Butler's Buried Cache
During the Gold Rush, a prospector named Butler operated an incredibly rich placer claim on a bend of the Mokelumne River that yielded up to fifty thousand dollars daily. Distrustful of banks and under pressure from litigation over legacy shares of the claim, Butler buried his daily gold surpluses near the riverbed. After his sudden death from fever, administrators found his bank deposits, but his associates confirmed his substantial daily surplus gold remained hidden near the claim. In 1963, the construction of Camanche Dam inundated the entire town of Lancha Plana and Butler's claim under deep water and silt.
Field Research Notes
The site is permanently submerged under the Camanche Reservoir. The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) strictly regulates reservoir access, and all diving, metal detecting, and salvaging are prohibited. High siltation makes underwater visual recovery practically impossible.
Recommended Gear
Underwater Metal Detector, Scuba Gear, Sonar Depth Scanner, Silt Dredge Pump
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