maltedfalcon

I am sure there are, unfortunately not online,
The forum we used before Quest4treasure had the images but I cant even remember the name of that forum, heck it might have been geocities.
my bet would be the SF library has a copy of it somewhere in their archives. If I was worried about it I would look there.
Other than that I am not sure where you would look, anything online now is pretty much current and not the map I am talking about.
The other interesting part of the map is that the lower half of North lake, matched the weird blue shape to the left of the ladies head.

Thanks for the info on that.

maltedfalcon

I was aware of the Great Highway theory but not about the tourist map. Are there any existing images of said map?

Merlot Brougham

Are there any existing images of said map?

I am sure there are, unfortunately not online,
The forum we used before Quest4treasure had the images but I cant even remember the name of that forum, heck it might have been geocities.
my bet would be the SF library has a copy of it somewhere in their archives. If I was worried about it I would look there.
Other than that I am not sure where you would look, anything online now is pretty much current and not the map I am talking about.
The other interesting part of the map is that the lower half of North lake, matched the weird blue shape to the left of the ladies head.

I think verse 7 actually belongs with image 9 in St. Louis. My solution is below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QYdcj7 … sp=sharing

Moons are way markers. The larger the moon, the closer you are to the destination. So the smallest moon, moon #1 is the starting point. I use the reverse verse 7 so the starting point is Giant pole.
List of identified way-marker moons:
1. Coit tower
2. Marconi memorial
3. Peter & Paul church
4. Joe DiMaggio playground
5. Columbus Ave.
6. Fisherman’s Wharf sign
7. Maritime Museum
8. —
9. —
10. Ghirardelli clock tower
11. Area outlined between ferry arch (pier 43) and Galileo observatory
Image is large so click on the picture to expand.
https://i.imgur.com/Z69zMqE.jpg

Goonie68

MrBackstop, you are spot on with the connection to the Gold circle with the purple color in the middle, Galileo School colors. My theory uses GA and Polk street as a way points and sets you up towards Ghirardelli and the Warf. There is 3 clues that tells us this in the image. 1. In the image The Gold circle with purple color and Square with dot next to each other. Circle/Purple = Galileo(school colors), Square/dot = Ghirardelli Square. The dot in the middle is telling us this is a place. The two clues are next to each other as they are in that location. 2. Galileo was the Father of Observational Astronomy, this explains the moons above the rocks (astronomy) the number 11 (moons) is referring to Polk street, the 11th President. The dome from the observatory sits on the corner of Bay and Polk street. 3. the image supports the dome from GA and is confirming as a way point.

Good info here Goonie. I see your part of the Image where you indicate that as the dome of the Observatory. Did you see Choice’s post right after yours of the Observatory ? I believe this part of the Image is the Observatory while the art you posted is the view from behind the East Speaker Tower. Durian found this clue awhile back and pointed it out to me…..I never noticed it at the time.
The number 11 comes up several times in this puzzle. Durian also came up with the idea that the 11 moons are actually the 11 letters in Ghirardelli and that moons represent each letter in the sign which light up. I like the idea with Galileo as well. I also like to point out that Ghirardelli Square has white globe lamps as well as other lamps that look like moons when lit at night. So many of these clues have multiple meanings and can be used to get to the final spot.
Others have also mentioned the Apollo 11 landing and it’s significance to SF.
As for President Polk, as you mentioned, he was our 11th President. My take on this is that Polk Street is “ace is high” in the line “Near ace is high”. With my dig spot being below the East Speaker Tower by the Far East entrance of the East Bleachers, my dig spot is near ace is high (Polk Street).
“Sounds from the sky” refers to the Speaker Towers in the Aquatic Park.

OUch, I don’t know how much more humbling I can take after shecrab dropping the ACME’ anvil on me for my faux-numero-pas.
I don’t mind that ‘highway 1’ theory much, but that means using some verse to move you on the path from GGP to Lincoln Park, whaddupwithat?
The rose has been next on my mind…could it be a blob representation of Joan of Arc’s statue just to the left of the lamp post top from wherever you need to stand when about to dig?

no it doesnt,
The picture path works perfectly to get you to the door The Palace in the Legion of honor.
Without any verse whatsoever.
Remember it is possible the pole was not there in the 80s therefore verse 7 would be the wrong verse.
Technically using just the image we are up to 8 site confirmers.
head = parking lot
hair part = path next to the casque
El Cid
barred window
Golf balls on tees
Shape under the table. – one of four is the probable shape (1- The original Lincoln Highway marker, The Seaman’s memorial, The lampposts, or the memorial that was at the peak end of the parking lot which is no longer there,)
34th ave
Lincoln’s head
Regardless of the verse we are in the right spot.

progress- I have made contact with the head groundskeeper.
If anyone else is trying to help by getting permission,
please let me take care of it as multiple people calling will likely piss them off. (as happened in Florida)
I will keep you all posted.

And the fountain is likely the tabletop.  I think you’ll need three particular image confirmers to concentrate on the exact spot, which is what my last visual estimate attempted.  How else do you do it without a very specific verse instruction?  Verse seven just says “hey, in that direction”…not too sharp.

you stop when you see the stuff in the image.
ie the barred door.
and  or the head shaped parking lot.
now you look for a verse that fits the treasure ground.
its going to be either v7 or v5
if the pole was there its v7 if not its v5
the two spot are only 30 yards apart. whichever verse it is,
I will dig in one spot then if no luck go dig in the other.
The verse 5 spot is on the golfcourse though…
the trouble with the v5 spot is being on the golf course, it gets more grounds keeping and its possible the white rocks have been moved…

I see how v5 mostly works, but I am lost with the first lines…what is two twenty two?

the golden gate is a sea lane
the space under the bridge is 222 feet tall
and or the ggbridge is sf local landmark 222

Ah, right, I read that not too long ago.  You know my position on v5 as paired with i6, but I can’t claim it’s rock solid, so its wise to allow a range of considerations.
I must right away consider what alternate verse would work for my Rooster Rock theory.  It might surprise me to give a try.  Two weeks ago I was set on v7 with i7…
Now I’m looking into devious elves further and I have a moderate theory brewing based on Puck, Shakespeare, and how it might be related to hockey, the founder of the Stanley Cup, relating to a park in Vancouver BC where a memorial to 20’s US prez Warren G. Harding,
him of Hard word
.  Interesting that it has two statues with hands close to meeting and there is a fascinating composition to be found where their heads look similar to the character of image 9, which has for so long been related to a Montreal theory based on the Leg Eater lamp…a perfect match…argh…but the hoof and facial characteristics beg to be Puck of Shakespeare.  Watch put, I’m about to drop a new crazy theory.

just show me how it applies to both Chicago and cleveland  ( and SF and Houston )
if it does
I will consider it.
but it it is just a one off theory that only applies to one casque that hasnt been found yet
ehhh.

Goldengate

… Have you read the book? Like cover to cover? Much of it was themed to be a tongue and cheek take on society and politics in the 80s (hence hiring Lampoon heavyweights Mann and Kelley)…

http://kspot.org/trove/national_lampoon_dec1982.pdf
courtesy forest_blight

These vine leaves look familiar:
https://tinyurl.com/y8ko7gsq
“V” branch:
https://tinyurl.com/y8dv2rsk
Nice View:
https://tinyurl.com/yawxv29d

If you take a look at Dan’s high res pic
of
this image, you will see in her hair, on the right side, is definitely a clue.
I
thought it was the number 88 at first, but the loops on top are not closed.  It doesn’t look like a symbol that
I
recognize — has anyone else seen it?  Perhaps it is a modern art sculpture.
On her cloak are the letters “G” and “h” backwards.  Then down one side are the roman numerals for 1, 2, 3, then an upside down 5 (or a letter A), and then 10 (or an X), and then symbols
I
don’t recognize.  On the other side
of
the cloak are the roman numerals for 1, 2, 2, then the yinyang symbol, an upside down 6, an upside down 5 (or a letter A), and more symbols
I
don’t recognize.
The dragon’s tail ends in a number 6.
I
don’t see anything in the cliffs.  This is a very tough pic.

If you take a look at Dan’s high res pic of this image, you will see in her hair, on the right side, is definitely a clue.  I thought it was the number 88 at first, but the loops on top are not closed.  It doesn’t look like a symbol that I recognize — has anyone else seen it?  Perhaps it is a modern art sculpture.
On her cloak are the letters “G” and “h” backwards.  Then down one side are the roman numerals for 1, 2, 3, then an upside down 5 (or a letter A), and then 10 (or an X), and then symbols I don’t recognize.  On the other side of the cloak are the roman numerals for 1, 2, 2, then the yinyang symbol, an upside down 6, an upside down 5 (or a letter A), and more symbols I don’t recognize.
The dragon’s tail ends in a number 6.  I don’t see anything in the cliffs.  This is a very tough pic.

Digging Saturday…
Today I received permission to dig in GGP. I have tentatively scheduled noon this Saturday for digging, depends on the weather (supposed to be raining Sat.) Of course everyone here is invited, although I believe its a 50/50 chance the casque is there. More details coming soon.

Can’t wait for detail.  Good luck!!

what about the Greenwich steps? how many of those?

what about the Greenwich steps? how many
of
those?

Not sure about the Greenwich steps….but the “Grand” Staircase in Milwaukee just so happens to have 92 steps.  This staircase, as seen below, has 2 ‘C’ shaped sections facing each other.  CC is, of course, roman numeral for 200.  So there we not only have a “Grand” Staircase but we also have our “Grand 200”.  This all of course was discussed some time back.

Not sure about the Greenwich steps….but the “Grand” Staircase in Milwaukee just so happens to have 92 steps.  This staircase, as seen below, has 2 ‘C’ shaped sections facing each other.  CC is,
of
course, roman numeral for 200.  So there we not only have a “Grand” Staircase but we also have our “Grand 200”.  This all
of
course was discussed some time back.

Actually this was my first dig. Many visits & photos, but first time digging. The thing that convinces me the location is inside GGP is the background behind the dragon in image 1. It looks very much like the tree background on the pedestal maps and on the $3 park maps. The blue color is only on the pedestal maps, the $3 map tree color is green. It seems to be too much detail if the casque is outside the park.

