Clear Creek Mormon Coin Cache
In the 1850s, a Mormon wagon train was journeying through the Redding valley toward the settlement of Horsetown when they attempted to cross a swollen, flash-flooded Clear Creek. One of the wagons, driven by an emigrant named Bishop, tipped into a deep hole and was violently.
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- Target Name: Clear Creek Mormon Coin Cache
- Registry Category: buried cache
- Geographic Location: Shasta County, southwest of Redding near the historic Horsetown Clear Creek Diggings along Clear Creek Road. (Coordinates:
40.49440, -122.49800) - Land Status: Bureau of Land Management / Horsetown-Clear Creek Preserve (Allowed - No Firearm Hunting) (Classified as Claim / Rule Check)
- Primary Historic Source: Legends of America - Northern California Treasure
- Search & Usefulness Rating: Score 62/100 (Field Readiness: Claim Check First)
- Summary Overview: In the 1850s, a Mormon wagon train was journeying through the Redding valley toward the settlement of Horsetown when they attempted to cross a swollen, flash-flooded Clear Creek. One of the wagons.
Historical Overview
In the 1850s, a Mormon wagon train was journeying through the Redding valley toward the settlement of Horsetown when they attempted to cross a swollen, flash-flooded Clear Creek. One of the wagons, driven by an emigrant named Bishop, tipped into a deep hole and was violently swept downstream with its cargo of newly minted gold coins. Decades later in 1910, local prospector William Dreestelhorst discovered an extremely rare 1841 ten-dollar gold coin stamped with the initials 'SMV' and inscribed with 'California Gold' in his sluice box. This discovery proved the historical existence of the lost Mormon treasure, but the rest of the wagon's gold cache remains buried in the creek's shifting sands.
Field Search & Recovery Tips
The site lies within the Horsetown-Clear Creek Preserve, which is cooperatively managed by the BLM and a local non-profit. Mineral collecting is strictly regulated; treasure hunters should check current BLM rules for panning, utilize high-grade metal detectors along dry gravel bars, and consult historic flow maps to trace the 1850s channel path.
Field Action Checklist
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Bureau of Land Management / Horsetown-Clear Creek Preserve (Allowed - No Firearm Hunting)
Legal & Permit Review
Recommended Outfitting
Legends of America - Northern California Treasure
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