Towards the center of Amelia Island is marshy expanse known as Egan’s Creek Greenway. The story goes that in 1900, an unnamed pirate buried a “substantial treasure” here. After doing so, he killed his accomplices, and then left a single chain flung over the limb of the large oak tree where the treasure had been buried, so that he would not forget its location. Before he could finish the job of filling in the hole, the pirate was bitten by a snake, fell into the pit that he had dug, and died.

       No one knows what became of his treasure, but supposedly the pirate’s ghost haunts the area, with locals recommending that if you see remnants of rusty chain hanging from an oak tree, known to locals as the ‘Money Tree,’ it’s best to “leave the Money Tree alone.” It would seem variations of the tale state to would-be treasure hunters, that it is vital to “take your shovels with you,” as it’s said both the chain and tree are capable of mysteriously disappearing after you’ve initially found them.

       Others state that it’s important to “read from one of the five Books of Moses” to safely banish the unruly pirate spirit who guards the treasure. Another take on the story is that instead of an unnamed pirate, it was Blackbeard and his crew during 1718.

       In time, it is said that four men sought out the treasure, who indeed found the old oak tree with the chain and began digging, soon hitting a chest buried within the earth. After three of their number departed in search of a larger shovel; the fourth, who had been selected to stand guard, became curious and resumed digging. Opening the chest, a black, spectral entity emerged, rapidly snatching him away through the underbrush, and ripping him away and out to the nearby beach. The three who had departed returned, but were unable to relocate the tree, and found their friend, nearly dead on the beach, who survived to tell the tale.