Rick Lagina Leads War Room Breakthrough with Treasure Map Clues (Season 12, Episode 12)

In The Curse of Oak Island Season 12, Episode 12, titled “Mapping It Out,” the focus turns from excavation to strategic historical research as Rick Lagina assembles his team in the War Room to evaluate an intriguing new lead: a series of archival maps and notations that may point toward multiple hidden treasure sites.

Prompted by the recent discovery of a vault-like structure in the swamp, Rick calls upon researchers Doug Crowell, Judy Rudebush, and historian Terry Deveau to examine 1930s-era documents held at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. Their goal: to validate theories proposed by the late Fred Nolan, including the possibility of multiple treasure caches buried across the island.

The research highlights the work of William B. Goodwin, a historian who collected materials related to Frederick Blair—one of the earliest chroniclers of the Chapel Vault in 1897. Among Goodwin’s archived papers, the team discovers what he referred to as the Blair treasure map—a diagram believed to mark three stones associated with potential treasure burial locations.

Armed with this map, Gary Drayton, Marty Lagina, and the team head to Lot 1 to investigate its validity. To their astonishment, they locate a flat boulder with a carved “X,” exactly as indicated on the map. As they continue the search, they identify a second stone with an X and square markings, and then a kidney-shaped rock located precisely 91 feet inland, matching the map’s coordinates. These discoveries affirm the map’s accuracy and suggest it could be a reliable guide.

The investigation culminates in the discovery of a fourth landmark: a large cleaved stone appearing to have been split by lightning. Underneath it, Gary’s metal detector rings out—revealing a forged iron spike possibly dating to the 1700s. The team speculates that the artifact may be linked to tunneling or treasure placement, especially given its proximity to prior finds like swages.

For Rick Lagina and the team, this episode transforms the idea of “treasure maps” from legend to a tangible lead. The presence of carved stones and historically accurate measurements suggests that these were not random markers, but deliberate navigational tools—possibly pointing the way to significant discoveries yet to come.

Cast Featured: Rick Lagina, Marty Lagina, Doug Crowell, Judy Rudebush, Terry Deveau, Gary Drayton, Billy Gerhardt