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The Secret (a treasure hunt) / Image 01
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Image 01

Page history last edited by Oregonian 2 months ago

General notes on Image 1

 

 

Image 1

 

Specific Observations

  Please record your notes about this image in the list below.  Use the letter/number grid to identify the point on the image that you're describing.  To keep things organized, 1) please start each observation with a letter/number combo (in bold), and 2) add new observations in the right place on the list to keep everything alphabetized.

  • C5 - The barred window in the rock appears to be a symbolic reference to Alcatraz Prison (a.k.a. "the rock").  It may also be a more subtle reference to the Garden of Shakespeare's Flowers (see below).
  • CD3 - The subdued area above the single rock pillar shows the face of a balding older man, possibly Mark Twain as referenced in Verse 7.
  • CD4-5 - The rocks in this area show the face of an older man, possibly Giuseppe Verdi (see below).
  • F6 - The part in the hair may represent the land around the Presidio area at the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge.
  • F6 & G6 - The distinctive arched eyebrows and nose shape match the same features found on the Shakespeare bust in Shakespeare Garden.
  • G3 - The blue shape has a distinctive outline and is almost certainly significant.  The only strong match that has been found is in a Leonardo da Vinci painting.  (See below for more details.)
  • G4 - The rocks here form the shape of fingers holding a ball.  This might be a visual reference to a baseball sculpture in Golden Gate Park called "Our National Pastime."
  • G5 - The wisps of hair form a "37" (explained below under "latitude / longitude hints").
  • G7 - The wisps of hair form a "38" (explained below under "latitude / longitude hints").
  • H4-8 to J4-8 - The outline shape of the woman’s shoulders and arms, and the reversed outline shape of the head of the statue of Shakespeare in Shakespeare Garden, are almost identical. 
  • H5 & H6 - The letters "G" and "h" appear at the top of the dress in reverse.  (See below for two theories about what this means.)
  • H5 to O5 - The rectangle in the dress appears to be a map of Golden Gate Park.  (See below for more details.)
  • H5-7 to O5-7 - The rectangle in the dress combined with the sleeve cuffs appear to form a cross. (Possibly a connection to line 9 of verse 7: “but first across”)
  • H6 - The jewel is a pearl, the birth stone for June.
  • I4 - There is a silhouette of a person (facing upwards) in the rocks just above the rose.  (See below for more details.)
  • I5-6 - The dragon design appears to be taken from the ironwork above the doorway to the Golden Gate Park Senior Center.
  • J2 to J8 - There is a railing going across the painting behind the woman.  The railing isn't present in the original Leonardo da Vinci painting and it has a blue halo, suggesting that it must have been added for a reason.
  • J3 - The flower is a rose, the birth flower for June.  It may be a hint toward the rose garden in Golden Gate Park.  The outline of the bloom may also show the outline of Angel Island in San Francisco Bay.
  • J4 - The woman's right sleeve (outlined with a blue halo) shows the California coastline along the San Francisco Peninsula.  The flattened section at the elbow represents the stretch of coast between Santa Cruz and Pescadero.
  • J5 & J6 - The crossed arms could represent where Highway 1 crosses Golden Gate Park at Crossover drive.  (See below for more details.)
  • J5 & J7 - The index fingers are pointing at the lines of squares on the sleeve.  If the squares are a city map, then the left finger is pointing at the 4th street and the right finger is pointing at the 4th block.
  • J6 - There is a strawberry-shaped blue area just below the woman's hands, possibly representing Strawberry Hill, the island in Stow Lake.
  • J6 - There is a yin yang symbol on her dress, just below her right hand.
  • J7-8 - The blue halo around the woman's left sleeve must be meant as a match for something, possibly a coastline or a profile of a hill.
  • K3 & K4 - The number 83 appears in the stem of the rose where it meets the table (see below).
  • K4 - The pocket watch on the table says 6:00, indicating the month of June.
  • L4 - The base of the table is often assumed to show the outline of a lamppost, but it is more likely to be the front or rear profile of a San Francisco cable car (see below). 
  • L5,6 to P5,6 - The map of the park is surrounded by several unexplained symbols (see below).
  • N3 & N4 - The full name of the artist, John Jude Palencar.  (Images 2 through 12 only have the initials "JJP.")
  • O6 - The symbol at the bottom of the dress (an oval with a line across it) appears to be a clear representation of the Twin Peaks Reservoir, which is in line with the street that marks the eastern end of Golden Gate Park.

 

 

The Image 1 - Image 12 Connection:

  • Image 1, the first painting in The Secret, is paired in several ways with the final painting, Image 12. Most obviously, these two images are the only ones to have a narrow shape with a rounded top. The shape is very similar to the interior opening in each of the two towers of the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge (see photo on the Image 12 page).  Both images also feature a solitary woman in flowing robes, and the dotted background behind the dragon in the front panel of the dress in Image 1 is very similar to the dotted areas that appear at the top of Image 12.
  • Beyond the visual similarities, Images 1 and 12 are also linked in their meanings.  The casques associated with those two images are thought to be located in major port cities - San Francisco and New York - on opposite sides of the country.  Those cities have been shaped and defined by immigration and by the millions of people who arrived in America through their ports.  The entrances to both harbors are spanned by huge and historic suspension bridges that mark the entrance to a new country and a new world.
  • The two images may also be linked by the mythology behind The Secret.  Image 1 features a dragon and Image 12 possibly includes the legendary dragon-slayer Saint George.
  • In both images, the nose on the female figure is directly above the jewel.  The vertical line that passes through the nose and jewel in this image is exactly the same line that passes through the nose and jewel in Image 12. 
  • This image also seems to be paired in some way with Image 11.  Both images feature prominent, solitary women looking directly at the reader.  Both have symbols made of squares and triangles, and both feature winding designs that resemble vines.  There is one moon in Image 11 and there are eleven moons in Image 1.  Perhaps most significantly, each image appears to have its own connection to a place named "Strawberry Hill."

