Jovan Hutton Pulitzer is an Author of over 200 individual history, and treasure legend books is a well-known media personality who has appeared on Fox TV, ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS History Channel and other networks.

1. The Treasure That Was Found on Oak Island
For 219 Years many have searched and very little, if any, has ever really
been found, until now. But to tell this story correctly one needs some
background information.
Hunting for lost treasure seems to be in our DNA and here is how you
call tell it is part of our very own genetic makeup.
Regardless of where we each grew up we “played” as children searching for
lost treasure. We could hail from NYC, the Texas Panhandle, a farm in
Missouri, or any country; we all as kids played hunting for treasure.
As an adult, with childhood games and dreams set aside, we still have
treasure lurking in the deep dark
recesses of our minds (and I can prove
it). Think about this. Almost every
week we can see someone stranded on
the road, or with the hood on their car
up, or maybe changing a tire on the
side of the road and car after car will
pass and never stop to help. BUT, let
the following scenario occur:

2. You are driving down the highway and out of the corner of your eye
you spy a briefcase on the side of a road. Just off in a ditch may be
your first thought IS NOT “Oh someone lost their briefcase” it is “I
wonder if it is loaded with money?” and if you don’t slam on your
brakes, you turn around as soon as you can and head back to
investigate.
That very scenario is how I have come to believe the quest for hidden
treasures is in our DNA. We may have never read a treasure story as a child,
nor hunted for or found a real treasure, but we have all experienced the
above.
DNA, 2,857,698,560 sequenced based pairs and infinite combinations and it
seems hunting for treasure and seeking the lost, is within and desired by
each and everyone one of us. Maybe, just maybe, it is how God made us
hard-wired to continually search out the Who, What, When, Where, Why
and How?
Maybe we are inherently wired to just know “history has been recorded
wrong” by the Political Parties, Ruling Classes, the Elite and the Church and
the only way a great creator could assure that one day the real truth would
emerge was to seed into our very formula, our hidden owner’s manual, if
you will; the desire for search and the thrill of the chase? Who knows, I do
not? But this idea does seem logical to me.
Now back to Oak Island and this ongoing 219-year-old mystery.
We all know the original story, and if you don’t, just watch two episodes and
it is burned into your brain – repeatedly (lol, just an inside joke), but what
some people do not know is just how long it took this story, this legend, this
magical story to grip the world and morph into a movement.
In a post on Facebook, I posted there were over 2700 individual published
books, which either tell, re-tell, theorize or mention the Oak Island Treasure
and in the years between 1800 and 2000, there were (in the United States
alone) more than 44 MILLION WORDS written about the Oak Island
Treasure.
Let me give you something to measure context here:
· The Bible has 807,361 words

3. · That means JUST IN USA NEWSPAPERS for the years mentioned above,
IF you were to publish those words in tiny print and on thin sheeted paper all
into one book, the story would be contained in a book 55.5 TIMES A
THICK AS THE KING JAMES BIBLE!
· NOTE: this does not even include magazines nor any other countries
printed words except for the USA. (Imagine the volumes such would take)
A book 55.5 times as thick as a Bible! Now that is a legacy.
What you might not also know is Canada, for 217 years of the 219 years of
searching has downplayed, joked about or ridiculed all those involved in the
search for the treasure of Oak Island. Yes, there have been supporters for
certain areas, groups or factions, i.e., hard-core treasure hunters – but the
support has been few and far between.
These points bring me to Dan Blankenship.
50 Years ago THIS MONTH (funny how this falls on the 50th Anniversary
date of the story that changed people’s lives) Dan Blankenship read that well
know a fateful article in the Reader’s Digest. The story of Oak Island was
enough to inspire and encourage an America living in Florida, to leave
friends and family behind and move lock-stock-and barrel to Nova Scotia,
Canada. It was then that Dan became just “another one of those Oak Island
treasure hunters”.