Interesting note, meatypuffs, I’ll check that out.
I always thought it weird that people would flip the image, when it already aligns with the park. When you overlay it normally, guess where she’s pointing:
37th street and Fulton. That’s exactly where the
senior
center is.
If you flip it, her index finger on her other hand is still pointing to 37th and Fulton.

Interesting note, meatypuffs, I’ll check that out.
I always thought it weird that people would flip the image, when it already aligns with the park. When you overlay it normally, guess where she’s pointing:
37th street and Fulton. That’s exactly where the senior center is.
If you flip it, her index finger on her other hand is still pointing to 37th and Fulton.

Looks forced.

erexere

Looks forced.

How so?

drunknerds

Interesting note, meatypuffs, I’ll check that out.
I always thought it weird that people would flip the image, when it already aligns with the park.

As I understand it, the theory is the arms represent “crossover drive”, so things the map gets moved up and flipped to match the arms and the flair on the dress and most of what is west of crossover drive isn’t represented in the Image. Again, it’s all a theory until someone digs the damn thing up. Even then, we’re still speculating at what some of the things in the Cleveland and Chicago verses and images could represent so many years later.
The
Senior
Center is my favorite location for a dig right now. Your images line up pretty nicely to support that theory, if that’s what she is pointing at. The curvature of her thumb and index finger on her right hand seems to outline Middle Drive West and Metson Road pretty closely too.

drunknerds

Interesting note, meatypuffs, I’ll check that out.
I always thought it weird that people would flip the image, when it already aligns with the park.

As I understand it, the theory is the arms represent “crossover drive”, so things the map gets moved up and flipped to match the arms and the flair on the dress and most of what is west of crossover drive isn’t represented in the Image. Again, it’s all a theory until someone digs the damn thing up. Even then, we’re still speculating at what some of the things in the Cleveland and Chicago verses and images could represent so many years later.
The Senior Center is my favorite location for a dig right now. Your images line up pretty nicely to support that theory, if that’s what she is pointing at. The curvature of her thumb and index finger on her right hand seems to outline Middle Drive West and Metson Road pretty closely too.

Ha, looks like we both came up with the same brainstorm, jerm: something that points to Twain in two different ways.
We’ve got another landmark that does it, will post after work.

I’ve been having this feeling that we are being misled by “object of Twains attention” and I think I’ve come across some level of connection.
Object of Twain’s attention has (possibly) two meanings here.
1. Theres evidence that Twain based Sawyer and Finn on Quixote and Sancho. “He said if I warn’t so ignorant, but had read a book called Don Quixote, I would know without asking.” This is a quote straight from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In any case, Twain spent a lot of time with that book and allowing it to shape his characters. It was on his mind as he wrote.
2. The Cervantes statue. If we look at this statue we see Don and Sancho looking up at a bust of Cervantes with rapt attention and admiration. Here twain simply means 2 as in it’s archaic sense. Cervantes is the object of twos (twains) attention.
We have overlapping meanings putting us at a singular location.

So may people speak of the negative space in the dragon wing being a strawberry. Is it possible that it is actually a street lamp or something similar?

GoldenMartyr

So may people speak of the negative space in the dragon wing being a strawberry. Is it possible that it is actually a street lamp or something similar?

It is possible, although in the puzzles where we would specifically expect there to be light poles or street lamps clues, there does not seem to be any. Boston and Milwaukee especially, since the harp lights are very distinct.

gManTexas

It is possible, although in the puzzles where we would specifically expect there to be light poles or street lamps clues, there does not seem to be any. Boston and Milwaukee especially, since the harp lights are very distinct.

What I was attempting to show is, the strawberry connection is somewhat loose. Sure, it could be correct, don’t get me wrong about that but trace it and look at the layer without the photo.
People have latched onto many of these interpretations as fact and haven’t looked much deeper. If you trace the entire portion of negative space, does the area look more like a light than what has been dubbed a strawberry in the past.
Can we challenge the methodology leveraging small reasonable changes that still walk a logical path?

GoldenMartyr

What I was attempting to show is, the strawberry connection is somewhat loose. Sure, it could be correct, don’t get me wrong about that but trace it and look at the layer without the photo.
People have latched onto many of these interpretations as fact and haven’t looked much deeper. If you trace the entire portion of negative space, does the area look more like a light than what has been dubbed a strawberry in the past.
Can we challenge the methodology leveraging small reasonable changes that still walk a logical path?

Yes. I never liked the concept of the strawberry. Seems superficial.

GoldenMartyr

Can we challenge the methodology leveraging small reasonable changes that still walk a logical path?

The key word is logical here. The answer is absolutely yes.
The biggest problem with some of the assumptions that have been taken as fact is you may introduce sequential error into your path. If you make an error when interpreting/assuming a clue, the entire path can go off track.

BINGO

The key word is logical here. The answer is absolutely yes.
The biggest problem with some of the assumptions that have been taken as fact is you may introduce sequential error into your path. If you make an error when interpreting/assuming a clue, the entire path can go off track.

That’s why we need to integrate all of the clues and see if we have gone astray. In other words, stick some push pins in the map and see where most of the things land.

The best place to start looking might actually be the places that have no pins…

BINGO

The key word is logical here.

Of course, that is why I included it. Many attempt to challenge what is commonly accepted with extreme methods. I’m not a fan of that. I’m also not a fan of forcing a method based on 17%(2 of 12).

GoldenMartyr

Of course, that is why I included it. Many attempt to challenge what is commonly accepted with extreme methods. I’m not a fan of that. I’m also not a fan of forcing a method based on 17%(2 of 12).

Side note, it’s funny that both of you have signatures of crap Choice has said to you.
I don’t think he plays well with others.

gManTexas

Side note, it’s funny that both of you have signatures of crap Choice has said to you.
I don’t think he plays well with others.

That seems to be a common theme with his other screen names as well.

gManTexas

I don’t think he plays well with others.

C’est la vie….I’m just quick to say something when you show up to a baseball game with a tennis racket. People tend not to like that….but logic will break your heart.

A question for those who have done some digging in San Francisco – how tough is it to get the permission and how long does it take? I’m going to be visiting SF in July for a few days and may take a crack at my pet theories.

Here’s a clearer image of the manufacturer’s plate on that flagpole in front of the senior center:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NSMl1liYJ3r0vzuI2MxGYqkfEkDqDVby/view
It has a lot of paint on it, but I believe it says:
COUNTERBALANCED FLAGPOLE
PATENTED
L.PH. BOLANDER & SONS
SAN FRANCISCO CAL
[some numbers that include 78]
It’s on the south side of the pole

treetops

Here’s a clearer image of the manufacturer’s plate on that flagpole in front of the senior center:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NSMl1liYJ3r0vzuI2MxGYqkfEkDqDVby/view
It has a lot of paint on it, but I believe it says:
COUNTERBALANCED FLAGPOLE
PATENTED
L.PH. BOLANDER & SONS
SAN FRANCISCO CAL
[some numbers that include 78]
It’s on the south side of the pole

Thanks treetops. Bolander & Sons is based in SF. Looks like the plate is stamped 78.
Does this mean the original pole was replaced in 1978? The photo from the 40’s shows what looks like a round pole. A later photo, shows the pole we see today. Maybe the age of the photo was mis-categorized?
What is interesting in that photo I am referring to, is that the building still has Police Department written on it, with no bushes out front by the street. And the windows appear to be boarded up. In this case, if the casque was buried there, it was out in the open, but without many people around.

treetops

Here’s a clearer image of the manufacturer’s plate on that flagpole in front of the senior center:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NSMl1liYJ3r0vzuI2MxGYqkfEkDqDVby/view
It has a lot of paint on it, but I believe it says:
COUNTERBALANCED FLAGPOLE
PATENTED
L.PH. BOLANDER & SONS
SAN FRANCISCO CAL
[some numbers that include 78]
It’s on the south side of the pole

Wow, well done

gManTexas

What is interesting in that photo I am referring to, is that the building still has Police Department written on it, with no bushes out from by the street. And the windows appear to be boarded up. In this case, if the casque was buried there, it was out in the open, but without many people around.

The timeline I gathered from my trip to the library is that the building was actually used in some capacity for senior activities and classes since 1965 (thus stated on 1981 park map), but wasn’t officially dedicated as the Senior Center until 1980 (dedication program)

gManTexas

What is interesting in that photo
I
am referring to, is that the building still has Police Department written on it, with no bushes out from by the street. And the windows appear to be boarded up. In this case, if the casque was buried there, it was out in the open, but without many people around.

The timeline
I
gathered from my trip to the library is that the building was actually used in some capacity for senior activities and classes since 1965 (thus stated on 1981 park map), but wasn’t officially dedicated as the Senior Center until 1980 (dedication program)

Okay, so this is becoming more real to me. I have been trying to convince myself of the validity of this solve, but it is starting to feel like we might have it. If it is here, it’s one of the few places that has remained virtually undisturbed over time.
The next step is obviously for someone to get in the ground. I would imagine a permit is required at the senior center.
My thought is looking at where the girl is pointing at her sleeves, one finger is at 6 squares and the other is at 8 squares. I’m think between 6-8 feet to the East, as indicated by the ‘A’ shaped shadow next to the clock, which is toward Spreckels Lake. 6-8 feet would be a Giant step IMHO. Also, if t matters, the eagle on the south side of the pole is looking east.

Okay, so this is becoming more real to me.
I
have been trying to convince myself
of
the validity
of
this solve, but it is starting to feel like we might have it. If it is here, it’s one
of
the few places that has remained virtually undisturbed over time.
The next step is obviously for someone to get in the ground.
I
would imagine a permit is required at the senior center.
My thought is looking at where the girl is pointing at her sleeves, one finger is at 6 squares and the other is at 8 squares.
I
‘m think between 6-8 feet to the East, as indicated by the ‘A’ shaped shadow next to the clock, which is toward Spreckels Lake. 6-8 feet would be a Giant step IMHO. Also, if t matters, the eagle on the south side
of
the pole is looking east.

gManTexas

Okay, so this is becoming more real to me. I have been trying to convince myself of the validity of this solve, but it is starting to feel like we might have it. If it is here, it’s one of the few places that has remained virtually undisturbed over time.

