You’d be forgiven for thinking that missing treasure is the stuff of children’s legends. After all, we most commonly encounter lost chests of gold and silver in bedtime stories about pirates. But there’s actually a possibility that some hidden treasure in Kansas is real. It’s no secret that the Sunflower State has a Wild West history of outlaws. From the Dalton Gang to the colorful history of Dodge City, you’ll find plenty of stories about robbers in our wild and wacky past. One of the wildest was Henry Starr, who robbed numerous banks in the area and also was a silent film star. If you believe the legends, this notorious bandit hid a treasure in southwest Kansas that remains hidden even today!

Henry Starr was born in 1873 in present-day Oklahoma. At the tender age of 19, he began a life of crime, robbing railroad depots and banks, and even killing a deputy marshal who tried to arrest him.
Oklahoma Historical Society/Wikimedia Commons
He was sentenced to death for his crimes, but received a Presidential pardon from Teddy Roosevelt. After his pardon, he and his gang continued to rob banks through present-day Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
Harris & Ewing/Wikimedia Commons
Nicknamed the Cherokee Badman, Starr claimed to have robbed nearly two dozen banks and several train depots. He was estimated to have netted at least $60,000.
Wikimedia Commons

Related Stories

Back In The Day, This Quiet Kansas Town Was A Wild West Hangout

Back In The Day, This Quiet Kansas Town Was A Wild West Hangout

 Few People Know Kansas Was The First State To Discover Natural Helium In America

Few People Know Kansas Was The First State To Discover Natural Helium In America

 The Lost City In Kansas That Still Baffles Archaeologists To This Day

The Lost City In Kansas That Still Baffles Archaeologists To This Day
He had several stints in prison, but was released early for good behavior in 1919. He briefly attempted to live a life without crime, and played himself in a silent bank robbery film called Debtor to the Law.
Pan American/Wikimedia Commons
By 1921, he was struggling for cash and attempted to rob an Arkansas bank. He was shot during the robbery and died a few days later, but not all of the money from his many robberies was recovered.
Bullion Vault/Flickr
He claimed that he hid his treasures "near the border in a place nobody could find it in a million years." It's thought to be somewhere in southwest Kansas along the Cimarron River in Stevens County, but has never been found.
George Thomas/Flickr

Have you ever heard the fascinating story of this hidden treasure in Kansas, and do you know of any others? Share your thoughts in the comments!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles

Explore Kansas