4. Dan became part of the story and fabric of Oak Island, but in the process, he
also became the butt of hate, ridicule, and mockery. It is bad enough to be,
much less announce to the world, “I am a treasure hunter”, but to have the
world look at you as a joke, or one wasting their life or the lives and
resources of their family is brutal. Forget the back-breaking labor, think of
all the hateful words written.
The term “money pit” dubbed on Oak Island became lodged in the modern
vernacular as the term used for “the bottomless hole of squandered debt and
futile efforts”
The Urban Dictionary defines the term “money pit” as the following:
Something of value, which, for some reason or another, has continued to
absorb a considerable amount of payments due to its continuing failure to
live up to expectations.
That idiomatic expression became solidified in the minds of the world as a
direct result of the efforts conducted on Oak Island and as such the idiom
has been the bane of Dan Blankenship’s existence and retelling of his life’s
work.
Time always has a way of coming full circle and in time those with a passion
and are driven to both dream and execute on those dreams end up proving all
the doubters wrong and history will go through an adjustment period and all
those that hated and ridiculed will start to act as if they supported the “nut
case” from the beginning and were always backing them and “knew they
could do it!” that is just part and parcel of the road traveled by those who
choose to take the road less traveled. Yes, there still will be naysayers and I
still maintain, “The vultures are circling”. With the huge success of The
Curse of Oak Island series, and the millions of fans engaged, you can bet
some opportunist newspapers, magazines and such will try to capitalize on
such attention by trying to discredit the series, the participants, the island,
the potential of recovery of something; you can bet stories will be coming
out soon to attempt to hijack the attention. This always happens when
groundbreaking things are afoot and especially when history is on the
precipice of monumental change. I would be the first negative shots are fired
by the very place the story began- Nova Scotia (just sit back and watch).
As for me, it is my desire to start correcting history and part of that is to
share with the world what the lives of these “nut jobs and cranks and hoax

5. masters and stock scammers” (and those are the more polite words that have
been used about all Oak Island Treasure Hunters, but especially Dan
Blankenship, since he has been at it the longest).
Here is the true story of Dan Blankenship and what he is to the world and
history.
In a world where we have lost touch with supporting those with dreams and
have moved from “innovation to entitlement”, we have forgotten what it
means to take risks and that with taking risks comes to the saying; “the
greater the risk the greater the reward!”
Decades ago we started the move from “dream and work hard son and make
a difference” to “everyone gets a trophy for just breathing and showing up”.
We have watched in the 50 years Dan has dedicated his life to a dream, to
being told don’t dream because just because you exist and take up space, we
all owe you.
We have been taught not to “make our way” but to “take our fair share” and
while all this undermining of the true American Dream (no offense to my
international friends and readers, just using a known saying – lol – see even I
worry at times about offending), Dan became the living epitome of “living
the dream”. Here is what the story is:
Dan left the comfort and security of his permanent residence, a circle of
friends and family to pursue a dream, which stirred in the deepest part of his
soul. Not many in today’s world would take such a step.
Dan left a career and you could say, a guaranteed regular paycheck, to swap
it for a dream, which more likely than not, would be met with NO paycheck
and certainly no guaranteed security. How many in today’s world would
leave a guaranteed paycheck, to pursue a dream with no guarantee of a
paycheck, which everyone thought to be a myth? Not many I think.
Dan swapped a successful career for something there was no real training
course for and was an occupation-based only on backbreaking work and
trusting your gut instincts; two things, which are no longer valued in this
upside-down world we live in.

