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Fort Dodge
Silver
About
four miles west of
Fort Dodge a trader by the
name of Jesus Martinez was leading a large wagon train out of Santa Fe
for
Independence,
Missouri
in 1853. But before they could reach
Fort Dodge, they were
attacked by
Indians. The wagon train fought hard for five days, but the
next night the
Indians overtook the camp. All of the train drivers were
killed with the exception of Martinez himself. When they thought
that everyone was dead, the
Indians looted the wagons, set them on fire, and drove off the
stock.
When the
Indians left, Martinez emerged from his hiding place finding some
of the wagons spared and 21 heavy bags, each containing $1,000 in
silver coins. Unable to move the coins, Martinez buried them and
walked to safety. After he was rescued, he did not return to
retrieve the
treasure,
but rather, returned to Santa Fe without telling anyone of the buried
cache.
Indian Attack, Denver Public Library
But, before he
died he told his son about the hidden
treasure.
In 1876 his son traveled to the area attempting to find the
treasure
without success. Many other
treasure
hunters followed, and though the silver has never been found, many
wagon parts and other artifacts were discovered, lending credence to
the story.
Fort Dodge is located on
Highway 400, just east of
Dodge City,
Kansas.
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