The Elliott Museum is a cultural institution in Stuart, Florida, founded in 1961 and dedicated to celebrating the spirit of invention, art, and Florida history through what Gates describes on camera as an "eclectic" collection full of surprises around every corner. The museum's wide-ranging holdings include American automobiles, baseball memorabilia, and a sprawling array of Americana — and more recently, a dedicated exhibit on the Ashley Gang, a notorious band of Florida outlaws whose story the museum has worked to bring to wider public attention. Gates visits the museum in Season 10 of Expedition Unknown to begin tracing the legend of John Ashley, known in regional lore as the "King of the Everglades," before heading deeper into the Florida wilderness. On camera, Gates meets with museum CEO Rob Steele, who walks him through the new exhibit and provides essential historical context about the gang's origins. The museum is located in Stuart, Florida, on the Treasure Coast, a region already rich with historical intrigue and lore.
Elliott Museum founded in Stuart, Florida, with a mission to celebrate invention, art, and Florida history
The Ashley Gang, led by John Ashley, reportedly robbed more than 40 banks and operated across South Florida and the Everglades during this period, according to the museum exhibit
Gates visits the Elliott Museum during filming of Expedition Unknown S10E10 "Chasing Everglades Treasure" to examine the new Ashley Gang exhibit
At the Elliott Museum, Gates' primary on-camera guide is Rob Steele, identified as the museum's CEO, who makes a compelling case for the Ashley Gang's underappreciated place in American criminal folklore. Steele points out that while names like John Dillinger dominate popular memory, the Ashley Gang's documented record — believed to include more than 40 bank robberies — arguably surpasses Dillinger's tally of 24. "It's a story that is waiting to be told," Steele tells Gates. "That everyone should know about."
The Ashley Gang operated primarily in South Florida and the Everglades in the early twentieth century, a period when the region was still a remote frontier with limited law enforcement reach. According to the museum's account, John Ashley's troubles began in the Everglades, where he allegedly killed a Seminole man named DeSoto Tiger — reportedly his trapping partner — under disputed circumstances. The case drew the attention of Palm Beach law enforcement and set off a long, complicated pursuit that became, by Steele's account, a near-obsessive mission for the Baker family across two generations of sheriffs.
The historical record of the Ashley Gang is genuine, if unevenly documented, and the museum's exhibit represents a serious effort to preserve and contextualize primary artifacts from that era. The inclusion of items like original bank teller windows and personal effects attributed to gang members suggests a curatorial approach grounded in local archival research, though visitors should note that provenance claims for criminal-history artifacts of this era can be difficult to verify independently.
Gates' episode contributes a useful starting point for the broader "Chasing Everglades Treasure" investigation, using the museum visit to establish the historical and biographical context of John Ashley before venturing into the field. The episode does not appear to make definitive claims about recovered treasure or new discoveries at the museum itself — it positions the Elliott as the beginning of an inquiry, not the conclusion of one.
According to museum CEO Rob Steele, the Ashley Gang is believed to have robbed more than 40 banks — reportedly surpassing the 24 attributed to the more famous John Dillinger.
The Elliott Museum was founded in 1961 and covers an eclectic range of subjects including American automobiles, baseball memorabilia, invention, and Florida history — making the Ashley Gang exhibit one chapter in a much broader collection.
John Ashley was known in regional lore as the "King of the Everglades," a title that reflects how deeply his legend became intertwined with South Florida's frontier identity.
The museum's Ashley Gang exhibit reportedly includes artifacts directly linked to the gang's criminal activities, such as original teller windows from a bank they robbed — physical remnants of crimes committed over a century ago.
The Elliott Museum is generally open to the public in Stuart, Florida, and is considered a family-friendly destination with broad appeal given its eclectic mix of exhibits. Visitors interested in the Ashley Gang exhibit specifically should check the museum's current website to confirm the exhibit remains on display, as special exhibits can rotate. Admission fees and hours are subject to change, so consulting the museum directly before visiting is advisable.
Stuart, Florida is the site city itself; the nearest major urban center is West Palm Beach, approximately 45 miles to the south.
Stuart, Florida has a subtropical climate, making the cooler and drier months between November and April generally the most comfortable time to visit. Summer months can bring heat, humidity, and afternoon thunderstorms, though the museum itself is an air-conditioned indoor attraction year-round.
Florida Coast
The Florida Coast broadly encompasses the Everglades and Treasure Coast region that formed the Ashley Gang's primary operational territory, directly connecting to the S10E10 investigation.
South Carolina swamps
South Carolina swamps share the same regional outlaw-and-wilderness theme that defines the Ashley Gang story, and Gates has investigated similar frontier criminal legends in remote Southern landscapes.
Coffeyville, Kansas
Coffeyville, Kansas is the site of the Dalton Gang's infamous 1892 bank robbery raid, making it a thematic parallel to the Ashley Gang's multi-decade bank-robbing spree and Gates' broader interest in American outlaw history.