I’m not as sold on the front lawn of the senior center being the place to dig.
Here’s all that I currently believe:
-image 1 is San Francisco (37,38 & 122,123)
-pearl, rose, June
-the dress is Golden Gate Park (but also an off-kilter rectangle)
-Gh = Great Highway
-the phoenixes on the senior center are distinct, dead ringers for the dragon
-the “blue blob” might represent the south end of North Lake, as depicted in the 1981 park map (if the casque was buried there, I suspect it’s game over due to extensive landscaping)
-the spiral feet of the flagpole are excellent matches for the rose stem (but so are many other generic spiral decorations throughout the city)
-verse 7 probably goes with this image (but only because all other verses have better, specific ties to other images or cities)
-if Chicago and Cleveland are models, the casque is buried in Golden Gate Park, within 1000 feet of the senior center
-the senior center flagpole is possibly the “Giant Pole”
Specific concerns:
-whenever I see someone say “walking tour” as part of a theory, I fear a fallacy of taking several spread-out, faint resemblances to the image and verse and reverse-engineering them into a route
-in the spirit of “seek the columns for the search” and “beyond his shoulder is the fair folks’ treasure holder”, pole and step (whatever those are) could lead to the general dig area, not the precise spot. The intersection of “ace is high” and “Twain’s attention” could very well be the place to dig
-is there another copy of the phoenix ironwork elsewhere in San Francisco?

gManTexas

Okay, so this is becoming more real to me.
I
have been trying to convince myself
of
the validity
of
this solve, but it is starting to feel like we might have it. If it is here, it’s one
of
the few places that has remained virtually undisturbed over time.

I
‘m not as sold on the front lawn
of
the senior center being the place to dig.
Here’s all that
I
currently believe:
-image 1 is San Francisco (37,38 & 122,123)
-pearl, rose, June
-the dress is Golden Gate Park (but also an off-kilter rectangle)
-Gh = Great Highway
-the phoenixes on the senior center are distinct, dead ringers for the dragon
-the “blue blob” might represent the south end
of
North Lake, as depicted in the 1981 park map (if the casque was buried there,
I
suspect it’s game over due to extensive landscaping)
-the spiral feet
of
the flagpole are excellent matches for the rose stem (but so are many other generic spiral decorations throughout the city)
-verse 7 probably goes with this image (but only because all other verses have better, specific ties to other images or cities)
-if Chicago and Cleveland are models, the casque is buried in Golden Gate Park, within 1000 feet
of
the senior center
-the senior center flagpole is possibly the “Giant Pole”
Specific concerns:
-whenever
I
see someone say “walking tour” as part
of
a theory,
I
fear a fallacy
of
taking several spread-out, faint resemblances to the image and verse and reverse-engineering them into a route
-in the spirit
of
“seek the columns for the search” and “beyond his shoulder is the fair folks’ treasure holder”, pole and step (whatever those are) could lead to the general dig area, not the precise spot. The intersection
of
“ace is high” and “Twain’s attention” could very well be the place to dig
-is there another copy
of
the phoenix ironwork elsewhere in San Francisco?

treetops

only on 1 side, (toward the street) – the other sides I probed and metal detected – but that’s back when I believed probes could tell you something useful.

treetops

only on 1 side, (toward the street) – the other sides
I
probed and metal detected – but that’s back when
I
believed probes could tell you something useful.

treetops

I’m not as sold on the front lawn of the senior center being the place to dig.
Here’s all that I currently believe:
-image 1 is San Francisco (37,38 & 122,123)
-pearl, rose, June
-the dress is Golden Gate Park (but also an off-kilter rectangle)
-Gh = Great Highway
-the phoenixes on the senior center are distinct, dead ringers for the dragon
-the “blue blob” might represent the south end of North Lake, as depicted in the 1981 park map (if the casque was buried there, I suspect it’s game over due to extensive landscaping)
-the spiral feet of the flagpole are excellent matches for the rose stem (but so are many other generic spiral decorations throughout the city)
-verse 7 probably goes with this image (but only because all other verses have better, specific ties to other images or cities)
-if Chicago and Cleveland are models, the casque is buried in Golden Gate Park, within 1000 feet of the senior center
-the senior center flagpole is possibly the “Giant Pole”
Specific concerns:
-whenever I see someone say “walking tour” as part of a theory, I fear a fallacy of taking several spread-out, faint resemblances to the image and verse and reverse-engineering them into a route
-in the spirit of “seek the columns for the search” and “beyond his shoulder is the fair folks’ treasure holder”, pole and step (whatever those are) could lead to the general dig area, not the precise spot. The intersection of “ace is high” and “Twain’s attention” could very well be the place to dig
-is there another copy of the phoenix ironwork elsewhere in San Francisco?

I like the idea of doubting this, or any other potential solve. Although, a well reasoned theory deserves a dig. If someone could dig there and comes up empty, then we rule it out and sharpen the pencils.

treetops

I
‘m not as sold on the front lawn
of
the senior center being the place to dig.
Here’s all that
I
currently believe:
-image 1 is San Francisco (37,38 & 122,123)
-pearl, rose, June
-the dress is Golden Gate Park (but also an off-kilter rectangle)
-Gh = Great Highway
-the phoenixes on the senior center are distinct, dead ringers for the dragon
-the “blue blob” might represent the south end
of
North Lake, as depicted in the 1981 park map (if the casque was buried there,
I
suspect it’s game over due to extensive landscaping)
-the spiral feet
of
the flagpole are excellent matches for the rose stem (but so are many other generic spiral decorations throughout the city)
-verse 7 probably goes with this image (but only because all other verses have better, specific ties to other images or cities)
-if Chicago and Cleveland are models, the casque is buried in Golden Gate Park, within 1000 feet
of
the senior center
-the senior center flagpole is possibly the “Giant Pole”
Specific concerns:
-whenever
I
see someone say “walking tour” as part
of
a theory,
I
fear a fallacy
of
taking several spread-out, faint resemblances to the image and verse and reverse-engineering them into a route
-in the spirit
of
“seek the columns for the search” and “beyond his shoulder is the fair folks’ treasure holder”, pole and step (whatever those are) could lead to the general dig area, not the precise spot. The intersection
of
“ace is high” and “Twain’s attention” could very well be the place to dig
-is there another copy
of
the phoenix ironwork elsewhere in San Francisco?

I
like the idea
of
doubting this, or any other potential solve. Although, a well reasoned theory deserves a dig. If someone could dig there and comes up empty, then we rule it out and sharpen the pencils.

Just discovered this extensive, searchable collection of 1964 and earlier San Francisco photographs that might not turn up in Google searches:
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/cushman/results/result.do?action=browse&query=state%3A%22California%22+AND+city%3A%22San+Francisco%22

Just discovered this extensive, searchable collection
of
1964 and earlier San Francisco photographs that might not turn up in Google searches:
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/cushman/results/result.do?action=browse&query=state%3A%22California%22+AND+city%3A%22San+Francisco%22

treetops

Just discovered this extensive, searchable collection of 1964 and earlier San Francisco photographs that might not turn up in Google searches:
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/cushman/results/result.do?action=browse&query=state%3A%22California%22+AND+city%3A%22San+Francisco%22

Awesome thanks! I can’t wait to go through them!!

treetops

Just discovered this extensive, searchable collection
of
1964 and earlier San Francisco photographs that might not turn up in Google searches:
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/cushman/results/result.do?action=browse&query=state%3A%22California%22+AND+city%3A%22San+Francisco%22

Awesome thanks!
I
can’t wait to go through them!!

maltedfalcon

only on 1 side, (toward the street) – the other sides I probed and metal detected – but that’s back when I believed probes could tell you something useful.

I could have sworn you recently said you stood at the flagpole and took a step toward the senior center. Maybe I need a senior center.

maltedfalcon

only on 1 side, (toward the street) – the other sides
I
probed and metal detected – but that’s back when
I
believed probes could tell you something useful.

I
could have sworn you recently said you stood at the flagpole and took a step toward the senior center. Maybe
I
need a senior center.

drunknerds

I could have sworn you recently said you stood at the flagpole and took a step toward the senior center. Maybe I need a senior center.

Well it was like 10 years ago, but fulton ave was my object (steamboats… (i know, lame…) but thats where I was I probed 360 and metal detected all around.

drunknerds

I
could have sworn you recently said you stood at the flagpole and took a step toward the senior center. Maybe
I
need a senior center.

Well it was like 10 years ago, but fulton ave was my object (steamboats… (
i
know, lame…) but thats where
I
was
I
probed 360 and metal detected all around.

catherwood

My fantasy is that the totem pole was right on the edge of the hill overlooking the ocean, and the giant step would be straight down the cliff onto the sandy beach.

I agree that it makes all the sense in the world, and that was what popped into my mind as well. Just speaking in the abstract, and not about this specific location, but I always had a similar interpretation; the cask might be buried at the bottom of a ledge or cliff type structure, that has a pole on the top. I’ve always entertained the idea that the “giant step” may not be in terms of feet from the pole, but in terms of elevation. We already know Preiss uses the term “step” In Cleveland to refer to a vertical step. Very interesting to me, in verse 8 he he uses “ascend the 92 steps” but uses “100 paces” for horizontal distance. We don’t know if the 5 steps in Thucydides’ direction are actual stairs or not, but for the sake of this theory, I hope they are. He specifically uses the term “paces” in verse 5. He does use “east steps” in Verse 10.
“Giant step” is open to so much interpretation, that once the actual location is found (if it isn’t a casualty of time), will have some definitive direction to go from the pole. “Giant step” gives no horizontal direction whatsoever and it would be a 360 degree crap shoot from the “pole”, would it not? Am I missing something there? I know there are some people who are of the opinion that Preiss is very bad at putting together puzzles, but there are seemingly no other specific numbers/treasure ground clues like we see in the other clues (9th Row, 7th Step up, end of 10 by 15, etc.. Even “In the center of 4 alike” gives you a specific spot conceptually). Here it’s only “giant pole, giant step” so I think that the concept behind it being an elevation clue with the cask at the base of a cliff or ledge (literally a GIANT step down (or potentially up depending on the actual pole being described in the verse)) is pretty sound. The actual treasure ground would have to appear in such a way that one could intuit what direction from the pole one needs to go. Up/down at least gives you a sense of direction that you can line up with the pole.

catherwood — it looks like you found that picture here:
http://www.berbec.com/rberbec/images/photos/1/2/630/index.html
Several good pictures of the area, including the totem pole. Makes you wonder — could the casque have been buried simply a “giant step” (5 feet) from where the pole was located in 1981? Is it that simple?