6. Dan swapped the comforts of his wife and children (more unsung heroes in
this story) and made them feel the pressure and discomfort in numerous
ways that no spouse and/or parent would want a family to experience, but
that is what it took to pursue the dream.
How many people today would take such steps? Not many, but mark my
words, just like those who say, “I am a descendant of Ben Franklin” or even
“Or as a Bell, Alexander Graham Bell is my ancestor” – all the
Blankenship’s going forward will be proud to say “I am a Blankenship, an
ancestor or relative of Dan Blankenship” and people will know they mean
and are referring to Dan Blankenship of Oak Island Fame and Lore.
Dan swapped a normal life for a life where whenever you read about Oak
Island and its legendary treasure, you were more than likely to read “Dan is
chasing a pipe dream” and many other hurtful words. How many people who
knowingly enter a career knowing they would become the butt of jokes and
hate? Not many.
As a writer, one could go on and on and talk about what Dan gave up to
pursue this dream of dreams which had the odds stacked against him (169
years of pre-existing baggage and ridicule), but there is a greater lesson to be
learned here.
As I have traveled the United States these last few days there has not been an
airport, coffee shop, gas station or grocery store where that has not been
several people who have stopped me and say, “Hey you’re on Oak Island!”
Even entering one line heading through airport security, where I dress weird
enough, to begin with, I noticed several TSA Officers gathering, looking at
me and even pulling their drug-sniffing dog over to where I would pass
through the line.
Naturally, I have learned when I pass through airports with my HOLDSTER
not HOLSTER under my arms, which holds my cameras, recorders and
small scientific equipment; I am going to have to address “what is that rig
under your arms?” So I prepped myself for the usual answers and my ever-
standing joke “my ass just does not look good in a fanny pack, so I wear my
fanny pack under my arms”.
So here I come getting ready to either be shifted to another line or having to
pull out my current State Department ID and explain who I am and why I

7. look the way I do. As I drew closer their faces seemed just a little too stern
for me, but as I got mere inches away, the lead Officers' face broke into a
huge smile and he said: “I love you on Oak Island!” Come to find out –
THEY ALL – were huge fans of Oak Island and it was regularly the topic as
they did their thankless job checking passengers by the tens of thousands
each day.
In all the fans I met while on the road and the countless photos and selfies
we took together so they could show their friends and brag to their friends
they watched the show with, there was ONE RESOUNDING COMMON
MESSAGE.
We as a family or group of friends gather and watch Curse of Oak Island.
This occurs for three reasons:
1 Great Story
2 Great People
3 And the most fantastic executive producer/writer to ever-put
together engaging and authentic television programming – Kevin
Burns.
Now for the real lessons learned:
COMING TOGETHER
Dan Blankenship is not willing to give up led this dream to morph into this
incredible television series. This incredible television series has families
gathering together and friends gathering together to discuss a great story, a
passionate legend and to join in something great, clean, upstanding family
entertainment which is not centered on goof-balls, antics, made-up drama,
missing teeth, foul language, and general TV buffoonery. We have learned
to come together again in homes and share and engage and rendezvous over
something special about a regularly scheduled TV event.
DREAMING BIG
Millions of people, thanks to the stick-to-it nature of Dan following his
dream, how now witnessed it is okay to dream and is okay to dare to dream
big! Not too many shows out there now which support dreaming YOUR
DREAM. They all seem to promote dream about being someone else, or
having what someone else has, versus “make your dreams come true”.

8. CAMARADERIE
Dan not giving up has shown the world it does take a team, all with different
expertise to be willing to work together to get to the end game. In a world
which features bitchy housewives, backstabbing each other to get more
attention or contest shows which teach a message of “get people to like you,
and then use those people to get the one you don’t like voted off the island
and when you are one of the last few, then ditch all those other bastards at all
costs, because it’s about you baby!”
As Marty coined “The Fellowship of the Dig” is a real phenomenon and that
feeling has extended into TV households around the globe where people
gather with refreshments and snacks and gather in their form of fellowship
our team calls “Digging the Fellowship of the Dig!” Not many TV programs
these days stand for such a great, inspiring and wholesome message.
GET OUTSIDE AND EXPLORE
Dan and following along on TV have shown getting outdoors and exploring
can be both exciting and healthful. One could easily attribute the sharp mind,
wit, and body of Dan’s 93 years to all his physical activities on the Island.
One, when watching the Curse of Oak Island, can see the “hunt” has kept
him sharp. Dan remembers all the facts and is an incredible walking
encyclopedia of knowledge. This I attribute to his constant reading and
research in the pursuit of solving this Oak Island Mystery. How many things
on TV promote outdoor activities and mind engaging research? Not many –
if any.
RETIRE AND LIVE YOUR DREAMS
Dan is officially retired and one knows Rick is retired as well; yet here are
two men who exemplify that one can still pursue their dreams into
retirement. A segment of the population ignored and considered by most to
have served their purpose and should be on their porch and in a rocking
chair, now get to see men (with an average age in their sixties) chasing a
dream and living a full life. Now that story has become cool.
The TV always gravitates to the young and the twenty and thirty
something’s willing to play and act a fool on TV to get ratings. That is not
the case with The Curse of Oak Island. Mature men chasing a dream and the
unequivocal leader being 93 years young! Now that is a shining example and
how many TV shows reflect such today? Not many. My father is 83 years

