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Undid revision 900618602 by Lummifilm (talk) Dal, the quest is solved. The truth will emerge, it might as well start here.
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{{short description|Unfound treasure}}
{{short description|Unfound treasure}}
The '''Fenn Treasure''' is a [[treasure]] reportedly worth over one million dollars<ref>https://mysteriouswritings.com/mws-friday-five-whats-inside-the-forrest-fenn-treasure-chest/</ref> ostensibly hidden by [[art dealer]] and author '''Forrest Fenn''' in the American [[Rocky Mountains]]. Intended to motivate a public treasure quest, its location is defined by a cryptic poem.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Burnett|first1=John|title=Seeking Adventure And Gold? Crack This Poem And Head Outdoors|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/03/13/469852983/seeking-adventure-and-gold-crack-this-poem-and-head-outdoors|website=NPR|accessdate=26 July 2017}}</ref>
The '''Fenn Treasure''' is a [[treasure]] reportedly worth over one million dollars<ref>https://mysteriouswritings.com/mws-friday-five-whats-inside-the-forrest-fenn-treasure-chest/</ref> ostensibly hidden by [[art dealer]] and author '''Forrest Fenn''' in the American [[Rocky Mountains]]. Intended to motivate a public treasure quest, its location is defined by a cryptic poem.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Burnett|first1=John|title=Seeking Adventure And Gold? Crack This Poem And Head Outdoors|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/03/13/469852983/seeking-adventure-and-gold-crack-this-poem-and-head-outdoors|website=NPR|accessdate=26 July 2017}}</ref> The poem is solved and conclusively indicates a location with coordinates '''(37.986555, -107.647828)'''<ref>https://goo.gl/maps/qgddi8rJPVVBuxZC7</ref> found in the [[Uncompahgre Gorge]] south of [[Ouray, Colorado]] near the [[U.S._Route_550|Million Dollar Highway]].<ref>https://fennsolve.com</ref> This location is a riverbank marked by a 45° slope, a partially collapsed cliffside featuring a large black rock in the shape of an inverted arrowhead, and certain specific natural features including a prominent tree, a large boulder, and a riverbend. It is similar to that of the 1794 [[Battle of Fallen Timbers]] fought at a location near [[Toledo, Ohio]], the first victory of the new [[Legion of the United States|United States Army]] led by General [[Anthony Wayne]] and the first leading to a [[Treaty_of_Greenville|major Native American cession of land]]. The tree and boulder represent two of the Indian chiefs who fought in that battle, [[Tarhe]]<ref>https://www.wyandotte-nation.org/culture/history/biographies/tarhe-grand-sachem/</ref> and Turkey Foot.<ref>http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Turkey_Foot_Rock</ref> The location is independently proved by overlaying the illustration<ref>https://dalneitzel.com/2017/03/04/mirrored_image/</ref> by Allen Polt<ref>http://allenpolt.net</ref><ref>http://allenpolt.net/news</ref> from the epilogue of Fenn's January 2010 book ''The Thrill of the Chase'' onto an outdoor photo taken by Brian Erskine in August 2018, demonstrating that Fenn was at the site before 2010 to provide the basis to commission the illustration.<ref>https://fennsolve.com</ref> No treasure has been found, suggesting that Fenn never relinquished control of any treasure while fueling controversy about whether the treasure is a [[hoax]].

[[File:FennSite(37.986555, -107.647828).jpg|thumb|When the image from the epilogue of Fenn's 2010 book ''The Thrill of the Chase'' is scaled and overlaid onto this outdoor photo taken by Brian Erskine in August 2018, it provides independent proof of the location indicated by the poem.<ref>https://fennsolve.com</ref>]]