Thats an intriguing location. Maybe that portion of the story about four indians riding on the same horse is analogous to multiple totems stacked on a pole.

forest_blight

— could the casque have been buried simply a “giant step” (5 feet) from where the pole was located in 1981? Is it that simple?

(Thank you for finding my historical link.) Yes, I think it used to be just that simple. However, in which direction would you take that giant step? My fantasy is that the totem pole was right on the edge of the hill overlooking the ocean, and the giant step would be straight down the cliff onto the sandy beach. Would a cask been easy to bury down four feet into the sand? Would it have survived a season of tides, within the few months the contest was expected to have been solved? I haven’t been to the site, so I cannot say how much the shoreline has changed over the decades, due to both weathering and construction. Should we go and have a dig anyway? We can dream.

No, I meant simply a few feet directly behind the totem from the wall. To go over the cliff would result in far too wide a search area, whereas the 5-foot interpretation results in an exact spot to dig.

Given GH for Great Highway and GGP, maybe you could see the shoulder patch as representing the Cliff House area, Sutro Heights Park.
From far Cathay, the dragon’s Pearl:
Chaste, perfect as the silver moon
Sutro
was a silver baron involved with the
Comstock Lode
.

These pic are from the stair case behind the playground.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/40465884972/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/40465898052/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/38698093370/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/40465970862/in/dateposted-public/
This is behind the Carousel.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/26637487528/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/40465998972/in/dateposted-public/
This appears to be a stair case coming down from MLK. You step up on the concert ledge and this is what you see.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/38698241140/in/dateposted-public/

Cable Car picture
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/39756932514/in/dateposted-public/
Link to stories about the cable car in the park.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj3y_vvgcXZAhXQxqQKHYRCD-kQFggpMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.play-scapes.com%2Fplay-history%2Ftbt-cable-car-on-the-playground-san-francisco-c-1950%2F&usg=AOvVaw3LbKgVroHT27XRguMHsnKq
Pic of iron stem and flower Art studio
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/38698337530/in/dateposted-public/

Goonie68

The picture I took of the Door was for the stone pattern on it. You can see there are two smaller stones by a lager one to the left of the door. If you look at the middle of the dragon (in the 6) there is a distinct pattern of blocks, I was thinking that the pattern might be a locator or indicator of a casque location. The ledge next to the door would be a giant step and across would be giant pole (carousel) . Just a theory tho.

Going back to when I first started looking at GGP, I was centered on the area near the playground. Before my head was filled with all sorts of possibilities, I basically walked through what I believed was a logical set of pointers from the Image and Verse. I’ve looked at it again and I have come to the same stumbling block. Giant pole, Giant step.
I could argue that the police station next to Kezar Stadium is Justice and the California Academy of Sciences is Education. So, if we were standing somewhere in the vicinity of what is now Robin Williams Meadow, we are central to many of the clues, however, you cannot actually see all of these things. Now, it is up for debate on another thread whether all of the clues can be seen from the dig site, however, this is where this starts to fall apart near the playground. Where is the giant pole? What is the giant step? This is the albatross of this puzzle.

Goonie68

Cable Car picture
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/39756932514/in/dateposted-public/
Link to stories about the cable car in the park.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj3y_vvgcXZAhXQxqQKHYRCD-kQFggpMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.play-scapes.com%2Fplay-history%2Ftbt-cable-car-on-the-playground-san-francisco-c-1950%2F&usg=AOvVaw3LbKgVroHT27XRguMHsnKq

Goonie, if you go to the article you linked, which by the way made my virus blocker pop up, look at the photo of the kids climbing on the front of the car. There is a shiny building in the back to the left. The two girls on top of the car appear to be gazing at a Giant pole. Can anyone identify this and was this photo of the same car in the GGP playground?
http://www.play-scapes.com/wp-content/u … e-car3.jpg
In the meantime, I will try to see if I can orient myself to the same view if possible.

gManTexas

Let me pose the question, the OCR version (I’m sure you are all familiar), how abridged is it? It seems to have the meat we need but not the potatoes where some other tidbits might be. I count 41 total pages in the OCR version.

200+ pages in the actual book.

Goonie68

These pic are from the stair case behind the playground.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/40465884972/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/40465898052/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/38698093370/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/40465970862/in/dateposted-public/
This is behind the Carousel.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/26637487528/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/40465998972/in/dateposted-public/
This appears to be a stair case coming down from MLK. You step up on the concert ledge and this is what you see.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138281177@N05/38698241140/in/dateposted-public/

Goonie! Is that the stone wall’s door?!?

Well if this is a starting point, but I have this area at the end of my path.

Goonie68

Well if this is a starting point, but I have this area at the end of my path.

Does the door or window in Image 1 have to be stone wall’s door? I mean, we just assumed that, right?

gManTexas

Does the door or window in Image 1 have to be stone wall’s door? I mean, we just assumed that, right?

No it does not- yes most people do, in the solved casques, the columns in the image are called out in the verse in cleveland, and this is a key to finding the site. In Chicago the fence and fixture are both called out and they indicate the final site.
So logically if it is not referenced by stone walls door, then it is not within sight of the casque.

Gman, I believe the cable car was move several times in the park. Or the pic with the girls in it was a different location in the city. If you look at the fence in the back ground it appears to be a ball field with a large pole might by a light. The fence sits on a hill and the cable car is below the hill with a building in the back ground, which would suggest it’s in a different location other than GGP. I think the couple of pictures in the link are showing different cable car’s in the city, but the one with the slide is GGP.

Everyone, get on street view and look at the entrance to the Sharon Art Center. Then look around at the streetlamp. Then look right next door at the flagpole at the bowling greens.

Objects that are identified in the park as “Giant pole” Flag Pole, stair case railings, Lamp posts, sign posts and the only other large pole that is not very visible is the pole inside the carousel. Totem pole (which is no longer there) Or north Pole?? Not sure there is any other pole in the park?

The picture I took of the Door was for the stone pattern on it. You can see there are two smaller stones by a lager one to the left of the door. If you look at the middle of the dragon (in the 6) there is a distinct pattern of blocks, I was thinking that the pattern might be a locator or indicator of a casque location. The ledge next to the door would be a giant step and across would be giant pole (carousel) . Just a theory tho.

I like the thought of the cable car, the stone pattern and of course the baseball diamonds that brought me to the play ground. The path way behind the door building was like…what do we have here!!!! a stone walk way?? Hidden!!! But who knows??? LOL

The flag pole is at the Park and Rec main grounds headquarters in the park, looks to new to be ” the pole”

Goonie68

The flag pole is at the Park and Rec main grounds headquarters in the park, looks to new to be ” the pole”

Was there an older pole at one time? Also, this area give you a clear view of Sutro Tower, doesn’t it?

At various points in the past, cable cars were also used as playground fixtures at the zoo (near an old locomotive) and, I believe, outside a child services center, which might be where the photo with the building in the background is from.
Regarding the card shelter currently behind the conservatory of flowers, this was built in 1988, using the large chess pieces from a the Ghirardelli Card Shelter that used to be north of Alvord Lake, not far from the playground. I have searched for a photo of this old card shelter without success. It would have been in terrible shape in the early 80s, but I keep thinking, could it have had a decoration of one of the card suits (“Ace is high”)?
Finally, have you been through the tunnel beneath the Alvord bridge in your recent wanderings? I imagine you’ll find some echoes in there of the background from image 1.

If we look at the image, the feature to the left of her head, and just above lincoln/jfk/Fred Flintstone looks like a hand holding a lawn bowling ball. If you zoom in, it is also a bunny. You’ll spot the whiskers. Bunny Meadow is on that end of the park.

Goldengate

You DO NOT want to mess with the lawn bowling club… they will not hesitate to get blood on their whites if they catch you digging near their turf.

Lol, duly noted!

Yes you get a good view of the tower for sure!

treetops

At various points in the past, cable cars were also used as playground fixtures at the zoo (near an old locomotive) and, I believe, outside a child services center, which might be where the photo with the building in the background is from.
Regarding the card shelter currently behind the conservatory of flowers, this was built in 1988, using the large chess pieces from a the Ghirardelli Card Shelter that used to be north of Alvord Lake, not far from the playground. I have searched for a photo of this old card shelter without success. It would have been in terrible shape in the early 80s, but I keep thinking, could it have had a decoration of one of the card suits (“Ace is high”)?
Finally, have you been through the tunnel beneath the Alvord bridge in your recent wanderings? I imagine you’ll find some echoes in there of the background from image 1.

I have been to the Alvord bridge and on the lake side there is a lamp post just as you come out of the tunnel, but couldn’t figure out from the pole giant step? The little pond does have rock formations in it but couldn’t match any to image but maybe I didn’t look at it more closely. Yes I do agree that the cable cars where used at the zoo and other play grounds, I spoke to the guy that runs the snack shake at the carousel and asked him if he know about the cable car that was possibly there and he said he knew of it being in the playground but could not give a time line to when it was removed.

I was thinking of the imitation natural rock formations inside the tunnel itself in connection with the background vista in image 1.
I’m still really needing an alternate match for the dragon to tear myself away from the senior center, even though there’s so little else to work with out there.

treetops

I was thinking of the imitation natural rock formations inside the tunnel itself in connection with the background vista in image 1.
I’m still really needing an alternate match for the dragon to tear myself away from the senior center, even though there’s so little else to work with out there.

So your theory is that the senior center is the casque location?

