The muddy man on a mission wades along the banks of the Mississippi River and has been searching for unique finds since the 1980s when he first ventured out with his dad. She reminded residents to stay optimistic, "We are battered but we will not be broken. Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure - Pelican State of Mind Oldest coin I found was a half of a silver dollar, old civil Spanish real from 1876," he recalled, adding that some other major finds include a Republic of Texas belt buckle dating to around the 1830s. Hurricane Katrina | Deaths, Damage, & Facts | Britannica SC: And when do you expect to be able to reach them? I just feel so bad for these people. Just pick a state you or any member of your family has ever worked in or played in, type in the name, and within seconds you can find out if this is your lucky dayand it is all absolutely free. TREASURE COAST, Fla. Right after and believe it or not even during hurricanes, there is a group of brave souls who take to the shoreline. He stated while talking to someone on the radio, who was a Jean L researcher, the guy described the markings Lafitte would leave pointing to treasure. Poking at the can was the first step in uncovering a buried treasure of rare coins estimated to be worth $10 million. The Dread Jewish Pirate Jean Lafitte - Tablet Magazine "The deepest I've gone is over 15 feet, but this one, in particular, is about 8 feet deep and it's just incredible. That means everything that's going on is still going on back there. Aerial image of Jean Lafitte, La. Hurricane Katrina remains one of the worst hurricanes in U.S. history. Everybody knows that it would be bad. (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell). Gordon White is not only a lucky guy, but a truly generous soul. Jean Laffite's treasure in the Sabine River - Lone Star Treasure So armed with the states list of names, addresses, and amounts owed, we went door-to-doora sort of sweepstakes a la Dateline. Jimmy says post traumatic stress disorder forced him to quit his job and move back home to Georgia. The irony is not lost on Mears who explained that as the river has gone up and down over the years, the water has taken a lot with it, but it has also deposited a lot of artifacts. Accuweather National Reporter Bill Wadell didn't mind getting dirty to take viewers along a journey with a history buff in New Orleans who searches for Louisiana's forgotten past. The local police chief said at least 400 people had chosen not to leave ahead of the storm - and dozens needed rescuing from attics and rooftops. (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell). "We find buttons. Edgar Sandoval contributed reporting from Houma, La. The man who was killed left an estate of 60,000 in cash plus land in Mississippi. The storm arrived in New Orleans 16 years after Hurricane Katrina followed a similar path in 2005, killing 1,800 people. hide caption. After Hurricane Katrina, which damaged more than 100 school buildings, the state seized control of almost all urban schools and turned them over to independent charter groups. But the ones that don't have money to go and don't have transportation to go in and are stuck back there, that's sad. It's an actual gold medal, 1859, says it right there, gold medal. His 16-year-old daughter, Kaylee, has joined him combing the beach. Much of New Orleans has been plunged into darkness, with only emergency lighting seen in many areas. Below are some stories to tell about other folks who now, more than ever, need to find a little lost money. Kerner told Weather.com that the local levee was overpowered by Ida's floodwaters. Like so many startled unclaimed property owners, Gordons windfall comes from his dad who kept a secret account. Oak Island the Strange, the Bizarre, and Maybe the "Truth! While at my favorite used book store some months ago I stumbled across a copy of a book that I read as a kid. Long-lost pirate ship may lie in Texas lake / Historical treasure could Items Shane Mears has found in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a metal detector. This hobby became a true passion for Mears after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005. See link. In the French Quarter, the streets seemed to have been washed almost clean. JavaScript is disabled. LaPlace, a town of quiet subdivisions on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River where many evacuees from New Orleans settled after Katrina, saw many of those homes mangled and streets flooded by Ida. Beyond Oak Island: 50 MILLION DOLLAR PIRATE TREASURE *Jean Lafitte's This is one 1806 real from the hoard featuring King Charles IV with a Certificate of Authenticity. We can have a thousand people, we can have ten thousand, they'll be doing the same thing I'm doing waiting until its over to go see what's going on. Sounds like the Hendricks lake treasure. Reporting on health care, criminal justice, the economy and other important issues in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. The full extent of the wreckage in places like Houma remained unclear. