Few People Know About The Missing Gold That Could Be Buried Somewhere On The Coast Of Texas
By Katie Lawrence|Published May 24, 2023
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
It’s often said there is more buried treasure in Texas than any other state in the nation, with many experts believing the total amount to be roughly $340 million. Whether or not you believe that, hearing the myths and legends is always fun – and I have an incredible story to tell you today. It’s the tale of Money Hill in South Padre Island, where a family graced with good fortune allegedly hid their riches for safekeeping. Nothing in this story has been verified, as it’s most likely nothing more than a legend (but a fascinating one, nonetheless).
Our story begins with a man by the name of John Singer, who, along with his wife, Johanna and their children, arrived in South Padre Island sometime around 1847.
The family had hopes of creating a better life on the island, which was a major supply station at the time. Soon after getting settled, Singer set up a shipping business, and all was well for a year or so...until one fateful day.
A particularly stormy afternoon saw Singer manning a schooner named the Alice Sadell from Port Isabel back to South Padre Island.
Despite being a novice sailor, Singer was determined to make it back to the island that day. This reckless arrogance proved to be a grave mistake, as the ship crashed into the coastline and completely fell apart.
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Miraculously, all of the passengers - Mr. Singer, his wife, their children, and a hired hand - survived the wreck.
Salvaging what they could, the family slowly rebuilt their life on the island, erecting another boat and subsisting on fishing, farming, and cattle ranching.
The Singer family's wealth continued to grow, eventually allowing them to invest $500 (which was quite a bit of money at the time) in the lucrative Singer Sewing Machine Company, a New York City-based business founded by Singer's younger brother.
Rather than try to dig up their treasure and risk being caught, they opted to leave it in the sand with hopes of one day returning to reclaim it. After the war, the Singers did come back to South Padre, but nothing was as they left it. Their home had been torn down and used as firewood, and the sand dunes had shifted after a hurricane devastated the island. All of the riches the family had buried in the sand were also nowhere to be found, and
What do you think about the legend of Money Hill? Have you heard any other stories about buried treasure in Texas? Tell us your thoughts in the comments! Don’t forget to check out our previous article for a nearby beach town, Port Aransas, that’s one of the most delightful places to visit in the Lone Star State.
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