== History ==
== History ==

Revision as of 17:59, 6 June 2019

The Fenn Treasure is a treasure reportedly worth over one million dollars[1] ostensibly hidden by art dealer and author Forrest Fenn in the American Rocky Mountains. Intended to motivate a public treasure quest, its location is defined by a cryptic poem.[2] The poem is solved and conclusively indicates a location with coordinates (37.986555, -107.647828)[3] found in the Uncompahgre Gorge south of Ouray, Colorado near the Million Dollar Highway.[4] This location is a riverbank marked by a 45° slope, a partially collapsed cliffside featuring a large black rock in the shape of an inverted arrowhead, and certain specific natural features including a prominent tree, a large boulder, and a riverbend. It is similar to that of the 1794 Battle of Fallen Timbers fought at a location near Toledo, Ohio, the first victory of the new United States Army led by General Anthony Wayne and the first leading to a major Native American cession of land. The tree and boulder represent two of the Indian chiefs who fought in that battle, Tarhe[5] and Turkey Foot.[6] The location is independently proved by overlaying the illustration[7] by Allen Polt[8][9] from the epilogue of Fenn's January 2010 book The Thrill of the Chase onto an outdoor photo taken by Brian Erskine in August 2018, demonstrating that Fenn was at the site before 2010 to provide the basis to commission the illustration.[10] No treasure has been found, suggesting that Fenn never relinquished control of any treasure while fueling controversy about whether the treasure is a hoax.

When the image from the epilogue of Fenn's 2010 book The Thrill of the Chase is scaled and overlaid onto this outdoor photo taken by Brian Erskine in August 2018, it provides independent proof of the location indicated by the poem.[11]

History

Forrest Fenn was a pilot for the United States Air Force with the rank of Major and was awarded the Silver Star for his service in the Vietnam War, where he flew 328 missions.[12] After retiring from the United States Air Force, he and Rex Arrowsmith, who taught Fenn the art business, operated the Arrowsmith-Fenn Gallery, which later became the Fenn Galleries that he operated with his wife, Peggy.[13][14] The gallery, which he began by purchasing sculptures from struggling artists and casting bronzes of them, was located in Santa Fe, New Mexico and sold a variety of artifacts and art, including copies of works by Modigliani, Monet, Degas, and other artists.[15] The gallery was eventually sold to Nedra Matteucci.[16] In 1988, Fenn was diagnosed with cancer and thought ostensibly to hide a treasure chest in an outdoor location and to create a public quest around it. Contents include gold nuggets, rare coins, jewelry and gemstones, along with a jar holding his autobiography.[17] He intended the outdoor location also to be his final resting place, with the treasure as a legacy.[18] However, he recovered from his illness.

Before the treasure hunt, Fenn conflicted with authorities over Federal antiquities law. FBI agents raided his home in 2009 as part of an investigation into artifact looting in the Four Corners area and seized items, but he was not charged.[19] Two people targeted in the case committed suicide, and Fenn has blamed the FBI for their deaths.[20]

Deaths

Four people are known to have died while searching for the treasure. Citing the danger to public safety, in 2017 the chief of the New Mexico State Police publicly tried to pressure Fenn into ending the hunt.[21]

  1. Randy Bilyeu went missing in January 2016 and was later found dead in July of that year.[22] As a result, Bilyeu's ex-wife told others she thought the Fenn Treasure was a hoax.[23]
  2. Jeff Murphy, 53 years old, of Batavia, Illinois was found dead inside of Yellowstone National Park on June 9, 2017 after falling about 500 feet down a steep slope. The details of the investigation into his death by Yellowstone officials were not made public, but KULR obtained the facts through a Freedom of Information Act request. KULR-TV reports that Murphy was searching for Fenn's treasure. According to KULR, Murphy's wife told park authorities that Murphy was looking for said treasure when she first reported him missing.[24]
  3. Pastor Paris Wallace of Grand Junction, Colorado told family members he was searching for a buried treasure and later failed to show up for a planned family meeting Wednesday June 14, 2017. His car was found parked near the Taos Junction Bridge and his body was subsequently found 5–7 miles (8–11 km) downstream.[25][26]
  4. Eric Ashby, 31 years old, was identified as the treasure seeker found in the Arkansas River on July 28, 2017. On January 26, 2018, Fremont County Coroner's Office received the DNA report from Colorado Bureau of investigations positively identifying Ashby.[27] It is alleged by some of Ashby's family members that Ashby had moved to Colorado in 2016 to look for the treasure, and was last seen on June 28 rafting on the river, 10–15 miles (15–25 km) upstream from where the body was found. The raft overturned, and Ashby had been missing since that time.[28]

The Fenn treasure quest is the subject of many news articles and books.

