The Legend of a Cannon Filled With Gold Coins Near Lufkin, Texas
What Lies Under the Neches River?
One look at the Neches River, and it's easy to believe that there could be numerous secrets that lie under the murky water or buried deep in the mud along its banks. Maybe something as benign as an old ball cap, perhaps something as sinister as...well, I won't go there.
Deep East Texas History
Plenty of fascinating history stretches deep into the forests of the Pineywoods. Nacogdoches is the Oldest Town in Texas boasting its founding in 1779. But, Deep East Texas has been a busy intersection of civilizations beginning with the Caddo Indians along with the influence of colonizers from Mexico and America.
This conglomeration of cultures and people brought tension to the area nearly 200 years ago.
Fort Teran
In 1831, a fort was built along the banks of the Neches River, just a few miles west of present-day Rockland, Texas. It was named Fort Teran in honor of the Mexican general in charge of the eastern division of Mexican Texas.
The fort was built to keep American pioneers, smugglers, and illegal immigrants from entering Texas. Fort Teran was manned for a little over 2 years before being abandoned around 1834.
A concrete marker in Tyler County along the southern bank of the Neches River supposedly indicates the location of the long, lost fort...but, is that marker correct?
Many argue that the site of the marker is on the wrong side of the river. Fort Teran may have been on the Angelina County side of the Neches (Black X), as opposed on the southern bank (Red X) in Tyler County.
What About the Gold?
Legend has it that there is a treasure of gold coins buried near the location of Fort Teran. Some say that the coins were poured into the barrel of a cannon and then buried into the mud along the banks of the Neches River. Others maintain that the gold was stored in a makeshift cave along the Neches.
Although there has been no hard evidence of the existence of this trove, that hasn't stopped curious treasure hunters from trying their luck at finding the gold.
More in-depth details can be found by going to this link, and then scrolling to the entry for Volume 16, December 2011 in the Pine Bough.