Old Swift story and pics (linK)

I don't know how long ago that article was published but I find it simply amazing that in this one article we can see (1) the natural bridge that Swift crossed, (2) the Indian steps, (3) the Myrtle thicket, (4) the lighthouse, (5) the half moon cliff, (6) the buffalo rock and (7) the mine entrance photos. Even more amazing is that this was photographed by the author who took his vacation, came to Kentucky and found everything we have all been looking for presumably in only a few short weeks. I haven't seen photos of any of these places or objects posted on the forum before, even though some people claim to have such photos. So what's up guys? Why does this article seem to make the task at hand so simple?
 

That is an amazing post,Ive researched this legend for years and was born and raised i haysi virginia,about 15 miles from the big sandy water shed in three diff directions along levisa,pound,clinch and the russell fork rivers also ten miles or so from the entrance to the breaks interstate park. i have never seen this article or any of these photos,Thanks so much for sharing this with me.
 

rhoodphoto said:
I don't know how long ago that article was published but I find it simply amazing that in this one article we can see (1) the natural bridge that Swift crossed, (2) the Indian steps, (3) the Myrtle thicket, (4) the lighthouse, (5) the half moon cliff, (6) the buffalo rock and (7) the mine entrance photos. Even more amazing is that this was photographed by the author who took his vacation, came to Kentucky and found everything we have all been looking for presumably in only a few short weeks. I haven't seen photos of any of these places or objects posted on the forum before, even though some people claim to have such photos. So what's up guys? Why does this article seem to make the task at hand so simple?
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Hi all... this is a great post. Most of the pictures in the story have been posted on the site before. These are some old pictures of the Red River Gorge from back in the 1800's. These were taken just after all the logging done here.
 

This is the same "Lighthouse" mentioned in the story, trees have since grown back.
 

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zoomed in alittle.... Located at the mouth of Swift's creek
 

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What is the name of the arch in your photo Ki? You say it was near the mouth of Swift Camp Creek? Only 2 arches I know of near the mouth of Swift Camp Creek, and only one of those is on the ridge top like that, Sky Bridge.
 

KY Hiker said:
What is the name of the arch in your photo Ki? You say it was near the mouth of Swift Camp Creek? Only 2 arches I know of near the mouth of Swift Camp Creek, and only one of those is on the ridge top like that, Sky Bridge.
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Google Earth gives the location of the archways. Could be a good place for the mines. Don't know. Unless I was there in person then I could tell.
 

franklin said:
Google Earth gives the location of the archways. Could be a good place for the mines. Don't know. Unless I was there in person then I could tell.
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There are approximately 200,000 visits to the Red River Gorge each year. Sky Bridge is one of the main sights to see while there because it is such a short walk from the parking lot and a wonderful view of both the Red River Valley and the Northern end of Swift Camp Creek where it meets the Red. The path is actually paved from the lot to the top of the arch. Mrs. TImmons spent much of her time looking for Swifts mine in the Swift Camp Creek part of the gorge now called the Clifty Wilderness. If there were any mines, other than Salt Peter, in the RRGorge area they were probably outside the 'geologic area' that is so heavily visited. Lower Devil's Creek is just South and a more likely area due to less travel by campers and some carvings found there. Just North of the RRGorge is another area less traveled with several carvings left in stone there as well. I believe some 'old' mining tools were found up North in the Cave Run Lake area many many years ago as well. I have been hiking and camping in the RRGorge since I was a teen, its a beautiful place to visit. The article has a picture of the mine opening, it looks to me to be the blasted opening of the Nada tunnel before it was completed. Once you have hiked around the area, imagine taking horses loaded through there. It would be a challenge without the threat of indians. The topography is extreme!

Also another thing to consider about the 'Lighthouse' as described in the Journal. There are over 100 arches and windows in the area. The author found one of the easiest ones to find and photograph for his story.
 

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I read a story a few years back about a son of Chief Cornstalk, he might have been a grandson but anyway he came to Beattysville, Ky. to dig under a huge boulder in a field near town. The whole town came out to watch the dig. But no silver was found. Does anyone know this story or could lead me where this story was written down? I can not seem to find it again?
 

Seems like the way I remember he led a group to the area, and was supposed to have meditated to the great spirit. He then said he's was told to go no further.
 

swiftfan said:
Seems like the way I remember he led a group to the area, and was supposed to have meditated to the great spirit. He then said he's was told to go no further.
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I believe that was Chief Cornstalk. But one of his sons came back and dug under a stone in Beattyville or someplace like that.?
 

