in the Smith Cove area have included an alleged pre-15th century lead cross and various wooden earthworks.
More than fifty books have been published that chronicle the island's history and explore competing theories. Several works of fiction have also been based on the Money Pit, including The Money Pit Mystery, Riptide
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