The complete record of the world's longest treasure hunt, told in 46 key moments. Open any chapter to read every event.
Norse sailors reached North America and the Knights Templar rose and fell in Europe, two histories later drawn into the Oak Island question.
Icelandic merchant Bjarni Herjolfsson becomes the first European to sight the North American mainland when blown off course sailing to Greenland. He observes three lands (likely Newfoundland, Labrador, and Baffin Island) but does not land.
Basque fishermen begin chasing whales into northern summer grounds off Norway, Iceland, and the Hebrides. This marks the beginning of Basque maritime expertise that would eventually extend to the North American coast, including Nova Scotia waters.
Norse explorer Leif Eriksson sails from Greenland with 35 men, following Bjarnis route. He names three lands: Helluland (Baffin Island), Markland (Labrador), and Vinland (Newfoundland). He establishes a camp and winters there.
Leifs brother Thorvald leads an expedition to Vinland. After two years of exploration, he is killed by an arrow during conflict with indigenous people (Skraelings) - the first European death in North America.
Icelandic merchant Thorfinn Karlsefni leads the largest Norse expedition to Vinland: three ships with 130-160 settlers including women and livestock. His son Snorri becomes the first European born in North America. After three years, conflicts with Skraelings force them to abandon the settlement.
Tree-ring analysis of wood cut with metal tools at the LAns aux Meadows site in Newfoundland confirms Norse presence in exactly this year. This represents the earliest precisely dated European activity in North America, nearly 500 years before Columbus.
The Knights Templar are founded in Jerusalem in the Holy Land by Warmund of Jerusalem, establishing the military order that would become central to crusader-era treasure and secret-keeping theories connected to Oak Island.
The Knights Templar are granted lands in Fonte Arcada in northern Portugal, establishing an early Templar presence in the Iberian Peninsula that would grow into one of the order's most significant territorial bases.
At the Council of Troyes, Bernard of Clairvaux's Templar Rule is officially published, formalizing the religious and military code governing the Knights Templar and cementing their legitimacy as a recognized order of the Church.
Pope Innocent II issues the papal bull Omne Datum Optimum, granting the Knights Templar unprecedented rights including exemption from local laws and taxes, while claiming anything they find at Temple Mount for the Church.
Afonso Henriques writes to Bernard of Clairvaux from Porto, Portugal, seeking support in rallying crusader forces to help him defeat the Moors in Portugal - a campaign that would reshape the Iberian Peninsula and deepen Templar involvement in the region.
Some 164 ships carrying crusaders from England, Germany, Flanders, Frisia and Scotland arrive in Porto, Portugal, and meet Afonso Henriques to begin the campaign against the Moors.
A crusader fleet assists Afonso Henriques in the conquest of Lisbon, Portugal, a pivotal moment in the Reconquista and a campaign with deep Templar connections.
Lisbon falls to Afonso Henriques and the Moors are expelled. Most of the crusaders who participated in the siege settle in Lisbon, establishing a permanent European Christian presence.
Construction begins on the Convent of Christ by Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal. The convent in Tomar would become the Templar headquarters in Portugal and later the seat of the Order of Christ.
Montségur falls, with ownership transferring to Louis IX. The Cathar stronghold's fall has long been linked to legends of hidden treasure smuggled out before the siege ended.
Louis IX departs Acre for France, carrying holy relics acquired during the Seventh Crusade - objects whose subsequent fate has fueled centuries of treasure-hunting speculation.
Acre falls, marking the end of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the crusader presence in the Holy Land. The Knights Templar lose their base of operations in the East, forcing the order to relocate its assets and operations to Europe.
Four treaties are signed with the English Crown guaranteeing Gascon and Spanish Basque fishermen free mutual trade and fishery rights around British and Irish coasts.
Robert the Bruce is crowned King of Scotland in Edinburgh. Scotland under Bruce would later become a suspected refuge for fleeing Templars after the order's suppression - a theory central to the Templar-Oak Island connection.
On the orders of King Philip IV of France, Knights Templar across France are arrested in a coordinated dawn raid. The mass arrest on Friday the 13th devastates the order, though many Templars and much of their fleet reportedly escape - fueling enduring theories about where their treasure was taken.
Pope Clement V issues the papal bull Pastoralis Praeeminentiae, ordering the arrest of remaining Knights Templar in all territories. The order's suppression spreads beyond France to every Christian kingdom.
Templar Jean de Châlons, Preceptor of Nemours, gives testimony in Poitiers, France. His statements provide one of the few insider accounts of the order's final days and the fate of Templar assets.
Templars William of Middleton and Walter Clifton give testimony to the Inquisition at Holyrood, Scotland. Their testimony is notably mild compared to confessions extracted under torture elsewhere in Europe, supporting theories that Scotland offered Templars protection.
Jurist Ralph de Prelles gives testimony in Sens, France, adding to the complex legal and theological record of the Templar trials.
Pope Clement V issues the papal bull Vox in Excelso, formally dissolving the Knights Templar. After nearly two centuries as one of the most powerful military and financial orders in Christendom, the Templars cease to officially exist.
Pope Clement V issues the papal bull Ad Providam, ordering all goods and lands of the Knights Templar to be transferred to the Knights Hospitaller. However, much of the Templar wealth is never accounted for - a mystery that persists to this day.
Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, is burned at the stake in Paris. According to legend, he cursed King Philip IV and Pope Clement V from the flames - both would be dead within the year.
Pope John XXII issues bull "Ad ea ex quibus" formally recognizing the Order of Christ as successor to the suppressed Knights Templar. King Denis I of Portugal had protected the Templars and negotiated their transformation into a new order that retained their assets, personnel, and headquarters at Tomar. The Order would later fund Portuguese maritime exploration, with the distinctive Cross of Christ appearing on the sails of all Portuguese ships during the Age of Discovery.
King Dinis I of Portugal founds the Order of Christ, effectively re-establishing the Knights Templar under a new name. The order inherits Templar assets, personnel, and the Convent of Christ in Tomar, preserving Templar knowledge and traditions that would later drive Portugal's Age of Discovery.
This year marks the first (though historically disputed) mention of Basques reaching the Americas - over a century before Columbus.
Records in Iceland note the arrival of 20 Basque whaling ships off Grunderfjord, demonstrating the scale and range of Basque maritime operations decades before Columbus.
