- November
- The Old Gold Salvage and Wrecking Company closes down operations. [4.90] [7.105]
1911
-
- The Old Gold Salvage and Wrecking Company ceases digging work on the island; Frederick Blair does not extend their permit. [5.78]
- Rudolphe Faribault makes the first geological report of the Oak Island region. It concludes that limestone, gypsum, sandstone, and shale are most likely below thick overburden deposits at the east end of the island. [5.78]
- August 18
- Collier's Magazine publishes an article by Henry Bowdoin calling the Money Pit a hoax, claiming the treasure and flood tunnel never existed. [1.199] [5.78] [7.106]
1912
- February 23
- The Daily News of Amherst, Nova Scotia publishes a reply by Frederick Blair to Henry Bowdoin's article in Collier's. [7.106]
- (month unknown)
- (Summer) Professor S.A. Williams of Wisconsin incorporates the Oak Island Salvage Company, with $20,000 capital, and stock issue of $10,000 to the public. he obtains the right to recover treasure through a period ending April 1, 1914. His proposal is to sink a series of 35 holes 5-inch diameter, 3 feet apart, down to 160 feet around the Money Pit, then freeze each shaft to -35 degrees F with calcium chloride, then dig the Money Pit. (Nothing came of the project; the stock issue was a failure.) [7.110]
1913
-
- Frederick Blair negotiates with Sophia Sellers for an 8-year lease on the Money Pit area of Oak Island. [7.110]
1916
-
- A sample of the fibrous material from the Money Pit is submitted to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. They report it to be from coconut, and that it may have been in the pit for several hundred years. [7.17] [12.23]
- (Summer) The Rochester Group begins operations on Oak Island, headed by engineer William S. Lozier. Drilling discovers nothing new, but they make valuable careful measurements. [7.111]
vvv advertisement vvv
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1919
-
- The bookbinder business in Halifax merges with Philip and Marshall company. The engraved stone slab is reported still at this location. (Searchs in 1933 and 1935 cannot find the stone anywhere.) [3.30] [4.21] [12.11]
1921
- August 6
- Engineer Edward W. Bowne makes agreement with Frederick Blair to search for treasure on the island. His intent is to dig a 6 by 6 foot shaft 15 feet from the Money Pit, with air-lock at top, then poke a rod horizontally at various depths to search for treasure. [7.112]
- November 1
- Frederick Blair renews the lease on the Money Pit area for ten years at $100 per year to Sophia Sellers. [7.110]
1922
- July 4
- Edward Bowne begins work on the island, but has no success locating any treasure. [7.112]
- December 7
- The Journal of Commerce of Boston runs an advertisment by Frederick Blair looking for someone to buy half interest in the Oak Island treasure hunt for $50,000. [4.107]
1928
- May 8
- The New York Times publishes an article on the island. [4.113] [7.121]
1930
- April 22
- Frederick Blair tells the toronto Telegram newspaper in an interview that the parchment from 1897 is better evidence of treasure than a few doubloons would be. [7.89]
- (month unknown)
- Dr. Frederick L. Newton, Curator of Textiles at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. reports on fibrous material removed from the pit, reporting it to be from coconuts, and possibly hundreds of years old. [7.17]
1931
- January
- James H. Smith gives an affidavit signed and sworn before notary public about a treasure map of his grandfather's, Amos Smith, that gave latitude and longitude of Mahone Bay, an island one mile long, half mile wide. On the island a pit had been dug to 165 feet, where a granite stone vault lined with lead was filled with gold bars. Two tunnels 45 feet below sea level were dug to each shore, with iron gates left open to permit flow of water. [7.133]
- (month unknown)
- Sophia Sellers, widow of Henry Sellers, owner of the eastern end of the island, dies. She is succeeded by twelve heirs. [4.112] [7.117]
- March 1
- Frederick Blair joins with Chappells Limited of Sydney, Nova Scotia. One of the company owners is William Chappell. Also with company are son Melbourne Chappell, brother Renerick, and nephew Claude Chappell. William tells Blair a secret he kept for 31 years: he noted traces of yellow metal or gold on a drill bit during 1897. [4.108] [7.112]
- (month unknown)
- Unsure of where exactly the Money Pit is, William Chappell and his brother create a 12 x 14 foot shaft (#21), slightly southwest of the Money Pit. They dig down to 163.5 feet, using a 450 gallon/minute pump to keep water under control. Drilling another 14 feet results in 12 feet of mixed soil then a 2 foot gap, then hard clay. They conclude they are not directly over the Pit, but may be 6-7 feet south.
- At 116 feet, they find an anchor fluke embedded in wall, 14 inches long, 9 inches wide, 1.25 inches thick, no sign of rust but not recent design.