 

 

 

Image Matches

  The face in the rocks is a strong match for the way editorial cartoonists portrayed Ronald Reagan, the former California governor who was elected president in 1980, shortly before The Secret was published.  There is the jutting, rounded chin, the exaggerated sharp-pointed nose, the smile, the wrinkles, the eyes squeezed almost closed, the broad forehead, and the hair dyed dark and combed into a pompadour.  It was a very common representation of Reagan in the early 1980's (back when people still read newspapers) and the profile is probably meant as a simple hint toward California.

 

 

 

  The facial features of the woman appear to be Asian.  In keeping with the immigration theme of The Secret, the city most closely connected with Asian immigration to the United States is San Francisco, California.

  The body of water to the left of the woman's face is presumably a (very stylized) representation of the entrance to San Francisco bay.

 

  It has the two narrow pennisulas of land that leave just a thin gap of water between them, providing access to a much larger bay inside.

 

  The outline of the table post is very similar to the profile of a cable car, one of the iconic symbols of San Francisco.

 
  Golden Gate Park is one of the major open spaces in San Francisco.  It is positioned just across the Great Highway from the Pacific Ocean and it forms a long rectangle that flares out slightly at the northeast corner.  The panel on the front of the woman's dress has a similar shape and a similar flare, suggesting that it is a map of the park.

  The "Gh" at the top of the dress panel may be a reference to the Great Highway, which forms the western boundary of the park.   The woman's crossed arms represent Crossover Drive, where Highway 1 crosses the park.  Stow Lake and Strawberry Hill would be united into the blue strawberry-shaped area directly below the woman's wrists.

 

  Evidence suggests that the upper portion of the panel (above the crossed arms) is reversed.  That would explain the backwards "Gh" and it would explain why the dragon's head touches the left edge rather than the right edge, to show where the Golden Gate Park Senior Center is located on Fulton Street.  But the lower part of the panel is not reversed, because it clearly shows the "flare" where the park expands outwards as Fulton bends at 7th Avenue.

 

  If the dress is intended to be interpreted this way, so that the crossed arms match Highway 1 and the bottom end of the panel matches the eastern end of the park, then the western area between Great Highway and Crossover Drive is essentially reduced to almost nothing. This might indicate that we are meant to focus our attention on the eastern end of the park.

 

If you're not on the ground in San Francisco, you can still explore the eastern end of the park using the official Interactive Golden Gate Park Map.


  Some features on the woman's face, particularly the eyes and nose, resemble features on the faces on the two concrete sphinxes that are located near the de Young museum in Golden Gate Park. 

 

  The woman's thin, arching eyebrows that form a semicircle above each eye resemble the eyebrows on the Buddha sculpture in the Japanese tea garden at Golden Gate Park.

 

  All of those sculptures are in the eastern end of the park, in the area emphasized by the map on the woman's dress.

 

  For a closer look, see the full-sized image comparison.

  The design for the dragon appears to be based on a pair of ironwork griffins that adorn the doorway of the Golden Gate Park Senior Center, located at 6101 Fulton Street on the northern edge of the park.

  The dragon wing shape looks like a waterfall. Huntington Falls is on Strawberry Hill. It's fed by an artificial reservoir at the top of the hill, which could be symbolized by the circular shape beside the wing, the tips at the top of the wings showing the water's "entry point" feeding the fall. A 360-degree view of the site is available on Google Maps.

(Notice the hand rail for the fall stairway below the reservoir.)

 

 

  The shape below the crossed arms and beside the dragon's wing is similar to a strawberry (including the dotted texture). This could make it a hint toward Strawberry Hill, the island in the middle of Stow Lake.  The lake and the island would be just below Crossover Drive in our rotated map.

  The tall, rounded stones behind the woman are similar to the stones that make up Huntington Falls on Strawberry Hill in Golden Gate Park.  It isn't clear, however, when these (artificial) stones were added.

 


  Huntington Falls

  A 1901 photograph of the falls by the Detroit Photographic Company shows a more rough and jagged outline.  The fact that Image 1 shows the rounded stones suggests that Preiss visited the park sometime after construction was well underway.  We know, however, that the book was published well before the work was finished in 1984. 

 

  If construction was taking place on the island in 1981 when Preiss came through, it is highly unlikely that he would have buried a casque there where it could be destroyed.  It is far more likely that he found a spot with a view across the water to the falls and the new rocks.

  There is a Chinese Pavilion near Huntington Falls that was given to the city of San Francisco as a gift in 1976.  The pavilion was dedicated in 1981, which means it would have been a new thing getting some attention at the time Preiss was visiting the park.

