32 The Locations of Joseph Smith’s Early Treasure Quests

Today I am sharing an essay by Dan Vogel titled: "The Locations of Joseph Smith's Early Treasure Quests" published in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol 27 No. 3 (1994): 197–231. Dialogue has given me permission to share this essay and if you'd like to see the written version, please visit their website: dialoguejournal.com  Despite popular belief among the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith was not simply a hired hand to help dig holes to search for lost mines. Joseph played the role of Seer in these digs, in which he looked into his white hat at a stone that supposedly showed him the locations of buried treasure. According to Dan Vogel, Joseph was involved in at least eighteen treasure digs. According to researcher and artist, Mark Elwood, Joseph Smith could have been involved in as many as forty treasure digs. To learn more from Mark Elwood, please visit his website theglasslooker.com.  In my opinion, Joseph Smith's treasure quests are among the most fascinating of Mormon History and the most underappreciated. I hope you enjoy Dan Vogel's essay!