Prince Henry of Portugal, later known as "the Navigator," becomes administrator of the Order of Christ at King John I request. Under his leadership (1417-1460), the Order channels its vast wealth into sponsoring maritime expeditions, establishing a navigation school at Sagres, and funding voyages that would chart the African coast. The Cross of Christ becomes the symbol of Portuguese exploration worldwide.
According to family tradition, Portuguese navigator Joao Vaz Corte-Real sailed to the "Land of the Codfish" (Terra dos Bacalhaus) and returned to the Azores. If true, this would predate Columbus discovery by 20 years. His sons Gaspar and Miguel would later lead official Portuguese expeditions to the same waters. Some historians question this claim, but it reflects Portuguese interest in western Atlantic exploration before Columbus.
The flagship of Christopher Columbus, the Santa Maria, is built in Basque shipyards and owned by Bizkaian navigator Juan de la Cosa.
The Treaty of Tordesillas establishes a demarcation line dividing newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal. This line intersected the Nova Scotia coast at an uncertain point, creating competing claims that would influence European activity in the Mahone Bay region for centuries.
Explorers, colonists, pirates, and navies crossed the Atlantic. By the time Oak Island received its first owners, the coast had seen three centuries of European activity.
John Cabot becomes the first European known to have set foot on Nova Scotia, claiming the territory for England.
John Cabot claims Newfoundland for England, but contemporary rumors persist that Basque fishermen had already found this land and kept it a commercial secret.
King Manuel I of Portugal grants Joao Fernandes, a small landowner (lavrador) from Terceira in the Azores, a patent to explore the Atlantic. Together with Pero de Barcelos, Fernandes would chart the coasts of Greenland and northeastern North America around 1498-1500. The Labrador Peninsula is named after him - the Weimar map of 1530 states the name came from "a labrador of the Azores who informed the English of the land."
Portuguese explorers Gaspar and Miguel Corte-Real conduct voyages exploring the Atlantic coast of Canada, establishing early Portuguese interest in the region that includes present-day Nova Scotia and Mahone Bay.
Basque navigator Juan de la Cosa draws the first known map of the world to include the Americas.
King Manuel I grants Gaspar Corte-Real, son of navigator Joao Vaz Corte-Real, a charter to discover and claim lands in the New World. Believing John Cabots 1497 discoveries fell within Portuguese territory under the Treaty of Tordesillas, Portugal seeks to establish its own claims. Gaspar departs Lisbon that summer with three ships financed by his family.
On his first voyage, Gaspar Corte-Real reaches Greenland, believing it to be Asia. Ice floes and bad weather prevent landing. He rounds Cape Farewell and may have sighted Newfoundland before returning to Lisbon. The voyage establishes Portuguese presence in the North Atlantic and sets stage for more ambitious expeditions.
Gaspar Corte-Real sets sail from Lisbon with three caravels on his second expedition. Taking a more westerly course, the fleet reaches Labrador and Newfoundland, finding "land of tall pines and wild berries." The Portuguese chart approximately 600 miles of coastline, describing large rivers and forests. They capture 57-60 indigenous people as slaves.
Two of Gaspars three ships return to Lisbon in October 1501 carrying indigenous captives. Italian diplomats Alberto Cantino and Pietro Pasqualigo document the voyage in detailed letters. Gaspar, continuing to explore southward alone, is never seen again. The 1502 Cantino Map would label the region "Terra del Rey de Portugall" - Land of the King of Portugal.
Miguel Corte-Real, granted the captaincy of any new lands he might discover, departs Lisbon with three ships to search for his lost brother Gaspar. The fleet reaches Newfoundland and separates to search. Two ships return to Portugal; Miguels vessel vanishes without trace. Both brothers are presumed lost at sea. Their youngest brother Vasco is forbidden to search but later receives their discovered territories.
King Manuel I of Portugal regulates the collection of tithes on Newfoundland cod, confirming that an organized Portuguese fishery is now operating. Portuguese ships from Aveiro and Viana do Castelo make regular voyages to Terra Nova. The fishery would peak mid-century before declining due to political upheavals.
The family of Pinheiro de Barcelos from the Azores is granted part of the Nova Scotia coast by Portuguese authorities. Historical maps designate two large double bays as "Gulfo" at 44.5° N latitude - a position that precisely intersects Mahone Bay and St. Margaret's Bay, placing Oak Island within early Portuguese territorial claims.
A controversial inscription on Dighton Rock in Massachusetts, deciphered in 1912 by Professor Edmund Delabarre, allegedly reads: "I, Miguel Cortereal, 1511. In this place, by the will of God, I became a chief of the Indians." If genuine, Miguel survived his 1502 disappearance and lived among indigenous people for nine years. The Portuguese government accepts this interpretation; most historians remain skeptical. The rock, now in a museum, contains multiple layers of carvings of disputed origin.
The earliest indisputable French record confirms a Basque presence in the New Land (Newfoundland).
Baron de Lery of France makes an unsuccessful attempt to settle the Nova Scotia region, marking early French interest in the territory that would later become Acadia.
Portuguese explorer João Álvares Fagundes explores the Nova Scotia coast and attempts to establish a settlement. Some researchers believe he may have erected crosses along the coastline - Samuel de Champlain reportedly found an old, moss-covered cross near Advocate, Nova Scotia in 1607 that some attribute to Fagundes.
Records from Bayonne mention regular cod-fishing expeditions to Terrenabes (Terre-Neuve/Newfoundland).
Portuguese ship owner Joao Alvares Fagundes from Viana do Castelo explores the southern coast of Newfoundland and possibly enters the Gulf of St. Lawrence. With his captain Pero de Barcelos and colonists from the Azores, he charts Sable Island, Cape Breton, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (which he names the "Eleven Thousand Virgins" after Saint Ursula). His expedition seeks lands suitable for Portuguese settlement.
King Manuel I of Portugal grants Joao Alvares Fagundes exclusive rights and ownership of lands he has discovered between "Cortereal Land" (eastern Newfoundland) and Spanish territories. This includes islands in "Watering-Place Bay" (possibly Chedabucto Bay or the Gulf of St. Lawrence). Fagundes begins planning a permanent Portuguese colony in the New World.
