Built Over Time, Part 2: The Mine Above the Creek
An abandoned shaft, a shovel left in stone, and two nearby cabins raise new questions about repeated occupation in one of Southern Oregon's richest mining districts.
Oregon Lost Mines, Legends &
Fieldwork
Lost Cabin Mine
Explore Oregon's lost-mine legends through historical research, annotated maps, treasure-hunting adventures, field notes, and campfire humor.
Along the way, Jimmy and his sketchy raccoon companion turn fieldwork, folklore, and questionable decisions into stories worth telling.
Research
Legends
Oregon lost mines, treasure legends, folklore, and historical mysteries, researched source by source.
Research & Evidence
Articles
Deep dives into historical records, documented sources, maps, and the evidence behind Oregon legends.
Ground Truth
Adventures
Treasure-hunting trips, field observations, route stories, and outdoor misadventures from the places behind the legends.
Articles
Latest Articles
Built Over Time: Two Cabins and a Forgotten Mining Site
Two nearby cabins, older framing, square nails, canvas fragments, and reclaimed mine workings suggest a site used and rebuilt across generations.
Part IX: Into The Illinois Valley
After comparing the earliest Lost Cabin accounts, the investigation turns toward the Illinois Valley, where Southern Oregon's mining history begins providing a setting that closely matches the surviving traditions.
Legend Files
Featured Legends
Oregon’s Lost Cabin Mine: Following the Legend
L. W. Musick’s 1896 work preserves early accounts connected with Oregon’s Lost Cabin Mine, including Hall and Thompson, the first searches, and a legend that spread across the Pacific Coast.
Campfire
Campfire
Today's Treasure Hunting Regret Prevention #1
Every treasure hunter collects a few lessons the hard way. Around the Campfire, Jimmy shares one at a time in hopes that someone else can avoid making the same mistake.
Jimmy's First Treasure Run 3: The Man with the Box
A quiet morning hike became one of Jimmy's most unforgettable memories when a stranger carrying an enormous box crossed the trail and disappeared into the forest, leaving behind far more questions than answers.
I Was Promised Treasure. This Is a Twig.
A dragonfly pauses on a twig and delivers a brutally accurate review of treasure hunting expectations.
Field Humor
Funnies
Trip 6 - The Raccoon Who Got In Trouble
The Sketchy Raccoon turns a simple situation into snack-related chaos in this Lost Cabin Mine comic.
Trip 5 - The Hotel In The Woods
One more hill. One more bad decision. Jimmy pushes ahead while her exhausted partner questions everything, only for the soggy raccoon supervisor to claim the final victory.
Trip 4 - The Hill That Lied
One more hill. One more bad decision. Jimmy pushes ahead while her exhausted partner questions everything, only for the soggy raccoon supervisor to claim the final victory.
Adventures
In the Field
Adventure #6: One Of Jimmy's Favorite Bad Ideas
Some treasures aren't found in the woods. Some are parked in your driveway... waiting for a bad idea and a full tank of denial.
Adventure #5: The Hotel In The Woods
Mabel and her search partner find shelter in a strange hotel where the woods seem determined to follow them inside.
Adventure #4: The Hill That Lied
Mabel and her search partner had a disagreement before they even reached the trail.