In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, the disappearance of Union gold during the Civil War leads to a modern-day treasure hunt in Pennsylvania. The summary explores how Dennis Parada and his company, Finders Keepers USA, spent 30 years searching for 26 gold bars that vanished in 1863 when two Union soldiers mysteriously disappeared during a convoy mission to Philadelphia.
The story takes an unexpected turn when the FBI becomes involved in the excavation after Parada's team discovers evidence of a large underground anomaly. The summary details the subsequent investigation, including contradictions between the FBI's official statements and eyewitness accounts, disputed findings at the dig site, and the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit that followed, raising questions about what was actually discovered at Dent's Run.
Sign up for Shortform to access the whole episode summary along with additional materials like counterarguments and context.
A fascinating tale of lost Civil War gold has emerged from Elk County, Pennsylvania. According to legend, in 1863, a Union convoy transporting 26 gold ingots to Philadelphia met with tragedy when Lieutenant Castleton succumbed to malaria. Both Castleton and Sergeant O'Rourke vanished mysteriously with the gold, leading to an investigation that recovered only part of the treasure. Some theorists suggest the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret society aiming to establish a slave-holding empire, may have used this story as a coded map to their hidden treasure cache.
Dennis Parada's treasure hunt began with a psychic's guidance, who provided a specific location and drew a map indicating underwater gold in a cave. After 30 years of unsuccessful searching, Parada and his son's company, Finders Keepers USA, discovered a promising cave entrance. With permission from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, they conducted approximately 300 expeditions to the site.
Parada, his son, and journalist Warren Gettler approached the FBI with evidence of a substantial underground anomaly, potentially 8.5-9 tons of gold, detected by ground-penetrating equipment. The FBI obtained a warrant and began excavation, but largely excluded Parada's team from the process. While the FBI maintained they only worked during permitted hours, neighbors reported nighttime activity and sightings of heavily loaded armored vehicles, contradicting official statements.
The FBI officially reported finding nothing valuable at Dent's Run, despite earlier scans indicating a high-density mass below the surface. Parada noted that his subsequent searches still showed promising readings, contradicting the FBI's findings. In response, Finders Keepers filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the FBI. Despite the release of hundreds of pages of documents, questions persist about the excavation's true outcome, particularly given eyewitness accounts of armored vehicles leaving the site and discrepancies in how Parada's team was treated during the dig.
1-Page Summary
The enduring legend of lost Civil War gold has captured imaginations for generations, woven into the history of Elk County, Pennsylvania, with a blend of fact and folklore.
The series of events that have fed the legend of the lost gold began in the summer of 1863 when a small convoy of Union soldiers was tasked with a clandestine operation.
According to the legend, a Union lieutenant named Castleton and his sergeant O'Rourke, along with a handful of soldiers, were navigating the thick wilderness of Pennsylvania. Their mission was to transport a trove of 26 gold ingots to the US Mint in Philadelphia. As the tale goes, tragedy struck when Castleton succumbed to malaria, and the party became lost. Mysteriously, Castleton and O'Rourke, along with the gold, vanished without a trace. The remaining party told their story, which led to an investigation, but only partial recovery of the gold and the remains of some of the men were ever found.
Building on the mysterious disappearance, Warren brings forward the theory that the lost gold story, known locally as the Lost Gold Ingot treasure, might be intertwined with the narratives of the secret society called the Knights of the Golden Ci ...
Legend and History of Lost Civil War Gold
Dennis Parada's search for a legendary hidden treasure, driven by a psychic’s vision, saw no success for many years, however, the discovery of a cave entrance has revived their efforts.
Dennis Parada’s quest for treasure at Dent’s Run began with guidance from a psychic during a store event. The psychic provided a precise location on a map for Dennis to investigate and directed him to bring back dirt samples for validation. After Dennis provided samples from various locations—the psychic accurately identified which ones were connected to the treasure. The psychic then drew a crude map indicating that the gold was in a cave underwater and within 500 feet of one specific dirt sample’s spot.
Despite searching all summer, Dennis and his friends could not locate a cave matching the description provided by the psychic and subsequently abandoned the quest for 30 years.
Dennis Parada and Son's company, Finders Keepers USA, made approximately 300 trips to the cave described by the psychic, searching for the elusive gold. They used metal detectors and other equipment but failed to find any trace of gold in the small, wildlife-infested cave.
Years after their initial search, Dennis and his son serendipitously located an entrance to a cave tha ...
Search Efforts by Dennis Parada and Finders Keepers
Dennis Parada, his son, and journalist Warren Gettler contacted the FBI to discuss the possibility of a substantial amount of gold at Dent's Run. They demonstrated promising signs of this with a ground penetrating locator, indicating an underground anomaly consistent with around 8.5-9 tons of material believed to be gold.
The FBI acted on this information and contracted a geophysics service that used a gravimeter to scan the area. The results confirmed the initial suspicion, detecting an underground anomaly with the density and mass that could potentially be gold. This was supported by an Associated Press journalist, Michael Rubenkam, who sent the report for external review.
An FBI agent applied for a warrant claiming the right to seize "one or more tons of United States gold" if found at Dent's Run. A Pennsylvania judge granted the warrant, stipulating the search to occur within two weeks, specifically between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
The excavation began on March 13th, but Parada and his team were kept away for most of the dig. They were allowed on the site briefly in the late afternoon and were asked to leave after an hour. Similarly, on the next day, they were only allowed on the site after the FBI had finished digging for the day.
The FBI's Investigation and Excavation
The FBI's involvement at the Dent's Run excavation site has led to a dispute marked by substantial unanswered questions and skepticism from treasure hunters at Finders Keepers.
The FBI officially reported finding nothing of value—only dirt and debris—after their Dent's Run excavation, which has provoked Dennis Parada and his team to raise crucial questions regarding the outcome. Even though various ground scans indicated a high-density mass below the surface, the FBI's files and provided evidence, including sign-in sheets, photographs, and detailed timelines, do not suggest any wrongdoing, as the Bureau maintains they discovered no gold.
Furthering suspicions, Parada noted inconsistencies in the findings: previous scans suggested a significant metallic and high-density anomaly, yet the FBI only unearthed dirt. This disparity, along with the sight of three armored vehicles—one appearing heavily laden—departing the area, intensified doubts about the FBI's findings. Parada's continued searches with his equipment at the site also identified some promising readings, contradicting the FBI's results.
Seeking transparency, Finders Keepers initiated a lawsuit against the FBI under the Freedom of Information Act. Despite the FBI releasing hundreds of pages of documents related to the excavation, Finders Keepers, led by Dennis and Kim Parada, suggested essential details remain undisclosed. They acknowledge the FBI's legal right to withhold certain records, which adds ...
The Dispute and Unanswered Questions Around the Findings
Download the Shortform Chrome extension for your browser