I’m doubtful of the front lawn of the senior center being the actual burial spot, but the ironwork phoenixes are such a perfect match for the dragon, and such an obscure feature (compared to the bandshell, stow lake, prayerbook cross, museums, etc.), that for the casque to be more than 1000′ from there would at least be a level of insanity beyond what we’ve seen in Cleveland and Chicago. It would be like the Chicago casque being over a mile from the fencepost.

Goldengate

IMAGE 1 OBSERVATIONS:
Symbol theories:
2) The upside down VI = 6th Ave entrance off of Fulton which had just been converted into a pedestrian entrance in 81 making it a brand new feature when Preiss buried the casque.
4) The “Double D’s” on the bottom… there have been several theories. Here’s a new (maybe stupid) one to consider with a grain of salt: Grateful Dead. The first D doesn’t look complete… in fact it looks like a G. The Dead’s concerts in GGP are legendary — in the 80s, they were still very much a fabric of San Francisco.
VERSE 7 OBSERVATIONS:
STONE WALL’S DOOR
I take this to be more of general meaning than others do. As you entered GGP in 82, just as you do today, much of it is surrounded by STONE WALLS… tall walls, and short walls. But don’t get locked into the idea that the stone wall’s door must to be an arch. Yes, there are bridges and tunnels in GGP with stone arches… some with barred gates (that were also there then), so it’s a possibility, but doors come in all shapes and sizes
TWAIN’S ATTENTION
My first choice is the paddle boats. They were there in 81. There was also a renewed attention on Stow Lake because the Pavilion was NEW and a big deal! Permanent changes to GGP are RARE… when there’s a new feature, it is front and center in park maps, guide books, and shiny new signs pointing the way. In 81, the Huntington Falls were still broken but the paddle boats were out in force. You couldn’t miss the sound of the mini paddle wheels lazily churning on the water. Their very name literally elicits a very central, universal image and essence of Mark Twain. This is an accessible clue — it’s not an obscure reference of one of the thousands of things and people that attracted Twain’s attention over his lifetime. Priess wanted us to find the casque by exploring OUTSIDE… not to be buried in research libraries for years (remember this is wayyyy pre-google / smart phone era).

I think the Double D on the bottom of the image is in fact the arched tunnel at Kezar at the very East side of the park. Or it is possibly the combination of the tunnel and the half circle entrance to the park where Haight dead-ends.

Unknown

Unknown:
It would be like the Chicago casque being over a mile from the fencepost.

Or the Cleveland casque being over 4 miles from the Terminal Tower.

It’s dangerously easy to pin hopes on this enigmatic card shelter. For instance, what if the bas relief of Ghirardelli matched the “lincoln/JFK” profile? I really want to find pictures of it just to see that it was a drab, unadorned, run-down hovel.

Euhirudinea

Or the Cleveland casque being over 4 miles from the Terminal Tower.

Except the Terminal Tower is a major, well-known architectural landmark. The ironwork over the door of a Senior Center way out towards the ocean, not so much.

For me I am locked in for the hunt to start at the senior center, To me it fits the criteria of both casque found. It starts on the outer edge of the park and you work your way in. To me the second verse “air smells sweet” goes hand in hand with spreckels lake. Sugar and Sweet go better together then Flower and sweet?? Plus flowers only bloom a certain time of the year so that would bring your search from March to June. So if you are looking for sweet smell of flowers in Sept your out of luck! I think Senior and Spreckels fit well into the way the puzzle works. Then you walk right into “three posts are high” right from the lake view. It just seems very fluid in the path you take from the senior center, Verse, Physical location verified by illustration. With the dragon being really the clincher above the door confirms this is a point of interest. Again just my view lol

I too have looked for reasonable Dragon matches and so far these are the best seen, I am not ruling out others, but right now this matches as a waypoint IMO. Is it starting middle or end, I really cannot say, but if you count the curved railing staircase it leans toward the beginning or end. The clues that have us perplexed are the giant pole and giant step, which the Cliff House and the Goddess of the forest would have fit, but those have been either explored or destroyed as documented by Malted Falcon many moons ago. Twain’s attention is so vast and vague a clue it is nearly worthless without the pole and step. Jewels direction is also vague as we have the Palace of fine arts area, Pearl St. and many other items that can be related. I will be back to do a walk around in the area of the Senior Center and the Conservatory of flowers soon. If you come in the Arguello entrance it has a stone wall which is behind the conservatory of flowers and views of the Sutro tower and College so it must be considered by me for now. And that is another issue in that the Tower is visible from over 50% of San Francisco so once again if this is a clue it is not definitive. Anyway I want to say anyone who finds anything of extreme importance or a match should consider letting the people who have been looking and on this board since the beginning first as they have put in so much time and eliminated so many sites that I feel they have earned it.
Good Luck.

Unknown

Unknown:
Except the Terminal Tower is a major, well-known architectural landmark.

And for the purposes of this puzzle, so now is the dragon at the Senior Center. The real question, IMO, is why is this “Polaroid” included in the Image? If it is a dig spot clue, then shouldn’t we be digging within a few feet of it, like we do in Chicago and Cleveland, and not up to 1,000 feet away? That would make it an area confirmer, like the Bowman, or the fountain in the Italian Garden, but as you say, those are big and well-known and this is not.

I have put together a map of GGP of various objects that can be seen in Image 1 and also some locations suspected in Verse 7. I think it is helpful to look at the map and envision being in the park. You can see the “spray chart” of popular locations and other confirming items. This is NOT a solve. It is based on recent discussion on this thread and focuses on the Eastern side of the park.
Feel free to save and edit it for your own use, or we can use it a crowd source document to expand on the hunt. Also, you can throw in your observations.
Please note: This only focuses on the Eastern portion of the park, up to around 14th Ave.
Thanks!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/az8cdnlif03p6 … .docx?dl=0

Goldengate

Hey G-man! That’s really awesome! I don’t want to accidentally screw up the your work in the file, so I’ll mention here, the stairs leading from Kezar down to the playground area are really interesting and maybe worth marking? Thanks for the map… really great resource!

Thanks for the props! The stairs are such a new development, I want to give it time to steep and see what rises to the top. We certainly can add detail as we go. Consider this a living document.

I’m all in but unfortunately I would have to convince my wife we could afford such an excursion. Lol

I
‘m all in but unfortunately
I
would have to convince my wife we could afford such an excursion. Lol

anybody up for a Get-together in SF to chat about san francisco locations, possibilites. – Say Feb, mar or april? maybe do some on the ground searching?

Goldengate

I’m not big on Masonic theories, but I still believe this portion of the dragon resembles a bird of prey head…

I agree that it looks like a bird head.
As for the Masonic connections, it would be difficult to not run into historical members or buildings throughout the country. Many of the founding fathers were Masons. I don’t think it goes much beyond that though. This is not The Secret we are searching for, lol.

Goldengate

I’m not big on Masonic theories…

Most obvious connection of image 1 to freemasons is the moons. The fact that they like to layout structures according to the position of stars.
“As above, so below”
So trace the moons down to the map according to size of the moon and you’ll get the waypoints.
“Fear is the path to the dark side.”

I too agree that it shouldn’t be overcomplicated. Drawing a straight line down from a moon is hardly complicated math or vectoring. One can even fold a copy of the image to get a similar result.

Goldengate

I’m not big on Masonic theories, but I still believe this portion of the dragon resembles a bird of prey head…

You mean that’s not a big masonic G?!!
Here are a couple of more options: Phoenix seal on Coit, Fish on Dragon’s Gate.

egads, that sure sounds a lot like my son’s homework I just finished helping him with.

egads, that sure sounds a lot like my son’s homework
I
just finished helping him with.

I’m willing to deviate from my “golf balls in the sky” idea to consider that this image represents a sky full of worlds, which in turn is a rebus for “The Underworld”.  I’m using that idea to bolster the idea that there is something to do with Rodin’s Gates of Hell art piece.

Might be,
but once we use the image to confirm the city  and the site confirmers
we basically dont need it anymore and use the verse.
Since none of the others make such a deep connection within the image I feel safe
knowing its Lincoln Park in SF.

maybe it only serves as a reference to the word Legion, which basically means “many”.

catherwood

Of course, it’s your choice, since we still are not sure which verse you’re using for your clues.
I myself have already experienced a real-world mini-treasure hunt, digging up a shard in The Journey hunt for The Stone.
http://www.thestone.com/
“buried clue”
On my little adventure, i made the mistake of rushing out the door without all my print-outs.  I assumed I could go from memory, but when I got there all the trees looked alike.  I *thought* i had the right bend in the path — and indeed later i found out that i was right — but could not determine where the X was to dig.  Two hours later, another player came along and HE had printouts!  We had never met before, not even online, but we became a team — I did have a shovel which he did not think to bring.
I do think there was an extra benefit to having someone with me to share the thrill.  If you don’t want help solving this one — and i *totally* understand how that feels — at least bring along a family member or friend.  And beverages, bring beverages.
And a camera.  And print-outs of *everything* and/or the book itself. And a way to clean-up afterwards.
Have fun, make an adventure of it rather than a narrow task, and GOOD LUCK!

That’s a great story about teaming up.  This hunt in particular is extremely difficult as a solo effort.  Everyone should be as lucky to have additional help.  An extra pair of eyes especially.

I know most people are down with verse 6 being Charleston. I have found several ties to San Francisco. The verse lines “Beside the long palm’s shadow” and then “White house close at hand.” Look at where the actual shadow of the palm hits the white house below. I am working on a solve that has brought me here to the conservatory of flowers as the final location. I don’t have time to go over it right now but I will try and get it out this week

Let it be Horseshoe sand pits. . o O (crosses fingers)
You do know that the upside-down horseshoe (frame of the image) is bad luck!

I like the overhead shot of the space in front of the conservatory with the round top and circle and the crossing area in the middle and the rows on each side. Just have to sort out the Japanese translation stuff, find 1913 in the Image. 1913 is present with a little ingenuity (shoehorning).
This thread is combination of whole lot of solution threads. I miss Spiritr!

Choice

I miss Spiritr!

Go find him. I’m sure he needs help with the mathmatically advanced, super cryptic solutions that no one else has the capacity to understand.
Sorry in advance. I couldn’t resist.