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. But I think some of them, which is the ones that my heart goes out, that my heart goes out to all of them, God bless them. The Galveston Legend of the Infamous Pirate Jean Lafitte And I would imagine every one of them's caught back there right now, and I really don't know. They're scared because they've never seen this, Leorwald said. Its hard to believe there could be much good news after this, but weve found a silver lining actually, for some people, a whole lot of gold. Bye. The people that didn't leave, they got some people probably thought they could wait it out, had the resources to leave. The authorities had rescued more than 70 people in Jean Lafitte and the surrounding communities, said Cynthia Lee Sheng, the Jefferson Parish president, after eight feet of water overtopped levees, sending several hundred people into attics and onto roofs. LaPlace, La., saw many homes mangled and streets flooded by Ida. There are a lot of people that are still there and OK, sitting on the porch, waving at us, Sheriff Lopinto said. "We're looking for old Civil War artifacts.". Hurricane Ida had turned the road into a makeshift boat launch, and Mr. Roque was on a mission to find his relatives. However, since it pointed toward someone else's land, he never did or said anything about it. after Hurricane Ida. Although he's always on the search for more, Mears doesn't go out treasure hunting with any specific gems or valuables in mind. Shalina Chatlani is the health care reporter for the Gulf States Newsroom, a collaboration between NPR, WWNO in New Orleans, WBHM in Birmingham, Alabama and MPB-Mississippi Public Broadcasting in Jackson. Hurricane Nicole's pounding waves and storm surge eroded the coastline. Gov. When no one claims these valuables, theyre eventually turned over to a state, where they may languish for years. hide caption. How many people do you think stayed behind and and and why do you think they stayed behind? State treasurer Tate Reeves, who runs Mississippis unclaimed property division, joined Dateline to deliver the news to Gordon. Its not coming anymore. Parts of Louisiana and Mississippi have been left devastated by Hurricane Ida, which flooded communities, knocked out power lines and littered roads with debris. In coastal areas, particularly in Jefferson Parish, which includes the small towns of Jean Lafitte, Barataria, and lower Lafitte, floodwaters have taken over entire roads, bridges, and neighborhoods. They feel the rain. It turns out Jimmy had benefits coming to him from a Lowes employee stock program. You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. As such, the treasure hunter keeps a close eye on the forecast and levee construction projects protecting the Big Easy to plan each expedition. There are many stories about what happened to Lafitte and where he died. Read about our approach to external linking. "This is still real," Martinez said. Years after Hurricane Katrina, a new documentary asks: What - NPR after Hurricane Ida hit the town. Digging in the toilets," Mears said. I still have no idea if it was really a JL marker, or if so, it treasure was ever found. Have a crack at it guys. And the odd thing is, these sudden fortunes may never have come to light had it not been for the catastrophe called Katrina. Ms. Lee Sheng estimated that about 40 people had chosen not to evacuate Grand Isle. Because Katrina took a turn and it hit toward Mississippi more than it hit over here. That includes the town of Jean Lafitte, as well as Crown Point, lower Lafitte and Barataria, all of south Jefferson Parish, where sustained winds reached up to 70 mph and floodwater was. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Bill Wadell interviewing Shane Mears on the bank of the Mississippi River about his treasures. My step father knew where one of these markers were, he had found it while hunting years ago and thought it might be a grave marker or something. Hendrick's Lake treasure is focus of Houston historian's upcoming book Trees and power lines were also brought down. Aerial Photos Show Louisiana's Coast Before And After Hurricane Ida - NPR New Orleans and its hardened storm infrastructure appeared to have held up, though the city had no electricity. After stalling for time, Lafitte finally complied in 1821. But to our surprise, he says hes not going to use the fortune to finish building that house White: Most of it will go to St. Judes Childrens Hospital in Memphis thats where most of it will go. The Mystery of the Final Years of Jean Lafitte Lafitte's Treasure Links I love this place built around 1640 . This is one 1806 real from the hoard featuring King Charles IV with a Certificate of Authenticity. Even so, Ida terrified him. "We've suffered flooding before,. TREASURE COAST, Fla. Right after and believe it or not even during hurricanes, there is a group of brave souls who take to the shoreline. New Orleans itself had been bruised but not beaten. When the storm came in, he was in the process of building his dream home. As New Orleans residents deal with a parish-wide power outage, small communities just outside the city and its levee protection system are being pummeled by Hurricane Ida, with hundreds of people asking for help but unable to be reached due to catastrophic flooding from several feet of stormwater. I love this place built around 1640 . You must log in or register to reply here. We just want to make sure.. Coastal areas have been particularly badly hit, including the small towns of Jean Lafitte, Barataria, and lower Lafitte. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Saving history," New Orleans relic hunter Shane Mears told Wadell. Richard Fausset reported from Jefferson Parish, La., Rick Rojas from LaPlace, La., and Patricia Mazzei from Miami. Aerial image of Jean Lafitte, La. The two-bedroom trailer was wrecked, with only the air-conditioner intact among piles of mangled furniture, kitchen supplies and personal belongings. One estimate suggested. Hurricanes, cold fronts are great," Martinez said. The roof of Lady of the Sea Hospital in the town was blown off in Ida's winds. You never think its going to be you until it is.. But because of the hurricane, he cant get work crews to finish the job. Mr. Roque felt certain his aunt and uncle, whom he lovingly described as hippies, would be all right. So was the electricity. Hurricane Veterans Were Stunned by Ida: Its Never Been as Bad, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/30/us/hurricane-ida-lafitte-houma.html. That's got to be heart-wrenching for them. It was a book on the treasures of Galveston and the surrounding area. Today, hes a millionaire. after Hurricane Ida. This is a no reserve auction with an opening bid of only $0.99. Great story! For the residents that stayed, Leorwald called it a personal decision, noting that some people couldnt afford to leave. He went all the way to lower Lafitte, he said, but found few takers for a boat ride. His aunt and uncle, Diane and Buddy Nolan, had ridden out the fierce Category 4 storm at home in the hardy fishing village of Jean Lafitte. Claiborne, and Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812 Jean Lafitte was born in France in 1780. Mississippi's treasury department has set up temporary shop in a courthouse to try to find people who have unclaimed property coming to them. The Mystery of the Final Years of Jean Lafitte . Reeves: It is my honor and privilege to present to you 14,480 shares of Lowes stock.Lea Thompson, Dateline correspondent: Whats it worth Mr. Treasurer?Reeves: Its worth approximately $950,000 at close of business yesterday. John Bel Edwards as of Monday about 80% of all the rescues done Monday were carried out in St. John the Baptist Parish. (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell). A few New Orleanians had begun venturing out to walk their dogs, ride bikes and assess the state of things early on Monday. And I don't know what's going to happen. Fast forward 25 years. Your device might not be able to access this slider. after Hurricane Ida. I know New Orleans got nailed with it because of that levee failure. Never again.. Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner said the town suffered "catastrophic" flooding Sunday following Hurricane Ida. Evacuees consoled each other after leaving Jean Lafitte, La. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Severe weather can also toss items from cargo ships, wash valuables away during a tsunami or unearth precious metals during a hurricane. He was also a ham radio operator. August 29, 2021 Hurricane Ida landfall news - CNN Thats the way I do, help somebody who really needs help and those children are it. This one right here was the worst one Ive been in. The wind was howling, he said, and seemed to never stop. In the 1950s, the Sabine River and the nearby lake (Hendrick's Lake) experienced a new onslaught of treasure seekers when the story of Laffite's silver was published by the True West magazine. Edmund D. Fountain for The New York Times. Galliano, on the Gulf Coast, has also been badly affected. These hunters were busy combing the beaches and unearthing shiny pieces of Treasure Coast history. SC: I understand that this area was under a mandatory evacuation. Barataria Bay (French: Baie de Barataria), also Barrataria Bay, is a bay of the Gulf of Mexico, about 15 miles (24 km) long and 12 miles (19 km) wide, in southeastern Louisiana, in Jefferson Parish and Plaquemines Parish, United States.It is separated from the gulf by two barrier islands, Grand Isle and Grand Terre.. Now, he's got new company while he is on his hunts. Aerial image of Jean Lafitte, La. he captured a Spanish treasure fleet off Cuba's Bay of Mantanzas in 1628. According to one account, published in 1885, The Historical Guide to New Orleans, Jean Lafitte died of sickness on the island of Mugeres, off the Yucatan, in 1826. "And looking in the river here, you know, when it starts to go down, that's when I need to come out and do my digging.". Residents told of hours of harsh winds and rising water as the storm blew through. The . Tate Reeves, Mississippi state treasurer: We have for you 3,4 99 shares of Wachovia bank stock.Gordon White: How many shares?Reeves:So this particular amount of stock is worth over $200,000White: That will make me happy (laughter). 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Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. Because the water system parish-wide is still being repaired, Lee Sheng said residents must limit how much wastewater goes down the drain for now. SC: Well, thanks for chatting with us and giving us that update. Images showed streets under water and gardens submerged. Lea Joseph took her children to try to sleep in the trembling car once the power went out; the wind was whipping her house, uprooting trees and peeling roof shingles.