The Real Estate Theory That Would Change Everything On The Curse Of Oak Island

"The Curse of Oak Island" has aired for eight seasons in total on the History channel, and may soon receive a renewal for a ninth season. While much has changed in the world at large in the seven years since the series' 2014 premiere, the objective of "The Curse of Oak Island" hosts Rick and Marty Lagina has remained perpetually the same: uncover buried treasures long rumored to be hidden throughout Oak Island, a real-life island located near Nova Scotia in eastern Canada.

"The Curse of Oak Island" was added to Netflix in September of 2020, giving more people than ever access to the Lagina brothers' investigation of Oak Island's mysteries. While their team has grown significantly since Season 1 and even uncovered a variety of artifacts of varying historical relevance, fan opinions are divided as to whether or not the island is indeed home to some of the more fabled treasures it's rumored to contain — including the Holy Grail of biblical legend, for example (via History).

In fact, one fan believes that the Oak Island mystery is not rooted in truth so much as it was a rumor spread to increase the location's property value.

In a thread on the "Curse of Oak Island" subreddit, user u/ArcadianDelSol proposed that the accumulation of legends of priceless treasures beneath Oak Island "was a real estate scam from day one."

By their estimation, Oak Island was once merely a strategically located port, given that it's located on what amounts to the eastern tip of North America. It would thus be an ideal first stop for ships completing a transatlantic journey. They argue, then, that elements of Oak Island investigated by the Lagina brothers, like the island's famed "money pit," itself a source of multiple rumors, were simply in service of this ship repair business.

The legends that have lasted into the present day, meanwhile, were theoretically spread to promote Oak Island as a sight of historical interest. "Think about it: what tangible, actual proof do we have today that any of the money pit stories are true?" u/ArcadianDelSol wrote. "We just have searchers after searchers thinking it was, and then a series of tour companies using those legends to drive tourism/rentals. Look who is there now: Oak Island TOURS."

Of course, should this be true, "The Curse of Oak Island" could still prove to be worthwhile entertainment. While considerably less exciting than a Holy Grail, debunking Oak Island's mysteries for good might just end up becoming the treasure the Lagina brothers have been searching for all along.