Josh Gates heads to the Oregon coast to investigate whether his childhood favorite film, *The Goonies*, was inspired by actual buried treasure. For the movie's 40th anniversary, he explores Astoria's iconic filming locations—including the Goonies house and the Fratelli jail—before tracking down reports of a real Spanish galleon that wrecked near the coastline in 1694. According to local legend, shipwrecked pirates buried treasure in the same area where the film was shot, and researchers have recently identified timber fragments from a Spanish treasure ship at the site. Gates teams up with a local researcher who believes precious cargo like rubies, emeralds, and diamonds may still lie undiscovered, while a mysterious skeleton discovery points to a secluded beach rumored to hold pirate plunder.
The 1694 shipwreck represents a documented piece of Pacific Northwest maritime history, with Spanish galleons known to have sailed these treacherous waters during the colonial era. Physical evidence—timber fragments positively identified as belonging to a Spanish vessel from that period—confirms that at least one treasure ship met its end on Oregon's rocky shores. What makes this episode compelling is the convergence of Hollywood mythology and archaeological reality: the treasure hunt that inspired a generation of adventure-seekers turns out to have roots in genuine historical events. Gates discovers tangible pieces of the Spanish galleon, transforming a beloved childhood fantasy into an active archaeological investigation that bridges popular culture and legitimate historical research.
Beeswax Wreck Beach (Santo Cristo de Burgos wreck site)
United States · archaeological
Gates searches the beach near Neahkahnie Mountain with Matt McCauley and Craig Andes, finding fragments of Qing dynasty porcelain and an iron ship spike identified as relics from the lost Spanish Manila galleon Santo Cristo de Burgos, wrecked in 1694.
Cascade Head, Salmon River mouth
United States · historical
Gates joins researchers Doug Kenck-Crispin and JB Fisher to investigate a separate native oral tradition and 1931 newspaper account of two skeletons — one reportedly eight feet tall — found on a shell mound near the Salmon River, consistent with legends of pirates who buried treasure and were killed by local Native Americans.
Goonies House, Astoria
United States · historical
Gates visits the iconic private residence used as the Goonies house in the 1985 film, connecting the fictional treasure hunt to the real-life Oregon legend that inspired it.
Neahkahnie Mountain
United States · historical
Gates meets shipwreck researcher Matt McCauley at a cove near Neahkahnie Mountain to investigate the legend of Spanish pirates who allegedly buried treasure on the mountain after their galleon wrecked nearby in the late 1600s.
Oregon coast
United States · historical
Josh searches the Oregon coast for pirate treasure that inspired The Goonies movie, finding pieces of a Spanish galleon that wrecked in 1694.
Oregon Film Museum, Astoria
United States · cultural
Gates stops at the Oregon Film Museum, which is housed in the former Clatsop County Jail and contains Goonies memorabilia including props and costumes from the film.