Joao Alvares Fagundes establishes a Portuguese fishing colony on Cape Breton Island, possibly at Ingonish on the northeastern peninsula. Approximately 200 settlers, mostly from the Azores, attempt to create a permanent settlement. Finding Newfoundland too cold, they relocate to Cape Breton. The settlement includes families, fishermen, and livestock. Fagundes dies in Portugal around 1522, leaving the colony without leadership.
Basque navigator Juan Sebastian Elcano completes the first circumnavigation of the globe after assuming command of Magellans expedition.
Spanish explorer Estêvão Gomes (a Portuguese navigator sailing for Spain) explores the Atlantic coast and claims the area including Nova Scotia for the Spanish Crown, adding another layer to the competing European claims over the region.
The Portuguese colony at Cape Breton is abandoned due to harsh climate, indigenous conflicts, and loss of leadership after Fagundes death. Some settlers may have returned to Portugal; others may have joined French fishing operations. Mi kmaq oral traditions recall early European presence, and earth-mounds at St. Peters, Cape Breton were said to be built by "white men before the French." The colony is mentioned in records as late as 1570.
Basque whalers establish extensive whaling stations along the Labrador coast, creating the first European industrial operations in North America.
Historical accounts place the start of systematic southern Basque (Spanish Basque) fishing operations in Newfoundland around this year.
Spanish treasure route changed from due east across Atlantic to Gulf Stream route up American coast, passing within 600 miles of Nova Scotia
The first direct archival mention appears of Basque whaleman Martin de Licona outfitting for a voyage to Labrador.
Manoel de Barcelos Machado petitions Portuguese authorities to settle "Island Barcellona de Sam Bardao" - possibly Oak Island or Sable Island - proposing to raise livestock for trade and mine lime to be sent back to the Azores. This is one of the earliest documented references to potential settlement activity on islands in the Mahone Bay region.
Carbon-14 dating of wood found below bedrock at 160+ feet: A.D. 1575 ±85 years (range 1490-1660)
English merchant Anthony Parkhurst provides detailed survey of European fishing activity to Richard Hakluyt. He reports 50 Portuguese vessels operating alongside 150 French/Breton ships, 100 Spanish vessels, and 50 English. The Portuguese fish from April to July, primarily using the "green" or wet-salting method on the Grand Banks. Additionally, 20-30 Basque vessels engage solely in whaling for train oil.
Following a succession crisis, Philip II of Spain takes control of Portugal, beginning the Iberian Union that would last until 1640. Portuguese maritime activities decline as resources are redirected to Spanish priorities. The Portuguese fishing fleet at Newfoundland begins its long decline.
The Portuguese withdraw from Atlantic Canada as they can no longer protect their colonial activities following Spain's subjugation of the Azores. This ends nearly a century of Portuguese exploration and settlement attempts in the Nova Scotia region.
Portugal can no longer protect its colonial activities in Atlantic Canada following Spains subjugation of the Azores. This ends nearly a century of Portuguese exploration and fishing operations in the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland region. English presence grows as Portuguese influence wanes.
Theories suggest Sir Francis Bacon or his followers, the Rosicrucians, constructed a vault on Oak Island to hide original Shakespearean manuscripts and other secret documents.
The era of the pirate Peter Easton, who operated from a sheltered base in Newfoundland. Some theories link his activities to Oak Island.
After a three-week voyage from France, a French expedition led by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons, and including geographer Samuel de Champlain, sights the coast of Acadie. The first cape they see reminds them of a landmark in Normandy, so they name it Cap de la Hève (now Cape LaHave). The ship anchors in Green Bay (Port de la Hève), just 20 miles from what would become Oak Island, and Champlain begins mapping the coastline. Champlain would later settle Fort Le Hève in the LaHave River area, not far from Mahone Bay.
Pierre Dugua de Mons, granted exclusive fur trading rights by King Henry IV, establishes the first French settlement in Acadie on Saint-Croix Island in the St. Croix River (present-day Maine border). Champlain serves as geographer, mapping the Atlantic coast from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Cod. Of the 79 men who winter on the island, 35 die from scurvy and cold. The Mi'kmaq people, led by Chief Membertou, help the surviving French settlers.
Samuel de Champlain names a series of large islands at the entrance to Mahone Bay "The Martyrs" (Les Martyrs) after Frenchmen were killed there by indigenous people. This is one of the earliest European references to the specific geography of Mahone Bay, where Oak Island is located.
After the disastrous winter at Saint-Croix, Champlain and de Mons relocate their settlement across the Bay of Fundy to Port-Royal (present-day Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia), establishing the first permanent European settlement north of Florida. This becomes the capital of Acadia and Champlain's base for three years of coastal exploration. The settlement is approximately 100 miles from Oak Island.
Port Royal, Nova Scotia established by French - first permanent European settlement in region
Champlain completes his map of the Bay of Fundy and Nova Scotia coast down to Cape Cod. Notably, the map does not include Mahone Bay where Oak Island is located - an omission later discussed on The Curse of Oak Island (Season 5, Episode 8) by historians Doug Crowell and Charles Barkhouse, who speculate the omission may have been deliberate. Near present-day Advocate, Nova Scotia, Champlain reportedly finds an old, moss-covered cross that some believe was erected by Portuguese explorer João Álvares Fagundes around 1521.
English explorer Henry Hudson, sailing for the Dutch East India Company, reaches the Atlantic coast at the latitude of Mahone Bay during his voyage searching for a northwest passage. His expedition adds to European knowledge of the Nova Scotia coastline.
Samuel de Champlain publishes his famous map of New France in Paris, the first detailed cartographic record of the region. The map conspicuously omits Mahone Bay and the Oak Island area, though Champlain's expedition would have sailed past this coastline en route to the Bay of Fundy. Whether this was a simple drafting limitation or deliberate concealment remains a subject of debate among Oak Island researchers.
The British Crown formally asserts ownership of Nova Scotia territory based on John Cabot's 1497 voyage, challenging French claims to Acadia. Sir William Alexander receives a charter for "Nova Scotia" (New Scotland), beginning decades of Anglo-French competition for the region.
