Parking lot probed for Juarez’s gold

Nov. 28, 1939: Treasure hunters dug deep into the Hollywood Bowl parking lot in search of a 74-year-old stash of gold, The Times reported.

The hole they made was “big enough to bury a prehistoric hairy mammoth,” the newspaper said. “By nightfall, they had delved some 12 feet toward the supposed lost wealth of Juarez -- $200,000 in gold and jewels -- without uncovering as much as a plugged doubloon.”

Henry Jones, a Seattle mining engineer, was behind the dig. He was following an old tale involving Mexican President Benito Juarez dating back to 1865, The Times said:

“In that year, Diego Moreno, a shepherd, allegedly buried the treasure which he had filched from a convoy assigned to take it from Mexico to San Francisco to purchase guns for Juarez’s revolt against Emperor Maximilian.

“Some strange fascination surrounds probing for hidden wealth,” The Times noted.