Hollywood near Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Cahuenga Pass Treasure
At The Hollywood Bowl
Photographed By Craig Baker, September 30, 2018
1. Cahuenga Pass Treasure Marker
Treasure hunters believe there is 20th-century loot hidden at the Bowl. Many have searched, but the treasure is still a mystery.
The legend of the Cahuenga Pass treasure begins in 1864 when, under Napoleon's rule, France invaded Mexico and proclaimed Archduke Maximillian of Austria the emperor of Mexico. The country's president, Benito Juarez, resisted the European invasion. Juarez enlisted four agents to raise funds and purchase guns to aid Mexico’s defense.
The agents collected more than $200,000 in diamonds, gold, pearls, and silver. Seeking to hide their fortune, they wrapped it in buckskin and buried it in the hills of San Mateo.
A shepherd named Diego Moreno caught sight of the agents, dug up the treasure and fled to Los Angeles. While resting along the Cahuenga Pass, Moreno dreamt he would die if he entered Los Angeles with the stolen treasure. He then buried the treasure under a nearby ash tree. In 1885, it was said that a package of coins and jewels was discovered under a Cahuenga Pass tree by a dog.
Los Angeles County issued a permit to dig behind the Hollywood Bowl shell in 1939. After 24 days, the treasure seekers ended their excavation empty handed. Although many searched for the treasure, nothing has ever been found.
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Location. 34° 6.726′ N, 118° 20.318′ W. Marker is near Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Hollywood. Marker can be reached from Highland Avenue south of U.S. 101, on the right when traveling south. Located at the Hollywood Bowl, east of the seating area. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2301 N Highland Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90068, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Honorable Edmund D. Edelman (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); B.A.G. Fuller Residence (approx. 0.2 miles away); Highland Camrose Bungalow Village (approx. ¼ mile away); Lasky-DeMille Barn (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Lasky-DeMille Barn (approx. ¼ mile away); Hollywood’s First Major Film Company Studio (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Hollywood Cross (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Lasky-DeMille Barn (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.
Regarding Cahuenga Pass Treasure. According to legend, after burying the treasure, Diego Moreno
Photographed By Craig Baker, September 30, 2018
2. Cahuenga Pass Treasure Marker
In 1885, a Basque shepherd who regularly grazed his flock in the area unearthed a tattered parcel of coins and jewels after his dog found it under a tree. Unaware that five similar packages were buried nearby, he showed his find at a local tavern before returning to his home in Spain.
Photographed By Craig Baker, September 30, 2018
3. Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Sign can be seen in the distance. On the 100th anniversary of the Hollywood Bowl, opened 9/30/1918.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 10, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 1,354 times since then and 104 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 10, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
