The 1850s were an extraordinary period in American history. Every person – rich or poor – seemed to have just one thought in mind – Gold.
During the period, the news of gold in the west spread like wildfire. This prompted a wave of migration of people wanting to try their luck at finding gold. A few were lucky; they staked a claim, dug mines, and extracted considerable among of gold. But this wasn’t always the hardest part.
The gold rush also saw a spike in the robbery. In the absence of organized law enforcement in many western states, road agents and gangs of thieves functioned with impunity. They robbed wagons and stagecoaches that transported gold.
Henry Plummer & the Innocents
During that time, Henry Plummer operated one of the most notorious gangs called Innocents. The group laid siege on gold-bearing travelers between Virginia City and Bannack City. Gold was found in western Montana and many prospectors were transporting gold weighing thousands of ounces. Henry Plummer also happened to be the sheriff of the Bannack City.
The Plummer Gang was blamed for several criminal activities and the death of over 100 people. The gang operated from Rattlesnake Ranch and was active in Virginia City, Bannack City, and the surrounding areas.
The gang targeted gold-carrying vehicles that moved to-and-from Virginia and Bannack City. At the peak of its operations, the Plummer Gang had over a hundred members. They operated in different places and recognized each other using a secret code language.
Plummer planted his loyalists in mining offices and gambling centers to supply authentic and accurate information on the time and date the precious cargo was to be moved. To keep their operations swift and maximize the loot, the gang worked in small units to cover several routes at the same time.
An Enterprising Man Gone Astray
At a young age, after the death of his father, Henry Plummer left home to seek his fortune in gold. He traveled to California to prospect the precious metal and had a decent run. Being a young man of enterprising nature, Plummer soon amassed considerable wealth in Nevada City. In just two years, he owned a ranch, mine, and a bakery. He also became a Sheriff and city manager in 1956.
Later, after his jail term, Plummer settled in Bannack City. In a short period, he bought a mine and amassed a small fortune. He was respected by the people of the town and was soon elected the sheriff.
Plummer’s Hidden Treasure
Even after 150 years, Henry Plummer evokes interest among historians and the general public not because of his enterprising nature or two stints as sheriff in two different places. Plummer became famous because of his hidden treasure, which he stockpiled by raiding gold-carrying wagons.
In the early 1960s, there was a spike in robberies and murders around Alder Gulch. The citizens and merchants of Virginia City suspected a ‘road agents’ gang called Innocents. They also believed that Henry Plummer had something to do with it.
After his capture by the vigilante committee members, it’s believed that Plummer negotiated for his release. If let go he promised to return within 2 hours with gold equal to his weight. His pleadings fell on deaf ears. In 1864, after a summary trial, Henry Plummer was hanged and the location of the hidden treasure died with him.
The Search for the Lost Gold
Alder Gulch and areas around Bannack City has been under the microscope for more than a century. Just after Plummer’s death, people started looking for the gold that he had stashed away. Once in a while, someone would claim to have found gold in the area, which further revived the claim of lost gold and the legend of Plummer’s Treasure.
The story of hidden loot is one of the biggest mysteries in Montana. The story has appeared in several books and publications in Montana and throughout the United States.
Treasure hunters, historians, and experts believe that there is more than just Plummer’s treasure in the area. Plummer had more than 100 associates who would have received a cut from the stolen gold. It’s believed that most of his associates who were arrested and hanged died without revealing where they hid their share of the loot. The claim that some of Plummer’s treasure has been found can well be gold that his associates had buried.
Many believe that Henry Plummer and his Gang have hidden caches of gold buried throughout Western Montana.
Gold Hidden to Avoid Robbery
It is with good reason that people refer to the western states of the United States in the 18th and early 19th century as the ‘Wild West.’ Many places didn’t have a strong law enforcement authority. Such a situation allowed road agents and armed gangs to plunder merchant and gold vehicles that traveled without adequate protection.
Because of Plummer’s Gang, it was increasingly becoming difficult to transport any valuable commodity between Virginia and Bannack City. So, to safeguard their gold, miners would bury the valuables at a secret location whenever they feared something would go wrong. People believe that gold (hidden by miners, his gang members, and perhaps even Plummer himself) is still hidden in Bannack City and the surrounding areas.
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