Gold Trails and Ghost Towns – The Lost Spanish Mound

Gold Trails and Ghost Towns – The Lost Spanish Mound

Spanish Mound Legend – For years, a puzzling legend has persisted in the Similkameen: The legend of the Spanish Mound.
The Spanish Mound is, reputedly, a low grassy mound in which are buried both numerous pieces of armour and weapons and the remains of long-dead Spanish Soldiers, members of an ill-fated expedition which was ambushed an annihilated in the Similkameen over two centuries ago.
The legend relates the story of an expedition which came to the Similkameen long before “King George’s Men” arrived in the area.
This expedition, supposedly during the mid-1700, marched up the Similkameen, headed north. Somewhere near Keremeos the column halted and camped for some time until an altercation arose between an Indian and a Spanish soldier which precipitated blows, resulting in a small scale battle in which the heavily armed Spanish inflicted heavy losses on the Indians. After this battle, the Spaniards, along with several Indian prisoners retreated to the north-east and disappeared up the valley of Keremeos Creek. It has been stated that they eventually made their way as far north as Kelowna, built permanent quarters near there and wintered. The following spring, for some unknown reason, possibly disease or again Indian hostility, they retraced their steps southward. At any rate, the column, their numbers somewhat depleted from the summer before, re-appeared in the valley near the upper reaches of Keremeos Creek.
After treking down to the valley floor, they camped, so the legend goes, on a small flat near where Keremeos Creek flows out of the hills (evidently somewhere near where the Green Mountain road braches off the main highway) to rest and graze their tired horses. Several days later, somewhere near there, the Similkameens in overwhelming numbers attacked the Spaniards and after a prolonged and bloody battle, slaughtered them to the last man.
After this epic battle, according to the legend, the Similkameens buried the Spanish, complete with armour and weapons, in a small mound somewhere between the Old Spanish Camp and Keremeos and there they still lie, in an unmarked and long lost burial mound. There are no historical records, Spanish or other, which indicate that a Spanish expedition actually did penetrate inland this far north. However, this legend is supported by some circumstantial evidence which is rather difficult to explain away.

13 Comments

  1. Bumble Rock on May 31, 2020 at 6:12 pm

    Are they referring to ‘Spanish Peak’ approx. 5 miles north east of Keremeos?

  2. Trail Hiker on May 31, 2020 at 6:13 pm

    Lots of conjecture. Don’t forget, before Europeans arrived, natives had their own trading routes, trails, they could cover great distances. The Russians were present at that time frame, British, and im sure over time other ships traded with natives. The bracelets could have been a trade item. More evidence is needed to verify this story.

  3. KOL Holmes on May 31, 2020 at 6:18 pm

    What a story teller this guy is, great stuff. He is so into this that he’s almost foaming at the mouth. RIP Billy

  4. H M on May 31, 2020 at 6:28 pm

    I never grew up with this.
    I just started watching bill barlee videos 4 years ago.
    RIP legendary man.

  5. Russell Loomis on May 31, 2020 at 6:32 pm

    This is so cool. To bad the soumd isn’t that great.

  6. Patti Smythe on May 31, 2020 at 6:36 pm

    I’s too quiet….

  7. Thomas Gx on May 31, 2020 at 6:40 pm

    went looking the site, for the view of this, found specks of gold in the river. didn’t see any mound, the hike was good for me, i think the story is true, take your metal detector with you. thanks Bill, your the Best.

  8. Karl Wester on May 31, 2020 at 6:41 pm

    I was told that somewhere around Hedley there are petroglyph`s that clearly show Spaniards being killed and captured in a battle.Perhaps that Spanish mound is within proximity to those particular petroglyphs…

  9. The Brocialist on May 31, 2020 at 6:43 pm

    Colonel Percy Fawcett was convinced of the existence of lost civilizations in the Americas that certain Conquistadores happened upon. (For example, the recovered correspondence of Portuguese explorers compelled Fawcett to venture into Amazonia whereupon he found evidence for the city of a lost civilization he called Z.)

  10. T R on May 31, 2020 at 6:47 pm

    I absolutely love these, but get nervous every time Bill says ‘no doubt about it’ about events of which there is clearly at least some doubt. I get that it’s like his catch phrase

  11. HistoricSteamTV on May 31, 2020 at 6:55 pm

    There was Spanish artifacts found on Spider peak area just past Hope.

  12. maximum power on May 31, 2020 at 6:59 pm

    i remember watching this show as a kid with daD

  13. Ted Ashby on May 31, 2020 at 6:59 pm

    I have been to the petroglyph site that shows the prisoners and Spaniards on horses. Above all the petroglyphs there is one other of a space ship with fire coming out of it. Interesting.

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