Dauphin Island is located across the Mississippi Sound at the entrance of Mobile
Bay. It was used by the Spanish, French and the British as an army base and
Union troops were stationed here after the Civil War. It was also a haven for early-
day pirates and outlaws as well. The island holds many legends of hidden treasure and is a relic hunter's paradise.
A large jeweled cross was dropped in a well on Dauphin island to prevent its
being stolen by pirates and was never recovered. Tales and legends of buried
jars, pots and chests filled with treasure and savings are circulated quietly
among the residents of Dauphin Island that date back centuries. The island has
never had a bank.
An unidentified Spanish galleon, carrying an estimated $1 million in gold and
silver treasure, was caught in a storm and wrecked on the E end of Dauphin
Island in 1801. Only 11 crew members survived and told of the rich cargo that was
lost. There was no salvage reported.
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