The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye ends three years of Scottish occupation and returns Acadia (Nova Scotia) to French control. Cardinal Richelieu seeks to reestablish colonial authority and initially invites Isaac de Razilly to serve as lieutenant-general of New France. Razilly declines, citing Samuel de Champlain's superior expertise and preferring to serve under him - but Richelieu insists, and on March 27 Razilly signs an agreement to take possession of Port-Royal for the Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France.
Isaac de Razilly, a Knight of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (Knights of Malta) and distinguished French naval officer who lost an eye at the siege of La Rochelle, departs from Auray in Brittany aboard L'Espérance en Dieu with two transport ships. The expedition carries "300 hommes d'élite" including soldiers, craftsmen, 12-15 families of colonists, and six Capuchin monks. His lieutenants include his cousin Charles de Menou d'Aulnay and merchant Nicolas Denys.
Isaac de Razilly lands at La Hève (present-day LaHave, Nova Scotia) with 300 colonists after crossing the Atlantic. He chooses this location - only 20 miles from Oak Island - as his headquarters and the capital of Acadia, building Fort Sainte-Marie-de-Grâce on a point where the LaHave River narrows. The settlement includes his residence, a storehouse, chapel for the Capuchins, and buildings for families and workers. Razilly describes the area as an "earthly paradise."
For three years, LaHave serves as the capital of New France, placing a major French colonial operation just 20 miles from Oak Island. Under Razilly's direction, farms are established at Petite-Rivière, Nicolas Denys develops lumber and fishing operations, and some 40 families settle the area. The proximity of this settlement to Oak Island during the 1630s places French naval engineers, craftsmen, and colonists in the immediate vicinity during the timeframe suggested by some artifact dating.
Isaac de Razilly, Knight of Malta and lieutenant-general of Acadia, dies unexpectedly at LaHave at age 48. His death is considered tragic for the colony - he was described as having "no other desire than to people this land." His cousin Charles de Menou d'Aulnay assumes command and relocates most settlers to Port-Royal. The fort at LaHave is later burned down by rivals in 1653, and the site has since eroded into the sea. The circumstances of Razilly's sudden death and its impact on French colonial activity near Oak Island remain subjects of speculation.
William Kidd born in Greenock (or Dundee), Scotland, son of a Presbyterian minister. He would go to sea as a youth and become one of the most legendary figures in pirate lore - and a central figure in Oak Island treasure theories
The fort at LaHave, just 20 miles from Oak Island, is rebuilt. France grants Emmanuel Le Borgne a seigneury in the area, continuing French colonial presence near Mahone Bay despite periodic English control of the region.
Career of the privateer and pirate William Kidd, whose fabled treasure became the primary focus for early Oak Island searchers.
Sir William Phipps sacks Port Royal. Theories suggest he may have hidden a portion of treasure recovered from the Spanish ship Concepcion on Oak Island.
William Kidd is a member of a French-English pirate crew under Captain Jean Fantin in the Caribbean. The crew mutinies, ousts the captain, and sails to the British colony of Nevis. The ship is renamed Blessed William, and Kidd becomes captain
Under commission from the Governor of Nevis, Captain Kidd and the Blessed William attack the French island of Marie-Galante, destroying its only town and looting approximately £2,000 sterling
William Kidd settles in New York City, marries Sarah Bradley Cox Oort - a wealthy twice-widowed woman - and becomes a respected member of society. He owns property on Wall Street and supports construction of Trinity Church
In London, Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont, commissions Kidd to hunt pirates and capture French ships in the Indian Ocean. Backed by powerful Whig nobles, Kidd receives a letter of marque from King William III. A new ship, the Adventure Galley, is built - 284 tons, 34 cannons, 150 crew
Kidd's Adventure Galley departs from New York in September 1696, heading for Madeira, then Cape Verde, then the Indian Ocean. En route, the Royal Navy presses many of his hand-picked crew into service, forcing Kidd to recruit replacements of dubious character in New York
Unable to find pirate targets, a third of Kidd's crew dies of cholera. The remaining crew grows mutinous, pressuring Kidd to attack non-legitimate targets. In an altercation, Kidd strikes gunner William Moore with a wooden bucket, killing him - a death that will later seal Kidd's fate at trial
Kidd captures the 400-ton Armenian-owned Quedagh Merchant off the coast of India, laden with gold, silk, spices, sugar, and other valuables. Kidd claims French passes made it a legitimate prize. However, the cargo's powerful owners complain to the East India Company, and the political tide turns against Kidd
With the Adventure Galley unseaworthy, Kidd transfers to the Quedagh Merchant and sails for the Caribbean. He learns he has been declared a pirate by the Crown. His Whig backers in England, fearing political fallout, have turned against him
Kidd leaves the Quedagh Merchant at Hispaniola and transfers the most valuable portable treasure - gold, silver, gems, jewellery - onto a smaller sloop, the Antonio. He sails north toward New York, hoping to negotiate with Governor Bellomont
Kidd anchors off Gardiner's Island and persuades owner John Gardiner to bury chests of treasure: gold dust, coined gold, silver bars, rubies, diamonds, silver rings, precious stones, and gold cloth. The documented inventory lists 1,111 ounces of gold and 2,353 ounces of silver. Kidd warns Gardiner the treasure must be there when he returns
Kidd sails to Boston believing Bellomont will protect him. Instead, the Governor - fearful of his own political exposure - has Kidd arrested on 6 July 1699. Sarah Kidd is also imprisoned. The Gardiner's Island treasure is recovered by authorities as evidence
The Governor of Acadia officially invites pirates to use LaHave as a base of operations. Buccaneers accept the offer enthusiastically. Mahone Bay, with its natural mountain barriers by land and the shelter of the Tancook Islands at its mouth, becomes an epicenter for pirate activity. Oak Island, with its unusual growth of oak trees and close proximity to the coast, offers particular advantages - anyone docking on the south shore would be completely hidden from the bay's entrance.