 

  For more detailed information about what was done to the eastern end of Strawberry Hill around this time, see the Stow Lake, Chinese Pavilion and Huntington Falls, [draft] environmental impact report published by the San Francisco Planning Commission in 1979.  It has details about the plans for the installation of the pavilion and the renovation of the waterfalls.

 


Photo used under a Creative Commons License AttributionNoncommercialNo Derivative Works Some rights reserved by jonathanwcheng on Flickr

 

  Notice the subtle circle formed by the dots in the "strawberry shape" of the image. (It is apparently the only circle of this kind in the whole dress texture.)  If the shape itself is Strawberry Hill, then the circle of dots might indicate an area of interest at the eastern tip of the island, where the Huntington Falls staircase is located. This blog post (and source for the picture) shows pictures of the stairways at the site.

 

  On the other hand, the circle of dots may be a representation of the Chinese pavilion, which is formed by eight cylindrical pillars around a central circular area.


  Each sleeve of the woman's dress is decorated with two columns of blue squares.  The woman's left index finger is upside-down and pointing up at the lower edge of the fourth row of blocks. The woman's right index finger is right-side-up and pointing down at the upper edge of the fourth row of blocks.

 

  Some people have suggested that we are meant to count all the blue squares on each cuff, but that wouldn't explain why the fingers seem to be pointing in such a deliberate way at certain rows.

 

  Also, the columns start very sharply and cleanly at the top with complete squares but fade away into shadows at the bottom, indicating perhaps that we are only supposed to be doing a precise count from the top.

 

 

  The dragon's winding body is presumably meant to represent the winding roads inside the park, but most of it doesn't match up at all.  The one exception is at the southern end of Crossover Drive, where Martin Luther King Jr Drive starts at the edge of the park, extends out to the middle of the park, and then makes a broad, sweeping turn to return to the edge of the park.

 

  The dragon's body captures this stretch of road very well, confirming both that A) the lower portion of the dress isn't flipped, and B) that we should focus on the area just east of Crossover Drive.

 

  The dragon's left talon appears to be making a circle to draw our attention to a small bit of land directly east of the tip of Strawberry Hill where MLK Drive has begun to curve back to the edge of the park.  The GGP feature in that spot is the Garden of Shakespeare's Flowers.

 

 

  The window at the top of the image is a reasonable match for the alcove that holds the bust of William Shakespeare in the Garden of Shakespeare's Flowers at Golden Gate Park.  At the time Preiss would have visited the park (around 1981), the alcove had sturdy metal doors that were closed each night to protect the bust from theft or vandalism. 

 

  The presence of a flower garden beside the arched doorway in the wall would be a good explanation for the first lines of Verse 7: "At stone wall's door / The air smells sweet."

 

Shakespeare bust photo used under a creative common license
Attribution Some rights reserved by joshleejosh on Flickr

  The alcove with the Shakespeare bust is still there, although the metal doors were removed recently.  Note that the brickwork on either side of the alcove has a pattern similar to columns of the Roman numerals I and II.  This might be the inspiration for the Roman numerals on either side of the dress panel in Image 1.

 

  Note also the gray spheres at the top of the wall.  This might be the inspiration for the moons above the arched doorway in the image.

 

(Photo with two of our intrepid San Francisco researchers, Chris and Isabella, in the Garden of Shakespeare's Flowers in February 2018.)

  Just below the barred window in the rock there's an odd formation that appears to be an older man with bushy eyebrows and a mustache.  This may be a visual reference to the statue of Giuseppe Verdi that stands at an intersection in Golden Gate Park, across the street from the Shakespeare Garden.
   

 

Verdi bust photo used under a creative common license
AttributionNo Derivative Works Some rights reserved by torbakhopper on Flickr

  Just across Stow Lake from Huntington Falls and the Chinese pavilion, there is a handrail that ends in a spiral very similar to the spiral shown in the stem of the rose in Image 1.  The rail is where the road around the lake makes a hairpin curve, and the railing is for the steps down to the Japanese Tea Garden.

 

  It would be very useful to know if there has ever been a similar spiral railing on any of the handrails that go up Strawberry Hill beside Huntington Falls.

  Stow Lake

  The digits 8 and 3, or the number 83, may be visible in the rose stem.

 

  Somewhere near Huntington Falls there is a historical marker with a prominent date of 1893.  This may be a reference to that in some way, although it would be a stretch to find a "9" in the winding of the stem.

The other popular interpretation of this image is that it means we should be standing on or near Russian Hill behind the iconic sign at Ghirardelli Square.  Viewed from behind, the sign gives a glimpse of a backwards "Gh." This interpretation would explain why the two letters are backwards and why the "h" is shown in lower-case.  This explanation would also match up well with Verse 7 and a place where "the air smells sweet."  And this explanation also works with the references to cable cars, because the backwards sign is visible from the Powell-Hyde line.

 

Also, perhaps this is an indication that the image that we are viewing is in reverse; in other words, we are looking at the MIRROR image, and to "get" what's going on, we need to consider what we see in reverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Latitude / Longitude Hints

The Roman numerals stacked up to form "1 2 2" and "1 2 3" at the top of the woman's dress are thought to represent the range of possible longitudes for the casque.
 
The "37" and "38" in her hair are thought to be the range of possible latitudes for the casque.
  
