A much safer quest for a buried treasure trove can be yours in Crawford County, Arkansas. It concerns George Washington Sims, who arrived there after service in the War of 1812 to establish a homestead near the town of Shepherd Springs. You will not find this old settlement on any modern map, it just dried up and blew away years ago.
Folks tell how Sims joined the mad gold rush to California in 1849. Also, he was one of the more fortunate prospectors, striking it rich and later returning to Crawford County a wealthy man. In later years, the old prospector earned a reputation as a confirmed miser, who mistrusted banks. As a result, Sims buried his fortune on his property, perhaps in more than one location. At any rate, he was spry enough to guard his fortune until 1890, when he died at the age of 112. His corpse had hardly turned cold when grave-robbers snatched his body from its last resting place, probably imagining Sims’ shroud had pockets for carrying gold. It is presumed that the old prospector’s fortune has never been recovered from his farm.