BINGO

Go find him. I’m sure he needs help with the mathmatically advanced, super cryptic solutions that no one else has the capacity to understand.
Sorry in advance. I couldn’t resist.

A lot of pent up hostility! Sea kelp!

I’ve found period postcards a good media for image match. eBay is a good source for these.
Here’s an example. Soooo close!

The Decoration Day that was celebrated in San Francisco on 30 May 1913. Based on the extensive illustrated coverage in the next morning’s San Francisco Call newspaper, it appears that the 1913 event was conceived as the launch of a dedicated effort to raise the profile of Decoration Day as a more general holiday of remembrance.
http://www.emperorsbridge.org/blog/2016 … peror-1913
https://tinyurl.com/ybgxnehg

Here are some photos from my first 2 visits to Golden Gate Park: (be patient; slow server)
http://www.cobbcrew.org/GoldenGate
Hopefully I will be adding more every week

Nice photos…
Esp. like the one of FSKey.

maltedfalcon

My trouble with this theory is it is based on the verse alone, not the image

Unknown

Unknown:
You are using the RLS quote to start at Portsmouth square, then jumping to the picture path method to go from Portsmouth square to Lafayette Park. Then jumping back into the verse.

Unknown

Unknown:
If this does work then you have to explain away the GGpark in the image.

Unknown

Unknown:
In the two found casques the Windmill and the bowman, and the Terminal Tower and the triangle, All were located along the logical route to the treasure ground.  GGpark is not anywhere near the route from Portsmith square to Lafayette.

Unknown

Unknown:
Then when you get there There is nothing in the image that are site confirmers

There’s an appropriate dragon / barred window mural at the start of the trail as you turn onto Clay from Portsmouth Square. (Might be too recent though.)
One of the things I like about Lafayette is the fact it was used as an evacuation centre during the 1906 fire. Ties in nicely with the “fire-breathing dragon” the Fair Folk brought with them from Cathay.
“And in the 1906 earthquake, Lafayette Square became one of the tent campsites for refugees – with awesome views of the fire and destruction of the city below.”
http://www.parkscan.org/parks?parkId=24
It’s based primarily on the verse after using the image for SF. I thought that was fairly standard.
No, it’s all based on the verse.
It’s the iconic image for San Francisco, like the Statue of Liberty is the iconic image for New York, etc. And it’s not
that
far away.
I don’t believe that every image has to be geographically tied to the trail. I don’t think the Statue of Liberty or Milwaukee City Hall are. They’re just area clues IMHO.
I’ve found a couple of possibles, but it’s difficult to get more without someone actually visiting the place. I think there’s enough evidence to make that worthwhile. It’s scheduled for refurbishment this year, and after that it’ll be even harder to look.
Here’s an updated summary for this trail.
San Francisco theory – PDF

The Edwin plaque at 440 Bush St is next to the Academy of Art (logo) originally at 215 Kearney (sign)…

The Edwin plaque at 440 Bush St is next to the Academy
of
Art (logo) originally at 215 Kearney (sign)…

jimers,
Could you tell me what Shakespeare quotes are on the wall? The “High Posts” reference in the Verse could refer to Posted Quotes?

Each plaque has about 10 quotes, and I think there are 6 plaques. I will try to get photos of those next time. Did you see the photo of Sutro Tower?

Let me add this to my current solve. The sundial at Fay Park looks just like the one in the artwork and the rose sitting on the sundial would represent the rose bushes just above it a Giant step away. In my mind this is where the “secret” has to be.
Somebody let me know when you find it.
MrBackstop

Looks like Fay Park was a private residence until it was donated to the city in 1998. Also there were renovations in 2005.
http://sfrecpark.org/destination/fay-park/
https://tclf.org/landscapes/fay-park

Fenix, great thinking on the sundial idea. Using a table to tell time. Hmm. Could it be transit related? A trolley, bus, or ferry boat? Or is it about a place where one would stand in the middle of a circular area where a large light source is near?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nswHPYi_dEw/S … G_3871.JPG
does this clock look like the one in the image?
here’s the location…in new york
http://lostnewyorkcity.blogspot.com/200 … ville.html

The winder on the one in the picture is different
more bell like…

thanks malted, they are all starting to get boggled in my head……but wanted to show it, just in case

treetops

malted: Do you know if the totem pole is still over at City College, with the Pan-American Unity Mural? I read that they moved it there when they took it out of GGP.

yes I have been to visit it.
its actually very sad whats left of such a huge sculpture

momatrance

Also brand new to the game.  I will be in SF in January and thinking a step from the totem pole location makes a lot sense, where was it location before it was moved?

yes the pedestal it stood on is still in place
it was in Lindley meadow.  you cant miss it.
however you realize the entire circumference of the pedestal out to 5 feet and 4 feet deep has ben searched by digging over a 2 year period.
So the one place I am sure the casque is not is, next to the pedestal of the Goddess of the Forest.
but if you want to dig there, I can put you in touch with the groundskeepers, they were quite amused by the hunt and very helpful

This is a nice little booklet that was provided by the GGNRA in 1979 outlining their parks etc. Gives a good idea of what was accessible at the time and the types of activities provided in certain parks.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1kfm1Z … zc-1QHGZ-9

WhiteRabbit

I’m going through a statue phase at the moment. Considering I1 V6, it seems a heck of a coincidence that we have a plaque for RLS, a plaque for Edwin, and a great big chinese statue all right next to each other.
The uneven paving of St Mary’s Square reminds me of the dragon scales.
And just check out that collar.
It’s adorned with Chinese hieroglyphics like the image. And his hands are like the mountains.
I appreciate that the image has a strong resonance with GGP, but maybe this is an area pointer like the Water Tower.
Of all the romance retold
Men of tales and tunes
Cruel and bold
Seen here
By eyes of old
RLS plaque.
Stand and listen to the birds
Hear the cool, clear song of water
Harken to the words:
Freedom at the birth of a century
Or May 1913
Edwin and Edwina named after him
Foundation of Equity at Edwin Booth’s place in NY.
Or on the eighth a scene
Where law defended
Between two arms extended
Below the bar that binds
(Due south of Alcatraz, just as the pearl in the pic is below the bars?)
Beside the long palm’s shadow
Near the statue
Embedded in the sand
Waits the Fair remuneration
White house close at hand.
Still a lot of unknowns here, but maybe worth a visit. It’s two blocks from Clay St., named after Henry Clay who had a hand in the Emancipation Proclamation.
Statue is Sun Yat Sen. (Note reference to suns in the Chinese section of the intro. I know people hate this intro but it does give us FOY so it can’t be all bad.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Yat-sen
Sculptor is Benny Bufano.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Bufano

Giving this post a quick bump after some chats with WhiteRabbit, in the hopes that it might prompt one of our San Francisco-based hunters with an open mind to look into a possible I1/V6 pairing. Having never personally been to SF it’s hard to judge from Google Maps, but it looks as if all of these landmarks noted are visible within a 1/2-mile walk through Chinatown.
My only contribution (so far) is that whole “Freedom at the birth of a century / Or May 1913” bit…could it be a reference to the Boxer Rebellion at the end of the Qing dynasty,1899-1901, and then the formation of the Republic of China between 1912-13? Interesting to note than Sun Yet-sen, pictured in the statue that WhiteRabbit dug up from St. Mary’s Park, is also known as the “father of the nation”. I also learned that he traveled back and forth between China and San Francisco somewhat regularly.
It was a little challenging for me to search for images online since I don’t know the area, but maybe a sharper set of eyes can find some sort of plaque or historical marker around here which reads “May 1913.”

Hello, My name is Dominick and I am new to the search. I have been working on my solution for about 2 months. I am using Image 1 with verse 7 in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. I think this verse fits best except for the first 2 line.
At stone wall’s door
The air smells sweet
Many hunter believe that “stone wall’s door” is the bust of William Shakespeare in Shakespeare’s Garden. I think this is wrong. First, there are 2 doors not 1 “door”. Second, that is a shelf not an opening. Last, that is a brick wall not a stone wall.

noones gonna disagree with you there dominick.

Dominick

Hello, My name is Dominick and I am new to the search. I have been working on my solution for about 2 months. I am using Image 1 with verse 7 in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. I think this verse fits best except for the first 2 line.
At stone wall’s door
The air smells sweet
Many hunter believe that “stone wall’s door” is the bust of William Shakespeare in Shakespeare’s Garden. I think this is wrong. First, there are 2 doors not 1 “door”. Second, that is a shelf not an opening. Last, that is a brick wall not a stone wall.

welcome to the forum Dom,
following what Josh said above, nobody will agree with you either.

really think about this one…
http://www.hamiltonstoneworks.com/rhodo … arden.html

Rosebud

erexere

Rosebud

you need to enable javascript.

So which stone are we digging at?!
https://tinyurl.com/y3n8clpt

MERLIN

you need to enable javascript.

You’re right. Now I see. Cool looking structure. I thought you were going for some kind of Citizen Kane link.
I’ve been working on a link to the 1906 earthquake. I’ve misplaced my book, though.

I can tell you that the ground in that immediate area is extremely dry, hard dirt that would crumble to dust if you tried to dig into it. Farther up the hill you’re looking at dunes. It’s only up in the woods, towards Sutro Heights, that you could reasonably bury something.
In case you’re wondering, inside that tunnel, waves come in from the ocean and regularly flood the ground. The other end of the tunnel deposits you on a very steep and rocky cliff face, where it would be extremely irresponsible to send someone hunting for treasure. Think helicopter rescue on the 11 o’clock news.
That said, I would really love for Sutro Baths to be the location of the casque; my wife and I were married on the flat area up above your rock formations just two years ago!

I
can tell you that the ground in that immediate area is extremely dry, hard dirt that would crumble to dust if you tried to dig into it. Farther up the hill you’re looking at dunes. It’s only up in the woods, towards Sutro Heights, that you could reasonably bury something.
In case you’re wondering, inside that tunnel, waves come in from the ocean and regularly flood the ground. The other end
of
the tunnel deposits you on a very steep and rocky cliff face, where it would be extremely irresponsible to send someone hunting for treasure. Think helicopter rescue on the 11 o’clock news.
That said,
I
would really love for Sutro Baths to be the location
of
the casque; my wife and
I
were married on the flat area up above your rock formations just two years ago!