The entire county and city of San Francisco is well within both of those ranges, stretching from approximately 37.7-37.8°N in latitude and 122.4-122.5°W in longitude.

 

 

 

Dress Symbols

 

The symbols at the upper left are a square and a circle, possibly with dots in the middle.  The meaning is unclear
    The symbols at the upper right are a square and a triangle, possibly with dots in the middle.  The meaning is unclear.

If the symbols at the top have the same meaning they would have on a standard topo map, the circle with a dot would be a landmark object, the triangle with a dot would be a horizontal control surveying point, and the square with a dot would be a boundary monument.

 

Alternatively, the symbols at the top could represent the circles, squares, and triangles used by golfers to indicate their score on each hole relative to par.  A square means one over par (bogey), a circle means one under par (birdie), and a triangle means a hole-in-one. This explanation works well with Interpretation #1 and the idea of the dress being a map, because there is a golf course in Golden Gate Park just east of the Great Highway.

It's possible that some of the symbols around the edge of the dress represent the logos of various businesses that once operated in those spots around Golden Gate Park.  The only way to know for sure would be to find photos of those streets from around 1981.
The spot where a symbol would appear directly under the crossed arms on the left is obscured by the dragon.
    This is a taijitu, or yin yang symbol. It could represent the Chinese Pavilion at Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park.  Alternatively, it might represent the San Francisco Chinatown (the oldest Chinatown in North America).
This could be the letter "A" or it could be an upside-down "V."  The meaning is unknown. (Compare it to the "A" one row below on the right and the possible "A" three rows below on the left.)
    This appears to be a Roman numeral in a strange position.  If rotated, it would be a six (VI).  If reflected upwards or downwards, it would be a four (IV).  The meaning is unknown.
This appears to be a capital "X" written in italics.  It could also be the Greek letter Chi or it could be the Roman numeral for 10.
    This appears to be a capital "A" written with a slanted line in the middle.  It may be part of a corporate logo.  If there's a baseball connection in this image, this might be a nod to the Oakland Athletics across the bay.
This appears to be three small circles compressed together.  It is roughly similar to the logo for the State Farm insurance company.  (It would be interesting to know if State Farm ever had an office in this area.)    

Unknown symbol.  It appears to be a triangle with a bar going across the top, possibly representing a scale or a see-saw.

Unknown symbol. It resembles the letter "A" with a reflection at the bottom. (Compare the "A" to the symbol two rows above on the right.)

 

   

Unknown symbol.

The symbol at the bottom of the dress is the one that has the clearest interpretation (and it may be that all the other symbols were just cover for this one meaningful bit).

 

In the row below, the left half of the image is a portion of the 1977 Rand McNally map of San Francisco, which would have been a very common map for visitors at the time Byron Preiss hid the casque.


  If the woman's dress is a map of Golden Gate Park, the bottom edge corresponds to Stanyan Street, which points directly at Mount Sutro, the Sutro Tower, and the Twin Peaks beside it.  And, between the Sutro Tower and the Twin Peaks is the Twin Peaks Reservoir that provides firefighting water to San Francisco.  The reservoir is divided into two tanks, to reduce the risk of a catastrophic loss of all water in an earthquake, so it has the distinctive shape of an oval with a line across it.  By the standards of The Secret, this is a VERY strong match and it confirms the significance of the Golden Gate Park map on the panel of the dress.

 

 

 

The Leonardo da Vinci Connection:

Image 1 appears to be a visual reference to Virgin of the Rocks, which was painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1483 and 1486.  The painting was originally commissioned as an altar piece for the chapel in the church of San Francesco Grande in Milan.  (That connection might explain the choice of this image for San Francisco, or it might just be a coincidence.)

 

Each of the two paintings is framed around a central woman wearing dark, flowing robes who stands before a small mountain of rocks.  Both paintings have similar structures, with rounded tops that echo the rounded rock structures of the background.

Both paintings feature gaps in the background rocks that allow the color of the sky to show through.  The left-hand gap in each painting has a large open space flanked by narrow crevices.  A hanging rock in the upper right of each gap creates a narrow crack that points upwards, while a standing pillar of rock in the lower left of each gap forms a tapering crack that points downwards.
   
The corresponding gap on the right side of each painting frames a single, standing column of rock.
   
Both woman have hair that is initially straight and flat (parted in the middle) but becomes curly below the ears.  Both wear jewels prominently featured at their necklines.
   

 


 

Questions, questions, questions...

  • What do the inscriptions on the Chinese pavilion at Stow Lake say?
  • What do the symbols around the dress margin mean?
  • Why is she pointing to those specific places on the sleeves?
  • Why are there 11 moons?
  • What is the significance of the blue shape above the rose?
  • Why is the rectangle below the crossed arms in the dress angled counterclockwise from the rectangle above the crossed arms and why is the lower rectangle wider than the upper rectangle?

