ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Buried in the pages of the 1982 book "The Secret: A Treasure Hunt" are intricate clues leading to keys said to be hidden across the U.S. But could one of them be right here in our backyard?
The answer to that question depends on who you ask. Online hunters dedicated to finding the book's elusive treasure think at least one clue points to Florida and maybe even St. Petersburg.
Author Byron Preiss' tale takes readers back 300 years when the "Fair People" fled the Old World, taking with them their precious jewels that have remained hidden until now, according to the publisher of "The Secret."
One year before the book's release, Preiss traveled to 12 locations across the U.S., and possibly Canada, where he buried ceramic casques containing a key that could be redeemed for a jewel.
To find them, readers would need to use the paintings and poetic verses in the book and start digging (legally). According to the publishing company, Brick Towers Press, the jewels were collectively worth "over ten thousand dollars."
Since 1982, only two of the keys have reportedly been found.
"The first was located in Grant Park, Chicago, in 1984 by a group of students. The second was unearthed in 2004 in Cleveland by two members of the Quest4Treasure forum," Brick Towers Press' website reads.
In 2005, Preiss was killed in a car accident and while the knowledge of the keys' exact locations may have died with him, the hunt to find them did not.
So, how does Florida play into the treasure hunt? Over the years, some hunters have mentioned St. Augustine and St. Petersburg as a burying place of one of the keys.
A Reddit discussion in 2019 begs the theory that St. Pete may have been overlooked by hunters searching for the remaining 10 keys. The Reddit user claims a formation in one of the paintings looks identical to an angel sculpture in Palace Square in St. Petersburg, Russia.
"Well, St. Petersburg, FL correlates to the Russian landmark through the name of both cities being identical," the post reads.
Other references to Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, who has a strong history with the Tampa Bay area after first arriving in 1513 before settling in eastern Florida, have also been noted in the same painting.
Another blog points out that the painting's rock formation is similar to the shape of the Florida peninsula. While the Tampa Bay Times, who was the first to report on the treasure, spoke to hunters who believe the rock's formation mimick's that of Philippe Park or Crescent Lake Park.
Hunters have also reported seeing a collection of numbers hidden in the painting that when put together can provide a series of coordinates. One of those configurations, one blog claims, aligns with those of St. Pete.
The most notable theme hunters point to is the Fountain of Youth. One of which, St. Petersburg has near 4th Avenue South and 1st Street East. The historic landmark has sat on the city's waterfront for decades.
Now that you have some of the clues and an inkling the treasure could be in the city you call home, all that's left is to get out there yourself.