Ok, I’ll admit I became obsessed with this and read every single page in one day. I just have a few thoughts.
1. I think the key is to find that window, an exact match however, and one that may no longer exist (I don’t remember seeing the pedestrian door). When you reverse engineer the grant park find, the fence post is blatantly obvious and a nearly exact match. Cleveland is a little more subtle but the architecture where the casque was buried was fairly exact.
2. I think there’s no reason to not say this isn’t San Francisco. The curve below her hands is pretty close to being California, and I agree that her dress resembles coit tower.
3. I think the “lamp post” may be a pedestal. If you look at the negative space around it, and imagine them to be corners, it looks a lot like the trim to a statue’s base (If it were square). My other theory is more literal and that its a specific drinking fountain, due to the little bell thing on top of the clock.
4. I think the location has something to do with the painting’s asian imagery. There’s no reason to suspect that the greek influence in the cleveland one and the fact that it was found in a greek garden is just a coincidence. (What Ireland has to do with gray park….I don’t know.)
5. Has anyone started at city hall and tried to make the verses fit? Her head is a perfect dome shape and she’s quite highlighted. It’s also not too far from the Mark Twain hotel, if we interpret that verse literally. (Also literal would be if there was a statue of Mark Twain somewhere looking in some direction)
That’s all I got. Happy hunting!
6. Maybe the “X” means its the tenth verse.

just art

That’s really good input Malty. People should take it into consideration and not make any hasty conclusions without facts. I’ve seen some of your comparative analysis with the other images and I would tend to side with your assessments.

maltedfalcon

in a 1980 tourist map of golden gate park when superimposed on the dress ,the G h line up with Great Highway-
the G in Great was upper case and the h in highway was lower case.
unfortunately I haven’t been able to find that map since the early 90s, (not that I am really trying, I’ve already seen it)
but most want to assume I am wrong, the map either doesn’t exist or it is not a match like I said.
and that it actually means Ghirrardelli
because the fonts seem to match
but if you actually compare the fonts the letters are actually quite dis-similar

Maltedfalcon, do you remember what the map looked liked? Was it a cartoonish map? I recently got a hold of a map of GGP, which was the distributed map of GGP at the time (tourist map) I spoke with the company that made the map and they where contracted to do the parks map (tourist) from 80-84. With the description you have mentioned it appears you saw a different map of the park? The map I have does show a Gh but not as the Great Hwy.

So why did the Gh get ruled out of GGP? No visual evidence? I can’t remember if someone had a connection to the park? Anyone?

it was 90% accurate and 10% cartoonish, and when superimposed on the dress (mirrored) the streets around the lower part of the dress matched perfectly,
the Great Highway was curved like the neckline of the dress, which is not accurate in real life at all.

in a 1980 tourist map of golden gate park when superimposed on the dress ,the G h line up with Great Highway-
the G in Great was upper case and the h in highway was lower case.
unfortunately I haven’t been able to find that map since the early 90s, (not that I am really trying, I’ve already seen it)
but most want to assume I am wrong, the map either doesn’t exist or it is not a match like I said.
and that it actually means Ghirrardelli
because the fonts seem to match
but if you actually compare the fonts the letters are actually quite dis-similar

maltedfalcon

it was 90% accurate and 10% cartoonish, and when superimposed on the dress (mirrored) the streets around the lower part of the dress matched perfectly,
the Great Highway was curved like the neckline of the dress, which is not accurate in real life at all.

Thanks for your input!

thats cause its a different clue…

Magesmiley

I was the one who originally suggested the arms. I’m not 100% sold on the arms, but I am sold on San Francisco (which makes California being in the picture kind of moot).
On another note, has anyone else tried out the street view feature over on google? Its only up for a few cities, but San Francisco is one of them. You can do a kind of walk-around of the city streets at ground level, with the ability to do a panoramic view just about anywhere on the streets. Very cool for looking around the city.
http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/index.html

A friend of mine was telling me about this today. I just did some looking and this could be a very useful tool for images.

Magesmiley

I
was the one who originally suggested the arms.
I
‘m not 100% sold on the arms, but
I
am sold on San Francisco (which makes California being in the picture kind
of
moot).
On another note, has anyone else tried out the street view feature over on google? Its only up for a few cities, but San Francisco is one
of
them. You can do a kind
of
walk-around
of
the city streets at ground level, with the ability to do a panoramic view just about anywhere on the streets. Very cool for looking around the city.
http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/index.html

A friend
of
mine was telling me about this today.
I
just did some looking and this could be a very useful tool for images.

Durian

NPS doc saying the smokestack was removed in ’76. Doesn’t mean Preiss might not have referenced it anyway (or that the doc is wrong or off by a bit)

I’ve seen photos of the Smokestack still standing in ’75 and ’77. If it was not there when Priess was he could have used some photos from his time before or It could simply be I need a different Giant Pole.
As for the Pine Cone post tops, I suppose that could be what is in the image. That’s an interesting find.
I’ll share another interesting find with you. I have not seen anyone bring this up. Take a look at what everyone refers to as the “strawberry” in the image. That’s not a strawberry, it shows the towers. Look just below her hands at what would be the top of the strawberry….blow it up nice and big. There are two points coming from left to right and two points going right to left. Each of these is the opening or “mouth” of the speaker towers. And as you look at the shape on the right you will notice what looks like a bird head (triangular shape) with a wide open mouth making noise. This is the East Speaker Tower in NMP.

Here’s some funny shit. Is that mural image from 1995?
http://www.cnn.com/US/OJ/suspect/high.s … chool.html

Where is the giant pole?

soronan the giant step is an excellant marker for the final resting place, the giant pole is at the top of the hill (the treasure pole)

maltedfalcon

but mostly I cant imagine BP breaking into the Tea Garden in the middle of the night
with the hope that the gardeners would not notice a freshly dug hole and not investigate it…
…So what is the terrain like one pace towad the bridge from the stone pagoda?

maltedfalcon

In another verse BP specifically says “get permission to dig out”
if that were the case here I would expect him to add that message to the verse with this one too.

I have wondered about this too. What if some gardener or park worker came across one of the dig spots the day after BP’s dig and then started investigating. The best answer I have come up with is BP avoided detection as much as possible by choosing less obvious spots when convenient. I think this concern for detection would have been top in BP’s mind.
The terrain from pagoda to bridge has grass and patchy grass with flagstones as stepping-stones for a path. In the Tea Garden case I think BP lifted and set aside one of the flagstones. He dug a hole where the stone was. After he filled the hole replaced the flagstone back on top in the same position it was found. This covered any evidence of digging, no grass was removed.
You definitely need permission to dig at the Tea Garden. But even at city parks we still need to get permission. For the verse that BP said “get permission to dig out”, there may be special circumstances. It all depends where BP decided to draw the “get permission” line.

maltedfalcon

but mostly
I
cant imagine BP breaking into the Tea Garden in the middle
of
the night
with the hope that the gardeners would not notice a freshly dug hole and not investigate it…
…So what is the terrain like one pace towad the bridge from the stone pagoda?

maltedfalcon

In another verse BP specifically says “get permission to dig out”
if that were the case here
I
would expect him to add that message to the verse with this one too.

I
have wondered about this too. What if some gardener or park worker came across one
of
the dig spots the day after BP’s dig and then started investigating. The best answer
I
have come up with is BP avoided detection as much as possible by choosing less obvious spots when convenient.
I
think this concern for detection would have been top in BP’s mind.
The terrain from pagoda to bridge has grass and patchy grass with flagstones as stepping-stones for a path. In the Tea Garden case
I
think BP lifted and set aside one
of
the flagstones. He dug a hole where the stone was. After he filled the hole replaced the flagstone back on top in the same position it was found. This covered any evidence
of
digging, no grass was removed.
You definitely need permission to dig at the Tea Garden. But even at city parks we still need to get permission. For the verse that BP said “get permission to dig out”, there may be special circumstances. It all depends where BP decided to draw the “get permission” line.

Trohn

Where is the giant pole?

in this scenario the pole is the finial on top of the stone pagoda at the top of the stairs.

yew that would be the correct pole

Here are some recent pictures of the path from the pagoda to the asphalt path to the drum bridge.

There is a large sized stone step at the bottom of the path. Could that stone step be the “Giant Step”?

Kind of stumped here. How does Twain’s attention ( the steamboat) fit in with the direction of the jewel being behind the bleachers ? When it says “in the jewels direction is an object of Twain’s attention “.

Let me refine your theory if I may . Just a different way I might read it if this was the spot.
1.at stone walls door the air smells sweet = I’m thinking he is standing on beach street at the main entrance of Ghirardelli square
2.not far away high posts are 3 education and justice for all to see = so he is still standing there in the same spot and looking at Alcatraz and the other island
3.Sounds from the sky near ace is high = He’s still standing there and looking about and listening . Sounds could be the street cars or the speaker towers and again ace is high pick a street could be Polk for # 11 Ace is high.
4.running north but 1st across in jewels direction is an object of Twain’s attention = so you go north the jog to the right a bit you get to the speaker tower or when he says go across it could just be cross the street. Now if you stood at my stone walls door location and drew a line to the steamship location then the speaker tower would fall close to that line in the jewels direction.
5.giant pole giant step= speaker tower( maybe between the tower and the sequoia)
Just a thought on interpretation. Still gets you to NMP but a different dig location
So how do the crossed hands fit in to the location and the berry/ pinecone ?

I’ve thought for a very long time that the casque was in front of theGoddess of the Forest Totem Pole.
wilhouse

I
‘ve thought for a very long time that the casque was in front
of
theGoddess
of
the Forest Totem Pole.
wilhouse

Giant Step, referring to the moon, one small step for man, one giant step for mankind.  PERFECT.
Good one Fox!!!!!!!!!!!

