Families have long traveled to the Great Lakes for cool, magical summer days. Around 1870, Lake Michigan became a destination for a different reason. That year, it was and is still believed a massive cache of Confederate gold from the Civil War ended up on the bottom of the Great Lake. The factual possibility was divulged by an old lighthouse keeper on his deathbed. Naturally, imaginations soared. The hunt was on....
Over the past decade, serious underwater searchers have scientifically explored some comparatively shallow depths off the coasts of Muskegon and Frankfort, Michigan where the millions in sunken Civil War riches may exist. The Lake Michigan gold is it is reported to have been so substantial and heavy it was being transported in a railcar. That car, in turn, had been loaded onto a large ship. While transporting the railcar, it’s said a devastating tempest rolled in. To save the passengers, ship and crew, the boxcar and treasure were reportedly pushed overboard.
The seafaring yarn is a good one, and believable enough to have lured treasure hunters to spend big bucks employing modern boats and side-scanning sonar in an effort to retrieve it. Treasure hunters have been searching for some time now. You have to hope they find it. But, here’s reality.
Though the waters in Lake Michigan are fairly shallow, the bottom is almost all sand. Many of the 1,500 boats/ships that have sunk in the Lake Michigan have disappeared under that shifting sand layer. Additionally, over the past century, no gold, silver or any indications of treasure have washed ashore. Floridians know, after a storm it’s not uncommon to find a Piece of Eight or Doubloon from an offshore 500-year-old Spanish wreck. You’d think something would have turned up by now.
Still, hope springs eternal. This year, and in upcoming summers, the search is sure to go on. We armchair treasure seekers will watch with eager anticipation.
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Landlubber collectors with a passion for the bygone romance of those railcars and the rails should appreciate the newest set of US commemorative stamps. The new releases issued last week feature five vintage railroad stations from across the country.
In the US, passenger rail travel officially began in 1830, when the first rail station opened in Baltimore. Soon after, especially in small towns, communities revolved around their local railroad station. The stations became such a focal point they were frequently designed to promote and reflect the community as well as the railroad line that served it.
The five new First Class “Forever” stamps feature noteworthy stations across the country including the art deco Union Terminal in Cincinnati built in 1933 at the height of the Great Depression. It once served 216 trains per day. Next is Pennsylvania’s Tamaqua Station. It opened in 1874. Passengers enjoyed the station’s restaurant, garden and fountain in front of the building. It closed in 1963, but is now a tourist destination.
Point of Rocks Station was built in 1875 in suburban Frederick County, MD. It was the country’s first long-distance freight and passenger railroad built where the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad once connected to the Midwest.
The Main Street Station, in Richmond, VA, is a massive structure accommodating both train tracks and a highway. Opened in 1901 on the edge of downtown, it is identified with its prominent six-story clock tower. The adjoining interstate highway was built in the 1950s.
Finally, the Santa Fe Depot opened in San Bernardino, CA, in 1918. The Mission adobe-style structure was advertised as the largest rail station west of the Mississippi. The depot welcomed thousands migrating to California. It now is a history and railroad museum.
While too many stations have fallen to the wrecking ball, hundreds happily still survive. For summer travelers, these five new offerings are a fun glimpse back to a happier and simpler time.
For First Day of Issue cancellation info, log on to: https://store.usps.com/store/home.
For more collecting information and advice, log on to: http://prexford.com/.