 

 


 

Image sources:

 

 


 

Proposed solutions

Of all the cities that are believed to have casques, San Francisco has had (by far) the most proposed solutions, possibly because it's the first image in the book or possibly because it has such a large population living nearby.  This is far from a comprehensive list, but here are some of the more fleshed-out ideas that we've seen:

 

 


 

How to obtain permission for attempted recovery

 

Assumptions: Final location within Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

 

Process Status: Confirmed by Wiki user

Contact info Status: Confirmed by Wiki user

As of Date: 3/15/2022

 

Contact information:

 

Name: N/A

Title: N/A

 

San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department

McLaren Lodge-Golden Gate Park

501 Stanyan St.

San Francisco, CA 94117 

(415) 831-2700

rpdinfo@sfgov.org

 

Alternate Contact info: (415) 831-5500 Permits & Reservations 

 

Permissions Process:

 

Of all the search locations across the country, Golden Gate Park has had (by far) the most open, accommodating, and organized system for planning a dig.  The approach they are using is designed to allow some degree of digging while minimizing any disruption or damage to the park.  The permit system was closed down for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it has reopened in the spring of 2022.

 

To get a permit, complete and submit the online 2022 Secret Treasure Hunt Dig Request form. Searchers are allowed a single, supervised, free, 1-hour dig (see full rules below).  After the initial dig, any subsequent digs require a prepayment of $140.

 

Secret Treasure Hunt Permit Rules:

  • Permit will be granted on a first come first serve basis
  • Activity is supervised by SF Rec & Parks Park Ranger
  • Specify activity location in permit application
  • 1 hole, 1-hour time limit per permit
  • Probing poles are allowed up to 3.5 feet
  • Hand-digging only, no power tools permitted
  • Hole may not exceed 2 feet in diameter, 3.5 feet deep
  • Avoid drip-line of trees
  • Tools and tarps must be supplied by permittee
  • Hole must be refilled and all turf must be replaced exactly as found
  • No filming allowed 

 

In the event of failure, permittee may apply for a separate permit for follow-up attempt provided that for all attempts after one, permittee must pay the cost of staff time ($140).

 

 

 


 

 

Comments (Show all 124)

Burbank_ian said

at 10:09 pm on Nov 6, 2019

Heres a pdf I just put together for you Linda. As you may have seen when you were at the Park the area is fenced off. I asked them what they were doing last August when they started, they said they are updating the pump house and have been using the pocket park as a heavy equipment/storage area.Then they will be installing new pipe work along the backend of the pocket park. That same month I also volunteered with the NPS to help clear certain vegetation from the terraces, whilst I was helping them I also wondered off a little and took some great pictures of the terrace gardens. Some interesting spots but very neglected.

Anyway, heres a link, if you want me to share the images/video footage I took of the terrace areas let me know:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AtiFKJbDwtTtKlRXOaSRodpGeM4Vi1oo

Linda S said

at 11:28 am on Nov 7, 2019

seems like im hot your trail... GMTA.thanks..

Burbank_ian said

at 11:59 am on Nov 7, 2019

You go for it Linda! I've been to the Park probably 15 times over the past 18 months, every time I go, I'm wanting to see that smoking gun (The image in the picture and the actual physical dig spot, i.e. the home plate, the fence & fixture). Unless something has been removed or replaced I can never find a spot to try. But like you, I follow the verse and clues and overtime it leads me to the Bocce Court and that Pocket Park and terraces. If you do get a dig permit, please, please invite me to help out, I would love to help you dig.

Linda S said

at 4:14 pm on Sep 11, 2020

hi Burbank, ok i have been very busy still searching this area, my wife had some old pictures of when she worked in the trans building,, i got the giant FLAG POLE, i talked with Bryan DeWitt, he will give me the permit i need to check out this area. i have 2 spots, if your still interested in being there.. its just to the right of Aquatic Park,

Linda S said

at 12:04 pm on Nov 7, 2019

Im convinced it next to bocce ball, those blocks with the acorn top.. her 3 finger is a swimmer and 7 finger are those 3 post in the water by the boys club..just need to go with either 3 up and 7 down or 4 up and 3 down.. her hair split looks like those tress right there.. giant pole. and step are there also.. clues I found in the robe took right to front of the area..

Suhy said

at 4:37 pm on Nov 11, 2019

Hi Linda , take a look at my solve.

IMO, the orbs are almost undoubtedly a nodf to the lamp posts at angel island . the file to look for under image 1 folder is "20191108 Suhy San Fran...."

Linda S said

at 7:13 pm on Dec 10, 2019

NPS archeology dig permit ....When individuals conduct archeological activities or otherwise disturb archeological resources on Federal lands without a valid Permit, they are in violation of ARPA (16 U.S.C. 470ee, ff, gg), the Antiquities Act (16 USC 433), and other statutes. They are subject to criminal and civil penalties, including forfeiture of personal property. ARPA and its regulations detail the requirements for obtaining a Permit.

Linda S said

at 12:24 pm on Dec 13, 2019

ok,, i have done all i could.. NPS in san fran says NO DIG NO PROBE on any of the parks.. so heres what we have to do. NPS website look up archaeology dig, from there search for TREASURE TROVE CONTRACT, fill out 2 forms and SNAIL MAIL your solve to Arlington Va.. thats the best i could do and find.. i have sent my solve and now its a waiting game with the US GOVERNMENT.. good luck to all ...im done, im tired now.. lot of work i have done, time for a vacation from the secret.. happy holidays everyone.

Linda S said

at 12:26 pm on Jan 23, 2020

ok once again here is the response from San Fran NPS... as they hold the key, litterally

Linda S said

at 12:26 pm on Jan 23, 2020

Linda,

I appreciate your persistence but I am following regulation. This is not a choice I am making. Digging for treasure is not an allowable recreation activity, especially in a National Historic Landmark District.