Captain Kidd is transported to London in early 1700 and held in the notorious Newgate Prison for over a year before trial. He is twice called before Parliament but refuses to reveal his anonymous backers. Crucially, the French passes that could prove his defence are withheld - conveniently lost by his former patrons
Captain William Kidd is tried at the Old Bailey for piracy and the murder of William Moore. In a show trial lasting just two days, key defence documents are suppressed. Convicted on all charges, Kidd is hanged at Execution Dock, Wapping, on 23 May 1701. The first rope breaks; he is hanged a second time. His body is displayed in a cage over the Thames at Tilbury Point for years as a warning to pirates
Date inscribed on stone slab found by Restalls at Smith's Cove
The Treaty of Utrecht ends the War of Spanish Succession and formally cedes mainland Nova Scotia (Acadia) to Great Britain, though France retains Cape Breton Island (Île Royale). This treaty marks the beginning of permanent British control over the Mahone Bay region.
Carbon-14 date of U-shaped structure at Smith's Cove: circa 1720
A map by Captain Cyprian Southack notes the presence of French inhabitants around Mahone Bay, indicating continued Acadian settlement in the region despite British sovereignty. These French settlers would be expelled in 1755-1756.
A force of New England militia under William Pepperrell, supported by a Royal Navy squadron, captures the great French fortress on Cape Breton Island. The loss stuns France and triggers an urgent response from Versailles to reclaim its North American territories.
The largest fleet ever sent to the New World - 64 ships and 11,000 men - is assembled at French ports. The expedition is planned under extreme secrecy, with sealed orders, coded letters, and the mysterious arrival of a masked figure who boards the flagship before departure from La Rochelle.
Two French warships under du Vigneau depart Brest months before the main armada. L'Aurore operates along the Acadian coast near La Hève and St. Margaret's Bay before entering Halifax harbour, where the missionary Le Loutre waits with a package for Anville.
After a catastrophic Atlantic crossing - storms, typhus, and up to 50 men dying per day - the remnants of the fleet reach Halifax. The Duc d'Anville dies suddenly, officially of apoplexy. His replacement, d'Estourmel, attempts suicide by sword. The fleet limps back to France, never reaching Louisbourg.
A supporting fleet of four warships under Conflans, sailing from Martinique, spends weeks navigating the Acadian coast and Île de Sable. Unable to recognise the coastline and running low on supplies, Conflans orders the return to France without ever reaching Halifax.
The treaty ending the War of Austrian Succession returns Louisbourg to France, outraging the New England colonists who had fought to capture it. The peace proves temporary - within a decade, Britain will take the fortress again.
The city of Halifax is founded as the British provincial capital of Nova Scotia, establishing permanent British administrative control over the region. Halifax becomes the base for British expansion into areas including Mahone Bay and the eventual settlement of Lunenburg.
New York fishing agents John Gifford and Richard Smith are granted three islands in Mahone Bay, including Oak Island. This is the first documented English land grant specifically including Oak Island, occurring the same year Lunenburg is founded by German and French Protestant settlers.
Lunenburg founded by German and Swiss Protestant settlers
Ephraim Cooke receives a land grant for the territory that would later become the Town of Mahone Bay, marking the beginning of formal English settlement around the bay where Oak Island is located.
Expulsion of Acadians from Nova Scotia - possible pre-expulsion treasure deposit theory
A massive British force under Amherst and Wolfe besieges and captures Louisbourg. The fortress is systematically demolished. The fate of the French garrison's treasury remains unknown - some theorists believe it was hidden on Oak Island before the fall.
Chester, Nova Scotia settled - first permanent settlement near Oak Island
British capture Havana - £3 million treasure taken; Fred Nolan's theory for Oak Island origin
Oak Island granted to Timothy Lynch, John Seacombe, and others as part of Shoreham Grant
A sea chart designates the island as "Glouster Isle" and the area as Mecklenburgh Bay, though Oak Island was already in common use.
Following the American Revolutionary War, United Empire Loyalists fleeing the newly independent United States and disbanded British soldiers arrive in the Mahone Bay area. This influx of settlers increases the population around Oak Island in the decades before the Money Pit discovery.
British American Revolution treasure theory (Walton, Furneaux) - deemed insupportable due to total secrecy required
Samuel Ball, an escaped slave from South Carolina who fought for the British in the American Revolution, settles on Oak Island. He would eventually become the island's largest landowner.
Samuel Ball purchases 100 acres in Lunenburg County and Hook Island, establishing himself as a successful farmer and landowner.
A teenager found a depression under an oak tree. What the first diggers uncovered set the terms of a mystery that has never closed.
Samuel Ball marries Mary, who worked as a domestic in Halifax. They would have three children: Andrew (1798), Samuel (1801), and Mary (1805).
Daniel McGinnis (age ~16) discovers Money Pit depression under large red oak tree with sawed-off limb
John Smith purchases Lot 18 (containing Money Pit) for £7 10s
McGinnis, John Smith (19), Anthony Vaughan (16) dig to 30 feet. Find: flagstones at 2 feet, oak platforms every 10 feet
When Daniel McGinnis discovers the Money Pit depression, local lore connects it to Captain Kidd. Stories had circulated in New England of a dying sailor from Kidd's crew who claimed £2 million in treasure was buried on an island 'east of Boston'. This legend drives early excavation efforts
Onslow Company formed - Simeon Lynds, Col. Robert Archibald, 25-30 workers
At 93 feet, iron probe strikes 'hard impenetrable substance' (possibly wood) 5 feet below pit bottom
Inscribed stone found at 90 feet with strange symbols. Later disappears 1919 from bookbinder's shop
Money Pit floods to 60-foot mark overnight
Onslow Company digs to 93 feet. Finds platforms, charcoal, putty, coconut fiber
Both Money Pit and Shaft 2 flood when tunnel approaches Money Pit. Onslow Company abandons search
Shaft 2 dug to 110 feet. Both shafts flood when connected
Samuel Ball purchases Lot 18 (containing the Money Pit area), becoming the island's largest landowner.
Samuel Ball dies at age 81 on Oak Island. By his death, he owned approximately 100 acres including much of Oak Island, becoming one of the wealthiest men in the county. His friend Anthony Vaughan serves as executor of his will.
Companies formed, shafts multiplied, and the Money Pit gave up fragments of gold, parchment, and engineering while the water kept winning.