MrBackstop

I see the symbols like this:
Yin Yang – San Francisco Pumping station #2 at the Aquatic Pier
Upside down VI – the six on the Ghirardelli Clock
First letter “A” – BUENA VISTA CAFE sign on the restaurants glass
Second letter “A” – Argonaut Hotel
X – in the logo of the South End Rowing Club at on Jefferson across the street….here’s whats on their building
http://www.hmdb.org/Photos2/227/Photo227041.jpg
3 circles in a triangular shape – No Idea
Up and Down Triangles – Shapes of the spaces underneath the supports of the Golden Gate Bridge
http://www.hmdb.org/Photos2/227/Photo227041.jpg
The upside down looking V in a square – that simply looks like the shape of a mast on a ship but the square is confusing…..too much of a stretch for me.
The symbol at the bottom right – could be a set of windows on a number of buildings around NMP
Two half circles at bottom – I have blown this up over and over and all I can see is two heads facing each other. I’d like to say it is the turn table but it looks more like a graphic representation of two heads facing each other. Perhaps referencing the two Speaker Towers….? What also interests me is that below the center of those two heads is a tiny black circle in the gold trim and from what I’ve seen that is not a printing mistake. I’m just curious if anyone else has noticed it?

Or, maybe the two half circles at bottom, when joined together, make a whole — as in hole — as in place to dig.

MrBackstop

I see the symbols like this:
Yin Yang – San Francisco Pumping station #2 at the Aquatic Pier
Upside down VI – the six on the Ghirardelli Clock
First letter “A” – BUENA VISTA CAFE sign on the restaurants glass
Second letter “A” – Argonaut Hotel
X – in the logo of the South End Rowing Club at on Jefferson across the street….here’s whats on their building
http://www.hmdb.org/Photos2/227/Photo227041.jpg
3 circles in a triangular shape – No Idea
Up and Down Triangles – Shapes of the spaces underneath the supports of the Golden Gate Bridge
http://www.hmdb.org/Photos2/227/Photo227041.jpg
The upside down looking V in a square – that simply looks like the shape of a mast on a ship but the square is confusing…..too much of a stretch for me.
The symbol at the bottom right – could be a set of windows on a number of buildings around NMP
Two half circles at bottom – I have blown this up over and over and all I can see is two heads facing each other. I’d like to say it is the turn table but it looks more like a graphic representation of two heads facing each other. Perhaps referencing the two Speaker Towers….? What also interests me is that below the center of those two heads is a tiny black circle in the gold trim and from what I’ve seen that is not a printing mistake. I’m just curious if anyone else has noticed it?

While I’m at it…
The Yin Yang symbol is upside down. The white half is always on top. This suggests the image is meant to be flipped top to bottom. If you use the Yin Yang symbol as the pivot point and overlay a copy, something wonderful happens — a word that you need to find the casque gets spelled out.

Durian

Can you clarify what you are saying here? What is being disguised? All four symbols absolutely exist as USGS symbols. Sorry that I did not spell out “dots” with the triangle, if that has thrown you off.

Sure the symbol for tank is circle, but it is a solid circle or one with hatched lines.
the symbol for homestead is a square but it is a tiny square, the more common symbol is a dashed line with a dot around the homestead area.
specifically what I am saying is the triangle with a dot in the center and the square with the dot in the center and the circle with a dot in the center are not USGS symbols.
they could be modified (disguised) symbols, but again I question why he would bother to disguise them when he already hid them along the dress as decorations.
by that logic every square on the sleeves represents a homestead or each line around the border of the dress, is an obvious USGS symbol.
your opinion may vary but I do not see them clearly as USGS symbols, and although it has been brought up in the past, I don’t think the general consensus thinks so either.

I just looked at the PDF…and, I don’t see it either.
So, stop being a sarcastic prick and just agree to disagree….

misinstl, I like your thinking….welcome aboard.

MrBackstop

misinstl, I like your thinking….welcome aboard.

Thanks. I’m trying to post an image showing what I described, but I don’t have permissions yet to upload attachments. I requested permission from the Administrator. Maybe tomorrow I’ll be able to post it.
I asked myself a simple question. Once I’ve identified the Giant pole, what do I need to identify the dig location? You need a direction and distance along with the unit of measurement (steps, feet, yards, etc.). The overlay provides the unit of measurement in a really cool way.

Durian

Spiritr, you’ve id’d some interesting shapes at the zoo to play with for sure. I’ve never considered it, but I’ll take a look at one point. Right now, AP is giving me more than enough to handle, and making my head hurt, lol. One interesting thing about the zoo: I bet they’ve got a
real
dragon caged up somewhere, though it probably lacks wings.

Of course it is a possibility, but remember not one of the pictures you posted shows the zoo the way it was in 1981
and umm that cable car/train, wasn’t that in golden gate park?

You were right, they were once in sutro and moved to the zoo on Aug 19, 1957 as features in the Children playground.

come on bro, I’m sure you can figure something out , maybe it’s not Wings, it’s fins!

Durian

Mr. Backstop (and anyone else), now that the bleacher wall is out, what do you think of this:
This is the plaque commemorating the first outside exploration of SF Bay. It’s a giant step from the speaker. Seen from the speaker it does appear to have the basic outline of the formation in the image, which I should note looks very different from the rest of the “rocks.” Maybe because we’re supposed to give it special attention? From an almost straight down perspective, the plaque looks like this:
Not sure how much of a cleft it really has (if any), or if it’s just an optical illusion from the play of rock coloration, texture and the plaque. I’ve really got to get on site and poke around!
BTW, Mr. Backstop, I don’t remember if I mentioned this regarding your solve, but I believe Pier 43 was an entry point to the mainland for immigrants from Angel Island…

That is a good eye on your part. I haven’t really noticed anyone bringing up the San Carlos plaque. When I saw it I thought it would be a good fit for a Giant step but the realized it didn’t fall within my “x marks the spot” area. But it could certainly be around that stone.
I also considered the side of the tower as a dig spot and here’s why. The Speaker Tower itself is a Giant pole AND a Giant step. The ladder to get to the top of the tower is your Giant step. There is about 2-3 feet of dirt depth around the base but what concerns me is any electrical lines. Would BP have buried it next to the Tower? Perhaps he knew where electric lines were buried before digging.
But like I mentioned in my dig spot, I have a pretty small area for “x marks the spot”. One of the visual clues in the image I like is the pearl sitting on our Russian woman’s neck. If her nicely shaped oval head indicates the Maritime Museum, then the pearl on her neck would line up very nicely to that “neck” of landscaping to the South of the East Speaker Tower.
Pier 43 was definitely an important door. The smell of sweet freedom for immigrants coming to our country huh?

MrBackstop

One of the visual clues in the image I like is the pearl sitting on our Russian woman’s neck. If her nicely shaped oval head indicates the Maritime Museum, then the pearl on her neck would line up very nicely to that “neck” of landscaping to the South of the East Speaker Tower.

That would be a great clue in a different treasure hunt, but so far none of the placements of the gems in the images, has any connection to the location of the casque.
at least in this treasure hunt.
The same is true for using the clock hands as a bearing or direction.
The nearest thing to an exception for that is NY using the time as a function of steps.
It is very easy to pick and choose clues that seem to line up, it is much more difficult when you try to make those clues work like they do in the found casque solves.

Durian

Could be? I’d like it better if it had a view of Alcatraz and you took a cable car to reach it.

Sorry Durian it’s in GGP. You do take a cable car to the park, well half way anyways in my theory.

Hi All. Just a quick question. Any past discussion as to the meaning of the symbols encompassing the border? Nothing really inciteful on the wiki other than the obvious mention of the Ying-yang symbol.

davinci4

Hi All. Just a quick question. Any past discussion as to the meaning of the symbols encompassing the border? Nothing really inciteful on the wiki other than the obvious mention of the Ying-yang symbol.

I believe them to be a map, visual symbols that you see as you work your way to the start of the verse.

davinci4

Hi All. Just a quick question. Any past discussion as to the meaning of the symbols encompassing the border? Nothing really inciteful on the wiki other than the obvious mention of the Ying-yang symbol.

people have tried to individually identify each symbol
and at various places tried to find the symbol at the location.
This brings up the question, is absolutely everything in the image a clue?

how do i delete an account
I think this is a better match has the same pattern layered rock.

Anything significant correlation on the ground in SF? I had heard something briefly mentioned in the podcast about Portsmouth Square??? The only reason I bring them up is that they are very detailed and ‘seem’ very intentional. After reading discussions about imagery of American presidents, cable cars etc. just surprised these symbols haven’t had more attention. You are correct, though, they could be nothing.

davinci4

Anything significant correlation on the ground in SF? I had heard something briefly mentioned in the podcast about Portsmouth Square??? The only reason I bring them up is that they are very detailed and ‘seem’ very intentional. After reading discussions about imagery of American presidents, cable cars etc. just surprised these symbols haven’t had more attention. You are correct, though, they could be nothing.

The three that I found in portsmouth square (or near it) were the 3balls(triangle) on a jewelry store sign accross the street, the yin/yan symbols on jewelry in the window of the shop and the up/down buttons on the elevator in the square. but as I said on the podcast… pretty weak.

Durian

The two squares and the circle and triangle are USGS symbols. IMO clearly representing the three high posts on Alcatraz (water tower, powerplant smokestack, and lighthouse), and the peak of Mt. Livermore on
Angel
Island.

I am trying to verify this claim and I can’t find them in the list of USGS symbols. I must have a truncated list of symbols. Where did you find them and what do they represent on usgs maps?
and then how do those symbols “clearly represent” the items you list?
here’s links to the ones I found….
https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/TopographicMa … ymbols.pdf
https://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/images/U … ymbols.pdf

Durian

The two squares and the circle and triangle are USGS symbols. IMO clearly representing the three high posts on Alcatraz (water tower, powerplant smokestack, and lighthouse), and the peak of Mt. Livermore on Angel Island.

I am trying to verify this claim and I can’t find them in the list of USGS symbols. I must have a truncated list of symbols. Where did you find them and what do they represent on usgs maps?
and then how do those symbols “clearly represent” the items you list?
here’s links to the ones I found….
https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/TopographicMa … ymbols.pdf
https://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/images/U … ymbols.pdf