The legend is that before Captain Kidd was convicted and executed for piracy, he buried treasure all throughout New England: Connecticut, New York, and even areas of Canada and Nova Scotia.  But in Maine, it is rumored that Kidd buried a lot of treasure near the town Wiscasset.

The coast of Maine was pretty quiet and has tons of islands and a coastline that’s actually longer than California’s.  it has tons of places to safely hide treasure and to maybe even hide from other pirates and the navy.

The treasure included gold, diamonds, rubies, and silver and enticed all who heard about it.  However, Captain Kidd never gave up the location of his treasures and created the legend of Captain Kidd and his buried treasure.

The legend has resulted in years of trying citizens competing in a treasure hunt but they haven’t found it yet.

Context:

The informant is one of my close friends I met during my time here at USC.  He is from Maine and heard about the treasure of Captain Kidd from his friends back home.  He is fascinated by the legend of a vast wealth buried beneath his feet and has been intrigued by the legend since he heard about it.  It is a well-known legend that has spawned years of searching for it, even tempting the informant to try and find some, though he knows he won’t prevail.  The idea of having untold riches buried underneath your home is something that will remain a mystery for all who live there.

Thoughts:

I am always fascinated by legends like this.  Growing up and watching the Pirates of the Caribbean was really my first real introduction to anything related to pirates, and the stories they have and the adventures the go on have always fascinated me.  The life of a pirate is thrill-inducing and dangerous, and I believe that there truly is treasure scattered around Maine and New England, and the idea of discovering even a small portion of it is exciting to think about.  The legend of Captain Kidd was one I had not known prior, and upon learning about it made me feel like a kid completing a scavenger hunt.  The historical background of the legend is interesting in its own right, and coupled with the mystery of a vast fortune only adds to it.

For other versions of the legend of Captain Kidd and his treasures, visit

“Pirate Captain Kidd’s ‘Treasure’ Found in Madagascar.” BBC News, BBC, 7 May 2015,

www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32621444.