9. young and leads our Base Camp Team on all our expeditions. There is
tremendous value in old age and earned wisdom.
NEVER GIVE UP AND WORK HARD
Unscripted TV shows and producers love to stage junk to add drama, not
Curse of Oak Island, but more important the show is all about “Hard work
and NEVER GIVE UP!” Now there is a grand message for all to see, hear
and learn. In a society that is getting further and further away from hard
work and with advertisements and glossy magazine ads selling “instant
gratification”, Curse of Oak Island is about “patience and determination”
and the value of such. Now, how many things today teach the lessons of
never give up, Work hard and persevere? Not many IF ANY!
These examples could just go on and on, but you surely see my point.
Treasure Legend aside, there are numerous benefits to society – specifically
TV viewers- are gaining from watching the Curse of Oak Island.
There are many unsung heroes of Oak Island; two, which should be
recognized, is Janie, Dan’s late wife and his son David that you see in the
series. Janie stood side by side with Dan and supported his dream and
although she has passed, one can only imagine she is watching over Dan and
Dave and seeing the difference in the world they are making and she is
proud and can surely feel “treasure or not, my guys are making a
difference”.
Dave, working arm and arm-hand in hand with his father, also had to endure
his share of ridicule and jokes, but he stood solid with Dan as well. Dave
deserves as much credit as Dan for giving his best years to this dream and
for working hard towards solving this amazing mystery.
For me, this year Season Two Finale – the most important payoff was the
shows vindication of both Dan and Dave which came from the irrefutable
scientific and visual proof of something monumental and game-changing
at the bottom of 10x. But even a more amazing point is DAN USED
ANCIENT DOWSING to find the spot for 10x and his instincts and gut
were correct.
There may not be a final, final answer our immediate gratification society
wanted for the season finale, but we all now know in our gut, Dan was right
all along. To see Dan’s reaction and to hear his words and to share that

10. moment with him there on the Island was one of the highlights of my life.
Yes, there will be many who still say and think nothing was found, but I was
there and tend to know more than most, and I still firmly believe Oak Island
is the “tipping point” in changing history as we have been sold”.
Now for the haters and those who have or still mock or ridicule Oak Island
and specifically Curse of Oak Island. Those people will always around and
they will never go away. Why will they not go away? It’s simple.
Even if you witnessed us bringing up something like the Ark of the
Covenant or the bones of Mary Magdalene LIVE ON TV, the haters will
still hate and you know why they will still hate and naysay?
DNA. Yep, DNA as I stated at the beginning of this article. A certain code in
DNA that allowed Dan to chase the dream and never give up and it is a
section of DNA that makes haters perpetually hate and naysayers always
naysay. It is just the way they are made. The most fantastic finds in history
will not change that. Watch how people comment in social forums and you
will gain great insight into their genetic makeup. It is very telling.
In closing, Dan has outlived all his original haters in the media who made
the term “money pit” take on a life of its own and have a negative
connotation. But Dan stayed the course and that is all that matters and is
what we should celebrate and honor.
As I sit here writing this article on Martin Luther King day 2015, I have
come to realize what I have known since I first read about Dan Blankenship,
got to confirm once I met him (along with the honor to work shoulder to
shoulder with him), Dan is a treasure himself.
Dan Blankenship and what he stands for is something to be aspired to by all.
He is a rare breed of man, which society is not making many more of
anymore. I for one VOTE for all of us to push for “Dan Blankenship Day”,
a national day of remembrance where we honor the dreamers, the ones who
made waves, bucked the system and proved thinking out of the box can be
meaningful to mankind.
Dan and Dave Blankenship are two of the amazing and irreplaceable
treasures found on Oak Island. Can I get an Amen?