Santa Fe Trail ruts near Dodge City, Kansas.
About four miles west of present-day Dodge City, Kansas, a trader by the name of Jesus Martinez was leading a large wagon train out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, for Independence, Missouri, in 1853, when Indians attacked them. 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.
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.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated June 2025.
Also See:
Dodge City — A Wicked Little Town
See Sources.