- At 119 feet, a granite boulder about 5 feet diameter is encountered. Under the boulder are fragments of wood, wood chips, spruce boughs, and a limb of oak.
- At 123 feet, an axe is found, with rusted head, clean wide blade, and 3 foot long wooden handle (resembling a 250-year-old Acadian axe).
- At 127 feet are found a pick (head 14 inches, handle 18 inches) and remains of miner's oil lamp with seal oil.
- From 130 to 150 feet are various pieces of granite.
The pick and axe were found at depths not recorded by earlier diggers, and are highly unlikely to have "fallen" 30-40 feet from earlier digs due to tunnel collapses. [1.79,199] [4.110] [5.79] [7.115]
- Mel Chappell locates the triangle of stones near the high water mark of the south shore, previously discovered in 1897. [4.112]
- An oak tree on the island is cut down, and examined closely to determine age and cause of a visible injury from long ago. Embedded deeply is the end of a stout knife blade with crescent-shaped tip. The tree is determined to be at least 183 years old, germinating in 1748 or earlier. [7.5]
- October 29
- After expenditure of $40,000, work is halted. [4.112]
- October 31
- The Chappell operation vacates the island. [7.117]
- (month unknown)
- (Autumn) Frederick Blair's lease to the Money Pit area of Oak Island expires, and the heirs of Sophia Sellers refuse to renew it. [4.112] [7.117]
1932
-
- William Chappell ends digging operations. [5.90]
- Another group gets permission to dig, drills holes, finds nothing. [4.113]
1933
-
- John Taylor of New York does some drilling on the island. [4.113] [5.90] (Summer 1932 [7.117])
- Baker drills some holes near the Money Pit. One boring finds a speck of free mercury, which does not usually occur naturally. This provides a potential link to New Spain, with mercury mines west of Vera Cruz. [5.90]
- September 16
- Thomas Nixon of Victoria, British Columbia, forms the Canadian Oak Island Treasure Company to search for treasure on the island, and makes an agreement with Frederick Blair. His plan is to drive down a circle of interlocking steel pilings in diameter 50-70 feet from the Money Pit then dig. [1.200] [5.90] [7.118]
1934
-
- (Summer) Thomas Nixon's company drills 14 boreholes north of the Chappell pit, down to 176 feet, finding bits of oak and china fragments from 123 feet. One boring encounters a vacant space between 136 and 170 feet. [1.200] [5.90] [7.119]
- November 1
- Thomas Nixon's agreement with Frederick Blair expires. [7.120]
1935
- March 1
- Gilbert Hedden of Chatham, New Jersey, signs an agreement with Frederick Blair. [4.113] [7.121]
- March 27
- Harry W. Marshall, son of a partner in the Creighton bookbinding firm, writes an affidavit about the 90-foot stone, saying he saw it about 1890-1919, it was about 2 feet long, 15 inches wide, 10 inches thick, weight 175 pounds, two smooth surfaces, resembled dark Swedish granite or fine-grained porphyry. He saw no evidence of inscriptions cut into or painted on surface. [12.12]
- July 26
- Gilbert Hedden purchases the east end of Oak Island from the Sellers heirs for $5000. [1.200] [4.113] [5.90] [7.124]
1936
- April
- Gilbert Hedden hires Sprague and Henwood, Inc., of Scranton, Pennsylvania, to pump and re-excavate the Money Pit, Chappell shaft, and others, and to drill laterally at depths of between 125 and 160 feet. [4.114]
- June
- (to August) Using electric turbine pumps to keep water out, Sprague and Henwood excavate the Chappell shaft and re-timber to 170 feet. No trace of treasure is encounteredm just wood splinters and granite boulders. Work is put on hold at the end of the season. [1.200] [4.114] [5.90] [7.124]
1937
- May 4
- Another new shaft (#22), 12 by 24 feet, is excavated adjacent and east of the Chappell shaft. [1.79] [4.114] [5.91] [7.125]
- June 30
- Shaft 22 is dug down to 124 feet 6 inches.
- At 50 feet down, about 10 pieces of old 2-inch drill casings are found, an 8-foot section of well-rusted 2.5-inch pipe, and several pieces of 6-inch drill casing.
- At 65 feet, a miner's whale oil lamp is found, and unexploded dynamite.
- At 80 feet, an oak stump piece is removed.
- At 93 feet, putty-like clay not found on the island previously is encountered.
- At 104 feet, a tunnel measuring 3 feet 10 inches wide by 6 feet 4 inches high lined with 5- and 6-inch hemlock timbers is encountered. The tunnel is thought to be either an original water tunnel, or one dug by the Halifax Company in the 1860s.