Looks like it was old chief Blue Jacket. Said he would send his son back, and never did.
 

swiftfan said:
Looks like it was old chief Blue Jacket. Said he would send his son back, and never did.
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I looked for the old story but I have been unable to find it. No the towns people were there some helped and others laughed. When he finally finished digging and found nothing. They said he went away never to return. He came from out west around Missouri or Oklahoma. I wish I could find the story. If I find it I will post it.
 

Love this legend and have been looking at it from a different angel, for years. Have read both Clinch Mountain and Ky legends, think I have an insight that might benefit any prospecting. I wont BS you so don't feed me any. We can discuss it and you tell call each other fools, and agree to disagree. Message me lets see what we can come up with.
 

wshaneh said:
Love this legend and have been looking at it from a different angel, for years. Have read both Clinch Mountain and Ky legends, think I have an insight that might benefit any prospecting. I wont BS you so don't feed me any. We can discuss it and you tell call each other fools, and agree to disagree. Message me lets see what we can come up with.
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Well myself I believe the Swift legend came from bootleggers, privateers, or pirates that were trying to find a way to get rid of all their plunder. By melting down bullion into coins is the best way to get rid of known relics or artifacts belonging to the deceased whom they stole the goods from. There was small amounts of silver in Kentucky and upper Tennessee a vein of it ran through the Blue Ridge Mountains to near Radford or Ingles Ferry where they mined lead and had a lot of silver as a by product. They did this so they would not have to pay the King of England a Lion's Share of the silver they just claimed they were mining lead. But anyway this vein ran through as I said near Radford and on through Tazewell County into the Clinch Mountain and the Appalachian Mountains all the way through the Shawnee Indian Capitol in Ohio that William Clark raided during the Indian Wars. William Clark also had a hand in the lead mines at Radford. Then he became Governor of the Louisiana and Mississippi Territories after the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition and the unexpected death of Lewis as he was the Governor before Clark. By the time this vein of silver got to Ohio it was reported to be eight feet thick at a depth of about eighty feet below the Indian Capitol. So there is some truth to the story. I also know stories of the Longhunters finding silver in Kentucky. So there is a possibility of silver mines in Kentucky. At the end of Pine Mountain on the Cumberland River we know the French had silver mines on Clear Creek.
 

What do you guys think of the whole "silver mine" story to sell land? We know Daniel Boone was hired by the Transylvania company to survey the land for expansion, and his favorite author was Jonathan Swift, could it be only a story to get people to move west?
 

swiftfan said:
What do you guys think of the whole "silver mine" story to sell land? We know Daniel Boone was hired by the Transylvania company to survey the land for expansion, and his favorite author was Jonathan Swift, could it be only a story to get people to move west?
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No I do not believe so. Several people of notoriety bought land saying that the Swift Silver mines were on their property. The earliest I believe was by Breckenridge in 1788. Then there were John Morton and Eliza Cleveland that said the Swift Silver Mines were on their property. One of the men Swift said he mined silver with did talk to Daniel Boone near the Cumberland Gap. His name was Nathaniel Gist. They had an argument and went their separate ways. Most likely Nathaniel Gist tried to talk him into helping them with the silver mines? Nathaniel Gist married an Indian and later moved to South Carolina. His son William Gist was Governor of South Carolina and was called the Succession Governor. He was not re-elected after the war started but he was in on meetings with the new Governor and met with President Jefferson Davis at York or Yorkville, S.C. in April, 1865 along with several generals and statesmen and they made the Confederate Gold Disappear by splitting it into three trains. But that is another story. Google William Gist and Christopher Gist and you will find some interesting stories. Christoper Gist was taking Colonel George Washington on a trip through Kentuck to talk to the Indians. They camped on an Island in the middle of the river. That night it got so cold that they walked the other half way across the river on the ice. I found where about ten of Swift's men lived in North Carolina. I have a map of their properties and as I told Michael Paul Henson most of the treasure of Swift's men is buried around their homes not in Kentucky. Two of his men, Abram Flint and James Fletcher buried about thirty tons of pieces of eight before they had a sabre fight in 1766? but anyway one of them died and the other did not go with them. I found their deeds in the Salisbury, N.C. courthouse but the deeds I needed had been stolen the whole deed book. I sold the maps to their properties years ago but only had one purchaser in Pennsylvania. I hope he had luck and recovered tons of treasure. My brother and I found where Jefferies lived and located a large underground vault of treasure but I have not been back. Save all of those treasures for the younger bucks. Good Hunting.
 

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