I think this matter is confused because San Francisco City has allowed some supervised digging in Golden Gate Park. We are a federal organization and a National Historic Landmark District which is very different.

Morgan

Linda S said

at 6:00 pm on Feb 7, 2020

so this is the fine i or anyone who digs or probes can be faced with.. i have great correspondence with NPS.. ill find a crack in the loop somewhere.

Section 6 of the statute describes the range of prohibited actions, including damage or defacement in addition to unpermitted excavation or removal. THIS IS WHAT NPS will charge me or any one digging will be charged with.. START A BOND FUND.


ARPA also substantially increased the penalties that can be levied against convicted violators. For a felony offense, first time offenders can be fined up to $20,000 and imprisoned for up to one year. Second time felony offenders can be fined up to $100,000 and imprisoned for up to 5 years. These criminal penalties were substantial increases from those set in the Antiquities Act of $500 and 90 days imprisonment. In addition, Section 7 of ARPA enables Federal or Indian authorities to prosecute violators using civil fines, either in conjunction with or independent of any criminal prosecution. Section 8 (b) of the statute allows the court or civil authority to use forfeiture of vehicles and equipment used in the violation of the statute as another means of punishment against convicted violator

JT said

at 4:35 pm on Mar 2, 2020

I just want to note that the top of her head is the shape of the giant polo field on the west side of the park. Which if a map is turned clockwise 90 degrees. The polo field is the head, crossed arms is Crossover Dr, and the Strawberry obviously Strawberry Hill as pointed out by others. Back to the verses which suggest "Giant Pole" giant polo field, and giant step in the direction of an object of Twains affection. The question is a giant step from where on the polo field? The center? The east end? Also how far is a step? As was seen in Boston a step can be the distant of five wharfs. Which equaled about .5 miles.

JT said

at 5:05 pm on Mar 2, 2020

Then again if the clues start on the east side and move west. Then I would presume that someone would need to search the west side of the polo field in between the field and the Golden Gate Angling & Casting Club. If his affection is to be translated as the Angel Fish & Aquarium Club that he formed in 1906 after losing three of his daughters.

Linda S said

at 4:44 pm on Apr 16, 2020

i think the dark leaf under the table is the turnabout for the trolly cars at the corner of Aquatic Park..

Linda S said

at 1:06 pm on Jun 4, 2020

HI ok i have been looking into this lady whom i now think is the image, Mary Tornich Janislawski the mother of Navigation, taking San Francisco to the Moon and Back. fascinating lady, but my issue im having is trying to find what ships her hubby Stanley Janislawski captained, as this fits and solves my Aquatic Park theory. i have over 800 pages of work on Mary.
any info would be great and again THANKS

Linda S said

at 9:47 am on Oct 19, 2020

hi yall, ok im posting this on behalf of another searcher.. Matt...he no longer lives in the area and wouldnt mind a little help if some one heads out that way...
Or if you wanna relay them that would be cool, I don't live there any more so wouldn't be pursuing it. My comments would be:
The asphalt walkway in some areas around the top of the stairs in underneath the surrounding fake rocks. It's likely to have been paved back when the treasure was buried.
This is a busy thoroughfare between two busy parts of Golden Gate Park, it is unlikely to be buried in the middle of the walkway. It would have drawn too much attention.
And probably most pertinently, when you're standing on the stairs looking up the railing (giant pole), the trees across the path and on top of the rocks are Sequoia trees, more commonly known to Californians as Giant Sequoias. The 'giant step' might refer to the rocky 'step' that the Sequoias are on top of. And that step is also certainly giant when compared to the steps of the staircase. The double meaning of 'giant' there would play nicely into the wordplay known throughout the book.
I did a little recon around the trees and there is a good 2-3 foot buffer of dirt, without grass or ground cover, around the trees. If I were to be the one getting a permit and digging, that's where I would be looking

Kia said

at 1:19 pm on Oct 19, 2020

Hello!

I am of the same view, that it has to be somewhere around the tree rather than under the pavement, but I can appreciate both points of view. Before the lockdown, I was going to arrange a permit and a dig there and hope to do so once activities open back up. To be able to take out the asphalt though, I will have to get a contractor who will cut and put it back before they will allow that. Digging on the other sides of the tree is easier to get permitted, but nothing that is voluntary and involves a bunch of people is allowed right now. I hope to go up there one more time to pick the right direction in which to dig, besides under the pavement area. It really depends, in my view, on which of the Twain references is the right one. I am taking that as part of the "direction." Cheers!

Linda S said

at 1:31 pm on Oct 19, 2020

hi Kia, appreciate the feedback, Ill pass it on to Matt and good luck.
I am also awaiting for things to open back up. be safe, happy key searching

Linda S said

at 6:29 pm on Nov 2, 2020

REBUSES.. i think i found one in san fran.. i think she is mary janislowski, clock means time and table it cable car MARITIME CABLE CAR STOP.