Holes drilled at the bottom to 160 feet encounter oak varying in thickness from 1 to 30 inches. Finance problems end work for the Winter. Cost of this company's operation to date is $50,000. [1.79] [4.114] [5.91] [7.125]
- (month unknown)
- Gilbert Hedden discovers 15-inch diameter old timbers, four feet apart at low tide (buried four feet) at Smith's Cove. The structure could be a ramp or slipway. [5.93]
- The book Captain Kidd and His Skeleton Island, written by Harold Wilkins, is published in London, England. The book, about pirates and treasure, includes a map resembling Oak Island. There are many similarities to Oak Island, and a cryptic legend matches granite rocks, Cave-in shaft, triangle of beach stones, and location of Money Pit. The legend on the map includes "W.K. 1669", and three bearings to the treasure: "18 W and 7 E on Rock", "30 SW 14 N Tree", and "7 by 8 by 4". [1.201] [4.117] [7.142]
- Bureau of Plant Industries in Washington, D.C. reports the fibrous material from the shore of Oak Island is unidentifiable by various experts. [7.17]
- Botanical Museum of Harvard University reports the fibrous material from the shore of Oak Island is manilla hemp. [7.18]
- August
- Gilbert Hedden explores the island after reading the Captain Kidd book. He finds a white granite boulder 50 feet north of the Money Pit with a drill hole. Another is found about 400 ft away, near shore of Smith's Cove. The holes are 2 inches deep, 1.25 inches diameter. He locates the stone triangle, near the South Shore, 50 feet from the high water mark. It is made of large granite beach stones 12-14 inch diameter, arranged to form a large equilateral triangle 9-10 feet on each side. The base runs east-west, and a line of stones runs from the base to the apex in true north direction. This line intersects the Money Pit. [1.201] [4.117] [5.93]
- August 16
- Charles Roper, Nova Scotia Land Surveyor of Halifax, and assistant George Bates, arrive on the island to make measurements to investigate a possible connection to the Captain Kidd book map legend. Distance between the two drilled granite rocks is about 25 rods (one rod equals 16.5 feet). At the point 18 rods from the Money Pit rock and 7 rods from the other drilled rock is near the Cave-in Pit. 30 rods south-west from this point is behind the stone triangle. But the original oak tree at the Money Pit is about 18 rods north from this point, not 14 rods like the map legend. [4.120] [5.93]
- November 10
- Gilbert Hedden travels to London, England, to meet with Captain Kidd book author Harold Wilkins. Wilkins is surprised to learn of the coincidences of his map with Oak Island, claiming to have never been to the island, and that the legend was completely made from his imagination. [4.122]
1938
- February 1
- Gilbert Hedden signs agreement with a syndicate that promised to locate treasure from examination of a photograph of the Money Pit area. [7.152]
- March
- Gilbert Hedden ends his digging operations to concentrate on his business in New Jersey. [7.127]
- (month unknown)
- (Spring) Professor Edwin Hamilton of New York University offers to take over the search from Gilbert Hedden, when Hedden runs into financial difficulties. [1.202] [4.124]
- July
- (mid-month) Edwin Hamilton signs an agreement with Gilbert Hedden and Frederick Blair, to split any treasure 40 percent to Blair, 30 percent to Hedden, and 30 percent to Hamilton. [4.124]
- Sprague and Henwood begin drilling and excavating for Edwin Hamilton. 58 holes are bored down to 168-171 feet, to solid limestone. The 13th hole strikes iron, probably casing from a previous drilling operation. [4.125] [5.94] [7.161]
- August 15
- (to August 31) Holes are drilled laterally from a depth of 119 feet in the Chappell pit (shaft 21). Some hit old oak, probably remains of 1850 timbers in the Money Pit. Main result is possibly relocating the original Money Pit, about 5 feet north of the Chappell shaft. [4.125] [5.94] [7.161]
1939
-
- Popular Science publishes an article on Oak Island. [1.36]
- August 29
- Sprague and Henwood continue drilling and excavating. A tunnel is started from the 117-foot level of shaft 22, westward, toward shaft 21, but nothing of interest is found. [4.125] [7.162]
- (month unknown)
- (Summer) Gilbert Hedden purchases Francis Conrad's property west of the Money Pit. [7.163]
- October 14
- The Saturday Evening Post publishes an article on "The Money Pit". [5.205]
1940
-
- (Summer) Sprague and Henwood continue drilling and excavating. They extend part of the Hedden Shaft 6 feet by 6 feet down to 170 feet. They only find stones believed not to be native to that depth. [4.125] [5.94]
1941
-
- (Summer) Sprague and Henwood continue drilling and excavating. They deepen the Chappell Shaft to 167 feet, to bedrock. Drilling to 200 feet encounters chips of oak, the first direct evidence of workings below bedrock. [1.202] [4.125] [5.95]