John Pitbladdo (foreman) removes something from drill, wipes it clean, puts in pocket. Later disappears, applies for treasure license with Charles Archibald
Money Pit re-excavated to 86 feet before flooding
Oak wood splinters and coconut fiber brought up on auger
Pod auger at 98 feet finds layers: spruce, oak, loose metal (22 inches), oak, metal, spruce
Three gold chain links brought up on auger from ~100 feet (confirmed by affidavit)
Truro Company formed - Dr. David Lynds organizer, 12-man syndicate
Truro Company re-excavates Money Pit. Flooding begins at 86 feet, shaft abandoned
Cofferdam built at Smith's Cove to expose drainage system. Destroyed by abnormally high tide/storm
Major discovery at Smith's Cove: artificial beach with coconut fiber layer, eel grass, five converging stone box drains
Shaft 5 at 35 feet strikes flood tunnel with rush of water
Shaft No. 3 dug 10 feet NW of Money Pit to 109 feet. Floods when tunneling toward Money Pit
Shaft No. 4 dug 100 feet W of Smith's Cove to 75 feet
Shaft No. 5 dug 12 feet S of No. 4 to 35 feet. Strikes flood tunnel with rush of water
Shaft No. 6 dug just W of Money Pit to 112 feet. Also floods
Truro Company ceases operations due to lack of funds
The Liverpool Transcript publishes the first known newspaper mention of treasure hunting on Oak Island on August 8, in an article by J.P. Forks mentioning digging for Captain Kidd's treasure.
First death on Oak Island: worker scalded by burst pump boiler
MAJOR COLLAPSE: platforms/chests drop from 98-105 feet to ~119+ feet. 10,000 board feet lumber falls
Money Pit re-excavated to 88 feet. Shafts 7 and 8 dug
Oak Island Association formed - 63 shareholders
Shaft No. 8 dug 18 feet W of Money Pit to 118 feet. Tunnel driven toward Money Pit
The Halifax Sun and Advisor publishes a letter from J.B. McCully on July 2, containing the first written description of the inscribed stone.
The Liverpool Transcript publishes J.B. McCully's detailed account "The Oak Island Diggings" on October 16 - the first comprehensive written history of the Money Pit discovery.
Shaft No. 10 dug 25 feet NE of No. 5 to 50 feet
Shaft No. 9 dug next to Money Pit to 107 feet. Money Pit deepened to 103 feet
Shaft No. 11 dug 100 feet SE of Money Pit to 120 feet. Money Pit deepened to 108 feet
The British Colonist newspaper publishes "A History of the Oak Island Enterprise" in three parts on January 2, 7, and 14.
The Halifax Company digs shaft 10 to a record depth of 175 feet but fails to intercept the flood tunnel.
Cement found at 146-149 feet - analyzed as man-made
New cofferdam built at Smith's Cove. Also destroyed by storms
Oak Island Eldorado Company (Halifax Company) formed
Mather Myles DesBrisay publishes "History of the County of Lunenburg" containing a chapter on Oak Island.
Oak Island Treasure Company formed. Frederick Blair (age 25) as treasurer, A.M. Bridgman president
Shaft No. 12 (Cave-in Pit) dug 350 feet E of Money Pit to 55 feet
Shaft No. 13 dug 30 feet ENE of Money Pit to 43 feet
Second edition of DesBrisay's "History of Lunenburg County" published with revised Oak Island account.
Shaft No. 4 deepened to 88 feet (originally 75 feet in 1850)
Cement analyzed by Boake Roberts (London): man-made Portland cement
Drilling from 90-foot platform: strikes wood at 126 feet, iron obstruction (crushes drill chisel), then at 154 feet: 7" cement, 5" oak, 2" gap, soft metal, 32" loose metal (coins?), soft metal at 158 feet
Flood tunnel found entering Money Pit at 111 feet from east, 2.5 feet wide, under great pressure (2,400 cubic feet/hour)
Maynard Kaiser falls to death down one of the shafts
Money Pit deepened to 113 feet
PARCHMENT discovered at 153-155 feet depth with letters 'vi', 'ui', or 'wi' written in India ink. Confirmed as sheepskin with quill pen writing
Shaft No. 14 dug 45 feet S of Money Pit to 105 feet
Dye test from Shaft 15 reveals SECOND FLOOD TUNNEL from south shore (300 feet from Money Pit). Water exits at three locations offshore
Shaft 15 dug to 160 feet
Shaft No. 15 dug 30 feet SW of No. 14 to 160 feet
Shaft No. 16 dug 150 feet N of Money Pit to 134 feet
Shaft No. 17 dug 45 feet E of No. 3 to 90 feet
Shaft No. 18 dug 30 feet E of No. 3 to 116 feet
Shaft No. 19 dug near No. 15 to 144 feet
Engineers, financiers, and families took their turn. The island answered with evidence, disappearances, and its darkest day.
Oak Island Treasure Company dissolves due to lack of funds
Shaft No. 20 dug along W side of Money Pit to 113 feet
Henry Bowdoin publishes an article in Collier's Magazine asserting "there is not, and never was, a buried treasure on Oak Island."
28 drill holes put down to 155-171 feet. Find cement 6-10 inches thick at 146-149 feet
Henry Bowdoin expedition. FDR (age 27) purchases shares
Last confirmed sighting of inscribed stone by Bowdoin
Money Pit reopened to 113 feet
Smithsonian Institution confirms coconut fiber samples are genuine coconut (Cocos nucifera) from 1,500+ miles away
Inscribed stone disappears from bookbinder's shop in Halifax where it had been used as a hearthstone
Catherine MacKenzie publishes a feature story in the New York Times noting six known organized treasure hunting attempts in 131 years.
A New York newspaper publishes a feature story about Oak Island that captures the attention of William Chappell, who would return to the island in 1931.
Additional Smithsonian confirmation of coconut fiber authenticity
MacLean's magazine publishes "Nova Scotia's Treasure Island" by Lynn C. Doyle, bringing national Canadian attention to the mystery.
