Admit it: When you think of treasure hunters and ancient gold, you automatically default to Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones or Nicolas Cage in National Treasure.

But we have a real life treasure hunter right here in St. George.

Timothy Draper, making an appearance today on The Andy Griffin Show, has a new book out and in it he minces no words -- there is treasure and secrets stored up in the mountains and hills that surround us.

"I have definitive proof that the Spanish were here in this part of the country long before the Mormon pioneers," he said. "A 100 years before the pioneers, the Spanish were here, mining, building rock structures, creating their own routes off of the original Spanish Trail."

Draper said he is fascinated with lost civilizations and people that history has chosen to ignore or has forgotten altogether.

In his book, "Treasures of the Ancients: The Search for America's Lost Fortunes," Draper combines his investigative lust for knowledge with a sort of how-to for those wishing to join in the search for histories mysteries.

Oh, and pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.

Draper says the advancements in digital photography and drone video footage has helped his cause immensely.

If you have video and photographic evidence, well that's hard to argue with," he said.

Draper recounts one time he and some of his team members were in a local restaurant and started talking about some of their finds.

"It was kind of loud when we started talking but it just kept getting quieter and quieter because people wanted to hear what we were saying," he said.

Draper has recently signed large endorsement deals with sponsors to help in his constant search for history and, of course, treasure.

He also has a YouTube channel and a podcast titled Uncharted Expedition.

Indiana Jones may be fictional, but there are real people out there like Timothy Draper who take history very seriously.

Treasures in America

Timothy Draper is a real life Indiana Jones

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