If you dig deep into the history of Wabasis Lake Park, you’ll find a tale of treachery and buried treasure. If you bring a shovel to its grounds, you may find the rumored gold.
The towering trees in this pristine portion of Oakfield Township whisper of a $50,000 dollar fortune hidden beneath their roots, stashed away by a Native American man who took for himself what was meant to be shared with his tribe, a selfish act which he later paid for with his life.
Those who balance their childlike wonder with a dose of realism, though, know the legend of Chief John Wabasis and his buried treasure has perhaps grown like a great fish story and turned nearly entirely fictional. While there are kernels of truth to this tale and its various versions, there is likely not a field of gold waiting to be discovered only a short distance from the banks of Kent County’s largest lake.
“If you see it, you can believe,” said Ron Yob, chairman of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians. “You’ve got to believe your own eyes before a thousand tongues.”…