Anchor fluke found at 120 feet in Chappell Shaft
Chappell expedition costs approximately $40,000
Granite and concrete chunks found in Chappell Shaft
Tunnel at 157 feet encounters soft earth, nearly buries worker. Water tunnel struck at approximately 155 feet
William & Mel Chappell dig Chappell Shaft (21) to 163 feet
William Chappell returns with son Mel. Chappell Shaft (No. 21) dug 15 feet S of Money Pit: 12x14 feet to 163 feet, then 168 feet
Gilbert Hedden, a steel fabricator from New Jersey, discovers a link between Oak Island and a map in Harold T. Wilkins' book 'Captain Kidd and His Skeleton Island'. Hedden travels to England to consult Wilkins, who had drawn the charts from memory. Hedden purchases the southeastern end of Oak Island and begins excavations
Chappell Shaft deepened to 168 feet
Gilbert Hedden purchases east end of Oak Island for $5,000
Hedden finds notched timbers with Roman numerals at Smith's Cove
Inscribed rock found at Joudrey's Cove with strange symbols (crosses, H-shapes)
Charles Roper survey of triangle and drilled rocks
Hedden Shaft (22) dug to 125 feet
Hedden Shaft (No. 22) dug 10 feet E of Money Pit: 12x24 feet to 125 feet
STONE TRIANGLE found: 10-foot equilateral, medial line points TRUE NORTH to Money Pit. Gilbert Hedden notes the triangle matches directions on the mysterious "Mar Del" treasure map, suggesting a possible connection to earlier treasure maps.
Two DRILLED ROCKS discovered, 415 feet apart E-W. Part of original survey markers
Professor Edwin Hamilton measures a flood rate of 800 gallons per minute and concludes the Money Pit is a man-made engineering marvel.
58 horizontal drill holes from Hedden shaft
Erwin Hamilton begins operations on Oak Island
Hollywood actor Errol Flynn, known for swashbuckling roles and real-life treasure hunting, attempts to buy into an Oak Island syndicate. The syndicate refuses to sell.
Shaft No. 10 reopened to 50 feet
Shaft No. 23 dug 30 feet S of No. 10 to 63 feet
William Vincent Astor, heir to the Astor family fortune after his father died on the Titanic, becomes a passive investor in Oak Island treasure hunting operations.
Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd Jr., the famous polar explorer, becomes a passive investor in Oak Island exploration.
Hamilton dye test shows water exiting 100 yards offshore SE
Hamilton explores Halifax Company tunnels from 117-foot level. Dye test shows water exiting 100 yards offshore SE
Hamilton has spent approximately $58,000 on Oak Island operations
Section of Hedden Shaft deepened to 168 feet. Chappell Shaft deepened to 176 feet
President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies. Throughout his political career he had continued to monitor Oak Island developments. He had planned to visit in 1939 but was prevented by fog and the international situation.
Edward Rowe Snow publishes "True Tales of Buried Treasure" containing the first published rendering of the inscribed stone symbols - the source of the famous "Forty feet below, two million pounds are buried" translation.
Mel Chappell purchases Oak Island from John Whitney Lewis for approximately $6,000
Shaft No. 24 dug 150 feet NNW of Money Pit to 50 feet
Frederick Blair dies at age 83 after 58 years involvement with Oak Island search
George Greene drills to 180+ feet. Cavity at 140-182 feet (40-foot void)
Greene pumps 100,000 gallons of water into cavity at 140-182 feet - water disappears completely
Bob Restall family arrives on Oak Island, begins living there
Lavern Johnson first visits Oak Island, studies stone triangle and drilled rocks
David Tobias becomes Restall investor
Lavern Johnson digs Shaft No. 25 approximately 240 feet N of Money Pit to 30 feet. Tunnel at 25-foot level proves fruitless
Fred Nolan acquires seven disputed lots on Oak Island
Shaft No. 26 dug at Smith's Cove beach to 24 feet
Shaft No. 27 dug 30 feet N of No. 26 to 27 feet
Dunfield discovers Shaft 28: 8 feet diameter, 45 feet deep, no cribbing, pre-1795. Located 25 feet south of stone triangle
Dunfield spends $131,000
Dunfield uses 70-ton crane to dig pit 140 feet deep, 100 feet across
Lavern Johnson puts down approximately 40 drill holes near his shaft. Air travels underground between holes, suggesting filled-in tunnels
Money Pit area reopened/dug to 140 feet by Dunfield
Restalls find '1704' stone slab at Smith's Cove
Robert Dunfield builds causeway connecting Oak Island to mainland - island no longer an island
Robert Dunfield takes over operations
Shaft No. 28 dug at south shore beach to 45 feet
Stone triangle destroyed by erosion after Dunfield digs trench
TRAGEDY: Bob Restall (59), Bobbie Restall (18), Karl Graeser (38), Cyril Hiltz (16) die in Shaft 27 from gas
Dan Blankenship arrived for a season and stayed for life. Borehole 10-X became the deepest question on the island.
Cave-in Pit (Shaft 12) deepened to 108 feet. Shaft 28 to 90 feet
Dan Blankenship begins operations on Oak Island
Shaft No. 12 (Cave-in Pit) deepened to 108 feet
Shaft No. 28 deepened to 90 feet
BRASS found at 174 feet - high impurities indicate early smelting
Becker Drilling begins 60+ drill holes in Money Pit area
Blankenship finds wrought-iron scissors at Smith's Cove. Smithsonian identifies as Spanish-American, possibly 300 years old
Drill brings up china, oak buds, cement, wood, metal from 160-212 feet
Drill hits extremely hard metal at 198 feet - 25 minutes to bore 0.5 inch. Sample lost
Heart-shaped stone found at Smith's Cove
Wood below bedrock carbon-dated to AD 1575 ±85 years by Geochron Labs
Triton Alliance Ltd. formed. David Tobias president, approximately 30 shareholders, $800,000+ invested to date
The Statesman Mining Company of Aspen, Colorado, of which actor John Wayne is part owner, leases drilling and digging equipment to Triton Alliance.
