Did a Hidden Fortune Sink in One Wisconsin Lake 200 Years Ago?

I'm a sucker for a good legend, especially when they involve Illinois or Wisconsin, and today I came across one about Lake Mendota in Madison that I had never heard about before.

The Lost Treasure of Lake Mendota

While I was searching for the best lakes in Wisconsin for swimming and water sports, this post floated across my news feed and immediately caught my interest...

With all the time I spend in Wisconsin, how had I not heard about the possibility there's sunken treasure in one of the state 's most popular lakes before?!?

One person commented on BadgerlandLegends' post with another version of this legend which is also pretty fascinating;

The story we got here in the Driftless Area in SW Wis was the squadron made their way down along the Wisconsin river to the joining of the Mississippi River and there in the Wyalusing Bluffs the treasure was hidden in one of the many caves and sealed up. The bandits left know that Fort Crawford was just across the river and help was most likely coming...despite attempts to locate the cave the two soldiers couldn't agree on the spot and it was never recovered...

We may never know the truth about where the treasure came from, if it ever existed, or if it still waits in the depths of Lake Mendota, but I do know that hiding fascinating treasures is nothing  new for this lake!

Ancient Canoes Found in Madison's Lake Mendota

Back in 2021, 11 ancient canoes were found at the bottom of Lake Mendota that are believed to between 1,500 and 4,500 years old, but how did they go so long undiscovered?

A 2021 WPR article says;

Archaeologists hypothesize that the canoes may have been intentionally cached in the water to prevent freezing and warping in the winter months and were later buried by natural forces over time.

One theory for why the canoes went so long without being discovered is simple; the section of Mendota's lake bottom where they were found just became exposed due to boat activity at a nearby marina.

Hmmm.

Could more ancient canoes and hidden treasure chests be unearthed in Lake Mendota soon? Only time will tell, but maybe we should start taking scuba lessons...just in case.