Lost Cave of Silver: Some people consider the Pennsylvania Wilds our local treasure. Others simply appreciate the forest lands and wildlife that can be encountered with ease. However, as with other areas throughout the US, our area is home to legends of lost riches of the gold and silver variety.

In 2018 the Elk/Cameron Counties gold ingots mystery was sparked to life again, when local gold hunters postulated that the FBI had discovered the long-sought riches from an expedition transporting gold ingots to Gettysburg, which got lost outside of St. Marys and the gold was never found.

Supposedly, around $1.5 million in gold is lost somewhere near Driftwood, specifically close to Dent’s Run. Whether that mystery has been solved or not, it bears mentioning that a similar story of silver discovered — and then lost — plagues Forest and Warren Counties and the Allegheny National Forest.

As the story goes, a settler named Hill got lost in the forest in the 1700’s. While lost, he found shelter in a cave, lit a torch and discovered walls veined in silver and a pit filled with the ore. However, upon finding his way back to civilization, all he was left with was the story. He could not retrace the trail to his valuable discovery.

An indian trader supposedly supported his tale of riches lost in the forest, but the exact location of the cave is still unknown to this day.

Also rumored is the fact that the Native Americans that resided in the area knew the way, as silver was found among their burial sites in Irvine, just 15 miles upstream from the area near Tionesta where the settler Hill and the trader were based.

In fact, with both of these stories are two more that can be grouped within a 50-mile radius of Emporium.

It pays to know the way through the woods in Cameron County — or it could if you take your metal detector.