Borehole 10-X started as water-flow test hole 180 feet NE of Money Pit
Golder Associates complete geotechnical study. Water flow measured at 600-650 gallons/minute
Ross Wilhelm publishes inscribed stone translation theory using Porta cipher disk: Spanish message about plugging drain with grain
U-SHAPED STRUCTURE found below low tide: logs 2 feet thick, 30-65 feet long, notched with Roman numerals
U-shaped log structure carbon-14 dated: approximately 250 years old (circa 1720)
Borehole 10-X (Shaft No. 29) drilled 180 feet NE of Money Pit to 237 feet
Camera shows apparent: human hand, three chests, logs/beams, pickax, possible human body
Cement from 165 feet - Canada Cement Lafarge: 'reflects human activity'
Metal blown from 165 feet in 10-X: soft metal that oxidized rapidly
Shaft No. 30 dug 650 feet NW of Money Pit to 35 feet
Underwater TV camera lowered into Borehole 10-X chamber at 230 feet
Wire and chain from 155-165 feet. Stelco: hand-forged prior to 1750
Blankenship makes dives into 10-X. Finds 15-foot-high bottle-shaped cavern
Investigator from Belfast, Northern Ireland arrives claiming to have the answer to Oak Island mystery
Gilbert Hedden dies
Shaft No. 31 dug 660 feet NNE of Money Pit to 100 feet
Blankenship nearly trapped when 10-X casing collapses at 90 feet
Television cameras lowered into Borehole 10-X, images reported but quality poor
Triton takes over island tourism operations
Tobias acquires Chappell's Oak Island holdings
Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau visits Oak Island with three sons
Mel Chappell dies
Tobias sues Nolan over lot ownership, causeway access
Supreme Court upholds Nolan's claim to disputed lots
Court of Appeals dismisses Tobias ownership claim. Legal fees: ~$160,000 combined
Douglas Preston publishes "Death Trap Defies Treasure Seekers for Two Centuries" in Smithsonian Magazine.
Triton plans $10 million 'Big Dig' excavation
Fred Nolan announces NOLAN'S CROSS - five granite boulders forming 867-foot cross
At the invitation of Boston businessman David Mugar, Woods Hole conducts a two-week survey - the only known scientific study of the site. They conclude the flooding is caused by natural tidal interaction, not man-made tunnels.
The Bedford Institute of Oceanography detects potential man-made depressions on the seabed off Oak Island's south shore.
Robert Young purchases lot 5 from Nolan for $100,000
Internal disputes between David Tobias and Dan Blankenship lead to a freeze on treasure trove licenses, halting major excavation work.
Petter Amundsen conducts the first excavations related to his "Tree of Life" and "Secret Shakespeare" codes theory.
Oak Island for sale at $7 million
Triton Alliance prepares plans for a Phase 2 shaft estimated to cost $15 million, proposing to excavate to 215 feet using ground-freezing technology.
Triton and Nolan treasure trove licenses approved; Blankenship's refused
Blankenship and Tobias agree to liquidate Oak Island Tours, put island on market
Two brothers from Michigan brought machinery, science, and cameras. The search became the longest running treasure hunt on television.
Lee Lamb publishes 'Oak Island Obsession: The Restall Story'
Michigan brothers Rick and Marty Lagina acquire interest in Oak Island
Divers discover the wreck believed to be Kidd's Quedagh Merchant in shallow water (less than 10 feet deep) just 70 feet off Catalina Island, south of La Romana, Dominican Republic. The Indiana University diving team confirms the identification. The ship had been scuttled or abandoned after Kidd transferred its treasure in 1699
Laginas purchase 50% of Oak Island Tours from Blankenship and Tobias
Laginas take over full operations. Dan Blankenship remains on island
Spanish maravedi coin (dated 1652) found in swamp
The Curse of Oak Island TV series premieres on History Channel
Marine archaeologist Barry Clifford recovers a 50kg ingot from a shipwreck off Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar, believed to be from the Adventure Galley. Initially reported as silver, UNESCO testing reveals it is 95% lead. The wreckage is likely port construction debris, not Kidd's ship
Professional diver John Chatterton reaches the bottom of Borehole 10X but finds no definitive evidence of treasure, leading to a renewed focus on the Money Pit area.
Fred Nolan dies after 50+ years involvement
Human bones found at 190 feet in H8 shaft - one European, one Middle Eastern origin
Leather bookbinding material and parchment specks found in H8
Medieval lead cross found at Smith's Cove - dated 900-1300 AD. Matches cross carved at Domme Prison (1307)
Randall Sullivan publishes 'The Curse of Oak Island'
Dan Blankenship dies at age 95 after 50+ years on island
A large stone-paved surface discovered beneath the swamp, with wood beneath it carbon-dated to approximately 1200 AD, suggesting medieval-era construction
Wooden ship's railing discovered in the swamp carbon-dated to 660-770 AD, the oldest artifact found on Oak Island at that time
Major excavation reveals a man-made stone road beneath the swamp, dated to the 16th century, appearing to lead from the shoreline toward the Money Pit area
Researcher Corjan Mol guides the Oak Island team to Portugal, visiting Templar churches and discovering similar construction techniques and symbols matching Oak Island findings
The team acquires Lot 5 on the western side of Oak Island and begins intensive excavation, discovering a circular stone structure and early artifacts
Gary Drayton and Rick Lagina discover half of a Roman coin near the center of Lot 5, dated by numismatist Sandy Campbell to approximately 300 BC
Season 11 premiere features discovery of three coins in one morning on Lot 5, including Roman coins dating from 100-300 AD and one potentially over 2,000 years old
Professor Adriano Gaspani uses archaeoastronomy to determine that Nolan's Cross was constructed around 1200 AD based on stellar alignments, matching carbon dates from the swamp paved area
Corjan Mol leads the team to underground Templar tunnels in the Netherlands and Viking ship museums in Scandinavia, finding construction parallels to Oak Island
Season 12 premieres on History Channel, continuing intensive Money Pit and Lot 5 excavations with advanced drilling technology
Professor Gaspani's archaeoastronomy research determines the stone cairns on Lot 15 were built around 1250 AD, aligned with stars, moon, and sun - work he attributes to the Knights Templar
Research expedition to Malta explores connections between the Knights Hospitaller, Knights of Malta, and Oak Island, finding matching symbols in historic prisons
Continued excavations on Lots 5 and 8 uncover artifacts with possible medieval origins, strengthening Templar connection theories
Team investigates interconnected well systems across Oak Island, revealing possible drainage or flood tunnel connections
Season 13 begins airing on History Channel, marking over a decade of the Lagina brothers' televised treasure hunt with deeper Money Pit excavations and new Templar revelations
A U-shaped timber basin, box drains, a slipway, and colonial-era hardware: Smith's Cove may have ...
The box drains at Smith's Cove look real. The coconut fibre is confirmed. But has anyone ever act...
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, holds Oak Island on its southern shore. The bay's history runs from 13,5...
