Page 28 - JOA-July-22

Ole Andersen:

Treasure Hunter

of the

Southern Berkshires

An interview with Ole Andersen by Maxine Carter-Lome, publisher
An interview with Ole Anderson by Maxine Carter-Lome, publisher

hen Ole Andersen arrived in the Southern Berkshires of
Massachusetts in 2000 from Denmark, he had no idea how
Wintimately connected he would become with the region’s early
history, which he is uncovering one buried object at a time.

Andersen is a self-described treasure hunter, combing through public parks,
the riverbanks of the Housatonic, and the backyards of homes in the area (with
homeowner permission), using the tools of his trade to see what lies below.

While treasure hunting tends to be a solitary sport, Andersen has an
audience of thousands following his every find on Facebook and Instagram,
and by tuning in to his YouTube Channel (“The Berkshire MA Treasure
Hunter”). And, he has homeowners lining up to give him access to their property.

In a region that has a rich, over 250-year history, Andersen is digging up the
tangible objects that help tell that story. But that’s not what he set out to do, as
he tells me during our interview.

Full disclosure: I am one of Ole’s thousands of Facebook followers and have
been for some time. When we were putting together this “Thrill of the Hunt”
issue, I knew he was someone I wanted to talk to.

26 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles