I grew up near the Richelieu River on the south shore of the island of Montreal; a tributary to the St. Lawrence Seaway. Many years ago, I recall sitting on the banks of the Richelieu with a friend and his dad, Eddie Murphy (no kidding – and I had to throw that in). Mr. Murphy said something like, “Can you imagine the treasures we’d find and the history we’d learn if we could somehow drain this river?”
Mr. Murphy’s question stayed with me, and to this day, I have never looked at a body of water quite the same way.
The same can be said about the ground we live on. What treasures, mysteries and secrets have been lost to time? Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever found anything more exciting than one of my older brothers’ Hot Wheels where the backyard sandbox used to be but discoveries happen all the time and they can generate some real head-scratching curiosity!
Recently, a Michigan man discovered a bowling ball graveyard behind his home. After he finished unearthing all of them, the tally was 158 bowling balls!
Earlier this month, an Ottawa family unearthed a 19th-century sword when contractors were digging for a new patio. And closer to home, a mysterious tunnel was discovered in August 2020 in Stony Plain. Upon further investigation, the tunnel appears to have been constructed in relation to a bank robbery many years ago.
Perhaps the biggest ongoing "discovery" currently unfolding on Canadian soil is the operation taking place on Oak Island in Nova Scotia. The Lagina brothers have been conducting a massive project on the island for several years now and potentially re-writing history with their discoveries. My wife and I are hooked to the slow-moving series that usually provides just enough nuggets to hold our interest.
- Mike Sullivan