The Fenn Fortune was featured in episode 2.6 of the Travel Channel show Expedition Unknown. The episode, titled "Finding Fenn's Fortune," originally aired on November 18, 2015 and featured host Josh Gates interviewing Fenn and then joining several groups of treasure hunters as they search for the fortune.

An episode of the web series Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime, the shows' hosts Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara hunt for the treasure in New Mexico. The episode aired on September 7, 2018.

Books and media about the Fenn Treasure

  • Fenn, Forrest (2010). The Thrill of the Chase. ISBN 9780967091785.
  • Fenn, Forrest (2013). Too Far to Walk. ISBN 9780967091792.
  • Rhu Seau, Trent (2013). The Chase for Forrest Fenn's Treasure. ASIN B00CCZ5XVC.
  • Steele, Maxwell (2013). How to Find Forrest Fenn's Treasure. ASIN B00BSXTISS.
  • Briggs, Andrew (2015). Title to the Gold: Find Forrest Fenn's treasure. The clues and answers. ASIN B0145S7IU2.
  • Ritt, Jordan (2015). A Treasure More Than Gold: How I found the solution to Forrest Fenn's poem. ISBN 9781478753742.
  • Wolf, The (2015). Finding Forrest Fenn. ISBN 9781311318602.
  • Brooks, Marvin (2016). Toward Solving Forrest Fenn's Hidden Treasure Clues. ISBN 9780692711781.
  • The Lure. 2017. An documentary feature film about the treasure directed by Tomas Leach. [29]

References

  1. ^ https://mysteriouswritings.com/mws-friday-five-whats-inside-the-forrest-fenn-treasure-chest/
  2. ^ Burnett, John. "Seeking Adventure And Gold? Crack This Poem And Head Outdoors". NPR. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  3. ^ https://goo.gl/maps/qgddi8rJPVVBuxZC7
  4. ^ https://fennsolve.com
  5. ^ https://www.wyandotte-nation.org/culture/history/biographies/tarhe-grand-sachem/
  6. ^ http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Turkey_Foot_Rock
  7. ^ https://dalneitzel.com/2017/03/04/mirrored_image/
  8. ^ http://allenpolt.net
  9. ^ http://allenpolt.net/news
  10. ^ https://fennsolve.com
  11. ^ https://fennsolve.com
  12. ^ "Valor Awards for Forrest B. Fenn". MilitaryTimes.
  13. ^ "'Rex' Arrowsmith's Former Partner Becomes Leading Art Dealer in West". Belleville Telescope. January 19, 1978 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Rex Arrowsmith Obituary".
  15. ^ Eady, Brenda (June 9, 1986). "Rivals Scorn His Santa Fe Gallery, but Forrest Fenn Baskets the Cash". People Magazine.
  16. ^ "40 Prominent People - Nedra Matteucci". Southwest Art.
  17. ^ https://mysteriouswritings.com/mws-friday-five-whats-inside-the-forrest-fenn-treasure-chest/
  18. ^ Goldsmith, Margie. "The Thrill of the Chase". Hemispheres Inflight Magazine. Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  19. ^ Miller, Cynthia (September 16, 2016). "When Forrest Fenn treasure hunters hit a dead end". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  20. ^ Sharpe, Tom (August 16, 2011). "Dealer: Blame FBI for seller suicides in Four Corners looting case". Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  21. ^ "Police implore author who says he hid treasure to end hunt". CTV News. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  22. ^ "Missing treasure hunter's remains found in New Mexico". BBC News. 27 July 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  23. ^ "Tragic end to months-long search for treasure hunter Randy Bilyeu". CBS News. July 27, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  24. ^ "Batavia man who died in Yellowstone in 2017 was looking for treasure". Associated Press. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  25. ^ Roberts, Michael (June 19, 2017). "Body Found May Be Paris Wallace, Latest Coloradan Seeking Forrest Fenn Treasure". Westword. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  26. ^ "Pastor dies in search for famous hidden treasure". CBS News. June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  27. ^ "Body found in Arkansas River in Colorado confirmed as treasure hunter Eric Ashby". ABC KRDO News. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  28. ^ Amanda Proença Santos (July 31, 2017). "Forrest Fenn Treasure Hunt May Have Claimed Its Third Victim". nbcnews.com.
  29. ^ The Lure. 2017.
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