Linda S said

at 11:12 am on Nov 30, 2020

went to the city took over 400 pictures, i met 2 of the rangers i have emailing for 3 years, handed them copies of the book, my new spot is going under construction, they will keep an eye out for casque and call me should they find something.. wow i finally gonna have them do digging for me.. check out the pic.. i know BP and JJP were with me on the search

Kia said

at 8:08 pm on Nov 30, 2020

Sounds awesome! I am going up there with a Segway on December 20, to have an easy way to re-check my solution markers quickly in the park, and safely with the various restrictions. I will see if any of the construction is near the spots where I want to dig. If you want to coordinate with me off line, I am happy to do that. I have the advantage of living only fifty miles away, in San Jose.

Linda S said

at 11:15 am on Dec 1, 2020

in in san jose too, by Oakridge mall, went there is was ruff, was videoing my solve and taped a car jacking, then went to the palace to see where my g grandfather did the first music from boston to san fran 1915 worlds fair. nothing but car windows smashed in and glass all over, I have never been worried before, so be safe. I would love to go again, just don't know when.
lspaulding@fnf.com
best way to get ahold of me.. good luck on the key searching.

Linda S said

at 1:20 pm on Mar 22, 2021

ok, the casque IS NOT AT THE ACORN WALL, it was a fence fixture and water line. i can now sleep after all these years..

Linda S said

at 11:29 am on Jun 7, 2021

Ok folks looks like SF parks is not considering opening permits till sept.. here the email info

Linda,

SF Recreation and Park Department is currently not issuing permits for treasure hunt digs due to COVID19 staffing impact and we will evaluate restarting the permitting September 6th.

When we resume issuing permits, the permits applications that were submitted before the COVID shutdown will be issued first, and new application will be scheduled in the order received. Once we resume permitting digs, the link below will be opened back up for application submissions.

https://fs18.formsite.com/sfrpsurvey2/treasurehunt/index.html.

Below are our rules that will accompany your permit once issued and you get the first two permits free of charge.

Secret Treasure Hunt Permit Rules:
• Activity must be supervised by SF Rec & Parks Park Ranger
• You may only dig in the permit area
• 1 hole, 1-hour time limit per permit
• Probing poles are allowed up to 3.5 feet
• RPD reserves the right to limit or prohibit digging if it could damage wildlife, natural resources, irrigation lines or another park property
• Hand-digging only, no power tools permitted
• Hole may not exceed 2 feet in diameter, 3.5 feet deep
• Avoid dripline of trees
• Bring tarp to place sod / soil on top – none will be provided
• Bring tools – none will be provided
• Hole must be refilled and all turf must be replaced exactly as found
• No filming allowed
• You must bring a photo ID

Thanks,
Brian DeWitt

Linda S said

at 11:31 am on Jun 7, 2021

also if anyone wants to contact me im at
AP Rabbit hole san Francisco on face book.

just cause it says AP (aquatic park) doesn't mean I don't talk other cities, just this is my solve area.

Linda S said

at 7:10 pm on Aug 12, 2021

i think the clock in the image is the 2 sided clock on the pier, the clock as the same numbers, same 2 lttle feet and the vines even match.

Linda S said

at 7:12 pm on Aug 12, 2021

uploaded Clock on pier image

Linda S said

at 7:37 pm on Aug 12, 2021

37 degrees 48 mins 35 sec n
122.25.16 w

Linda S said

at 11:09 am on Oct 18, 2021

Hello fellow key searchers, we have made a pretty cool discovery in searching for the key.
we located 2 white porcelain dragons holding a pearl and 3 glass balls.
they appear to have been in the ground many years.
not sure if they are left from the 89 quake or someone placed this in my dig my spot.
but they a pretty cool find.
uploading image of the find.
called Our Find.

Flarish said

at 10:02 am on Apr 11, 2022

Hello Linda! Just found you from X-Marks the spot on on YouTube and wanted to know if you had found the Casque? and I am very interested in seeing what the Dragons looked like! Also I filed out a permit to dig, but I don't know who to get to review it. Do you think you could help?

Linda S said

at 10:52 am on Apr 11, 2022

hi and welcome to the search... thanks for reaching out.. no it was not the casque but an old fence post plate. congratulations on your permit and email me at lspaulding@fnf.com

Jim B said

at 9:01 pm on May 30, 2022

Hello. Looking at the blue shape at G3 on Image 1, it appears to resemble Aladdin’s lamp. Not sure if this has been mentioned before. Looking at the verse….
In jewel's direction
Is an object
Of Twain's attention
Leads to Twain….if you search his quotes on Aladdin you can find the following:
“ It{California} is the land where the fabled Aladdin's Lamp lies buried-and she {San Francisco} is the new Aladdin who shall seize it from its obscurity and summon the genie and command him to crown her with power and greatness and bring to her feet the hoarded treasures of the earth.”
Is it possible that the lamp image is in the jewel’s direction?
Thanks for listening.