- Edwin Hamilton's workers discover that a tunnel leads out under the waters of Smith's Cove. [1.202]
1943
-
- Edwin Hamilton ceases his search for treasure, due to World War II. [4.125] [5.96]
1946
- May
- Nathan Lindenbaum from New York arrives at the island, with pick and shovel. He is allowed to dig a bit, but soon quits, making this the briefest search ever. [4.125]
- (month unknown)
- Anthony Belfiglio, an engineer of Toronto, Ontario, offers to buy the Money Pit lot for $15,000. Hedden says he can buy all his property for $25,000. No deal is worked out. [4.126]
1949
- June 30
- Frederick Blair's treasure trove license expires. [4.126]
1950
- January
- Newsweek magazine runs an article about Oak Island. [4.126]
- April 1
- Frederick Blair dies, at age 83. Mel Chappell takes over the treasure trove license. [4.127]
- May 12
- Gilbert Hedden sells his Oak Island property for $6000 to John Whitney Lewis, a mining engineer of New York. [4.116,126] [7.169]
- July 14
- Frederick Blair receives a new treasure trove license for five years. [4.126] [7.169]
- December
- John Whitney Lewis sells his Oak Island land to Mel Chappell. Mel Chappell. [4.127] [7.169]
1951
- January
- (to March) M.R. Chappell and Frederick Blair begin work on the island. They use an electronic radar-actuated metal-locating device from the Parker Contract Company of Ontario, and a clam shovel. Based on the device, the dig a pit 200 feet due North of the Money Pit. At 45 feet down, through firm soil, they stop digging, as the locator indicates something now further south. After digging at five locations and finding nothing, they stop, having spent $35,000. [1.202] [4.128] [7.170]
- April 1
- Frederick Blair dies, at age 83, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. [5.96] [7.170]
1953
-
- Leary publishes the book The Oak Island Enigma, written by Thomas Leary. Presents summary of work, and possible originators of the Money Pit. Opinion is that the treasure consists of the lost manuscripts of Sir Francis Bacon. [5.202]
1955
- September
- George Greene of Corpus Christi, Texas, representing five large oil companies, signs a contract with Mel Chappell. [4.130]
- October
- George Greene drills four 4-inch core holes near the Money Pit, at 2, 6, 10, and 14 feet in a line from he north of the Chappell shaft. Three holes hit oak platforms every 10 feet down to 110 feet. The fourth drill hits 8-inches of oak at 100 feet, a 10-foot cavity, another 8-inches of oak, then a cavity extending for 45-70 feet, then clay to 190 feet. He pumps in 100,000 gallons of water to determine the size of the cavity, but it is not enough to fill it, or to observe where it exits. [1.203] [4.130] [5.97] [7.173]
- October 28
- George Greene ceases his search operations for the season. An oil drilling contract takes him elsewhere, and he does not return. [1.37] [4.130] [5.97]
1957
- January 28
- Letter from Mel Chappell to Robert Restall, says agreement with Mr. Greene now terminated. Says new agreement with Restall would be fifty-fifty split of any treasure recovered. [1.38]
- March 1
- Robert Restall replies by letter to Mel Chappell, with a proposal for finding the treasure of the island. He includes the right of Chappell to terminate the contract if Restall fails to seal off the source of sea water within six months. [1.38]
- April 8
- Mel Chappell replies by letter to Robert Restall saying an engineer from New York is going to try locating the treasure. [1.39]
- October 4
- Mel Chappell writes to Robert Restall referring to Ontario mining men making arrangements to be next searchers. [1.40]
1958
- May
- William and Victor Harman, brothers from Ontario, sign a one-year agreement with Mel Chappell. [4.130]
- The Harman brothers drill four holes near the Money Pit, finding bits of oak, spruce, coconut fiber, and ship's caulking, from about 150 feet and below. [1.203] [4.130] [5.97]
- June
- The Ryerson Press publishes the book The Oak Island Mystery written by Reginald Harris. First comprehensive book on Oak Island available to general public. Reviews the many theories; the book is based on many original documents no longer available. [4.viii] [5.201]
- July
- The Harman brothers run out of money, and cease operations temporarily. [4.130]
1959
- October
- The Harman brothers quit their search. [4.131]
- Mel Chappell and Robert Restall sign a contract for Restall to begin work on Oak Island. Term is three months, more if progress made. Profit from any treasure found will be split 50 percent to Chappell, 25 percent to Restall, and 25 percent to Restall's financial backers. [1.41] [4.131] [7.174]
- October 15
- Robert Restall and family arrive on Oak Island, with $8000 in savings and equipment. [1.41] (1960 Spring [7.174])
- December
- Mel Chappell extends the contract with Robert Restall through all of 1960. [1.54]
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