Limey said

at 6:51 am on Aug 13, 2023

If it’s not a Twain connection, it could be a Chinese connection as Aladdin was originally from China!
https://www.pookpress.co.uk/project/history-original-aladdin-story/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aladdin

Limey said

at 4:34 pm on Nov 11, 2022

Hello from the UK. If the stairway to the lake is the location area, maybe the “Giant step” is the platform in the middle of the stairs as mentioned to by Aaroncoastie, and the burial site could be/could’ve been either side of it. http://thesecret.pbworks.com/w/file/151057086/stairs_GGP.jpg
BTW Linda S, I like your Aquatic Park proposal, especially the “High posts are three” schooner C. A. Thayer - C.A.THAYer – ”From impossibly distant Cathay they had travelled,….”, p.18 in my copy of “The Secret”

Limey said

at 9:28 am on Nov 22, 2022

The “Ronald Reagan” face at I4 on the image grid maybe based on the outcrop of rock beside Morro Rock in Morro Bay CA. – a clue confirming California as the state.
http://thesecret.pbworks.com/w/file/151183797/Image1_I4_morro_rock_CA.jpg

Limey said

at 11:28 am on Apr 16, 2023

Image 1 my thoughts and interpretations.
1. The lady in the image is the Chinese lunar goddess Changxi who bore twelve moon daughters. Eleven are shown in the sky in the image and the twelfth moon is the pearl at her neck – “From far Cathay, the dragon’s pearl: Chaste, perfect as the silver moon” (The litany of the jewels, p.21). She is first mentioned in “The Classic of Mountain and Seas”, an ancient Chinese text (the mountains and sea are also in image 1 behind her). Changxi was one of two wives to the emperor Di Jun, the other wife was the solar goddess Xihe. Together they represent Yin and yang - the symbol on the dress (image 1 grid ref J6).
2. The rocks behind her also allude to a ‘rock’ theme – Alcatraz (grid ref C5), Morro Rock ‘man’ outcrop (grid ref I4) and Fantastic 4 ‘The Thing’ face (grid ref F5), who was created by Stan Lee, the great comic book writer who moved to California about the same time as the book.
3. There is a clue that we have to flip and reverse the dress in the ‘Field guide’ (Glitches, p.190) – “HISTORY: The Glitches are Oriental, as is evidenced by their fondness for long scrolls that read right to left, top to bottom, or any damn way but left to right”.
4. The dragon looks like it’s made up of different sized stones, similar to McLaren Lodge which may be the “stone wall’s door”
5. The crossed arms’ finger’s point to squares on the sleeves which may represent street blocks. Her left hand is the lower and pointing to the 14th square and her right hand is the upper pointing to the 17th square. The area between 14th Avenue to 17th Avenue in GGP puts The Chinese Pavilion right in the centre along with Huntington Falls. Using the same theory, the YIn and yang symbol is positioned between the 15th and 16th square of the left sleeve - and the Chinese Pavilion is positioned between 15th and 16th Avenue in GGP.
Still trying to piece it together!

Limey said

at 7:03 am on Aug 13, 2023

Additional observations:
The rocks at CD4-7 are good likeness to the Cathedral Rocks in Yosemite National Park when the top part of Image 1 is flipped horizontally. Also the Alabama Hills are a good likeness too.
The top part of the table stand at grid ref L4 resembles a tea pot and likely references the Japanese Tea Garden in GGP (see my solve on the Image 1 Verse 7 Solution Page).
It looks like there’s a profile of a monkeys head at grid ref I8 which may be a reference to the Chinese Year of The Monkey which was from 16th February 1980 to 4th February 1981. http://thesecret.pbworks.com/w/file/154128597/Image1_comparisons.jpg
Some of the symbols on the dress are seen in the Japanese Tea Garden and the Francis Scott Key Monument. Also there are numerous statues in GGP with roman numerals on them. http://thesecret.pbworks.com/w/file/154128600/Image1_symbol_matches.jpg
The rear door behind the Spreckels Temple of Music in GGP probably had different barred gating in the early 80’s possibly like the one at the top of Image 1.

Limey said

at 7:08 am on Aug 13, 2023

The fingers of the lady at grid ref J5 & J7 are pointing to the spaces (Avenues) between square blocks (street blocks) - 13 on the left and 13 on the right. I think this refers to 13th Avenue (Funston Avenue). Drawing a line from the north side to south side of Funston Avenue through GGP goes right through the steps and giant pole of interest near Stow Lake. http://thesecret.pbworks.com/w/file/154128606/Image1_13th_avenue_through_GGP.jpg
(see my solve on the Image 1 Verse 7 Solution Page).

Pilotrob23 said

at 10:17 am on Sep 17, 2023

I just went to the park yesterday, to take a look around at a couple places that I like and interpret as a possible solution. I think the hardest part of this whole find, including other locations, is the difference that time has taken on how things are perceived in the riddles and pictures. I still think that over solving a lot of these using formulas and angles and fancy GPS coordinates is not what the author had in mind. My site which I won’t hold a secret anymore, is near Prayerbook Cross. First Cross, all to see “sea”, seeing it from the sea, and a bunch of the lines fit this area. Even her body is shaped like the cross itself. I was up there yesterday, and took some pictures. The Giant Step can be seen on either side, although I am inclined to the side that can be seen from the ocean, its original design after initial research. If I can get a permit I would love to poke around up there, and it is a secluded area as well with a little hike up the trail. Her fingers do look like the Shakespear Garden bust, which I also took pictures of with potential in that area as well. Although the blocks on her arms which she is pointing too still keep me puzzled, more ideas would be greatly appreciated. Best of luck to all.

Martyn D said

at 9:14 am on Nov 18, 2023

I think I have the full solution on this one. I'm from Europe and want to know if I can colaborate with 1 or more people. I can fully show everything, and haven't seen the same solution by anyone other. And not really in the possiblity to go over there and arrange digging time.
Please hit me up, I'll promise you'll be blown away with the hints at the treasure location.

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