Charles Barkhouse's Family Connection To Oak Island Explained

When "The Curse of Oak Island" is on, you know it's time to grab your maps, flashlights, and shovels, because viewers are going treasure hunting. The History Channel show became immensely popular after brothers Rick and Marty Lagina became two of the many attempting to find a supposed treasure on the island. Rick and Marty are the stars of the show, but there's also one other person who has gripped the attention of History Channel buffs everywhere.

Charles Barkhouse has been deemed an Oak Island expert by many, per Foreign Policy. Barkhouse acts as the Lagina brothers' righthand man. Growing up in Nova Scotia, not far from Oak Island, Barkhouse became an expert in the land, history, and everything in between.

The reality star has long been involved in finding the Oak Island treasure and has learned from those who have come before him. He shared with CTV News, "All these treasure hunters even going back to the start — they want to be the ones to solve this thing. You have to have that belief, that passion that you are going to be the one to solve it, because if you don't then there is no point in even being there." While it seems we know everything about Barkhouse and his history with Oak Island, there are a couple of things that may surprise hardcore "The Curse of Oak Island" fans.

For years, Charles Barkhouse has immersed in the mystery of the Oak Island treasure, long before he starred in the reality series, "The Curse of Oak Island." Even when he isn't filming for the show, Barkhouse is constantly doing research. In one Instagram photo shared by Oak Island Tours, they posted Barkhouse digging through Les MacPhie papers, which discuss the history of the island, per Oak Island Mystery. Clearly, the reality star's passionate about what he does, but what was it that got him involved with Oak Island in the first place? Well, Barkhouse's family had a close connection to the island for years.

According to Foreign Policy, Barkhouse's grandmother lived across from Oak Island. Growing up so close to the location where a potential hidden treasure could be intrigued a young Barkhouse. It wasn't just the fact that his grandmother lived close to Oak Island that sparked an interest, though. His grandmother also had friends who lived on the island from the '30s and '40s. One of his grandmother's friends was even a godmother to Barkhouse's father. Because of their close relationship with those who lived on the island, the reality star became eager to learn more about the treasure that was supposedly buried on the property. It's clear that with Barkhouse's long family history with Oak Island, Rick and Marty Lagina would turn to him for his expertise.

Charles Barkhouse has always been on Rick and Marty Lagina's side on "The Curse of Oak Island" as they take on the daunting task of searching a hidden treasure. In 2016, Barkhouse gave a rare comment about helping the Lagina brothers in a Facebook post, shared by Oak Island Tours. He said, "...I feel very fortunate to be part of this show and see first-hand this wonderful story unfold. I have always said that if this mystery is to be solved then these men will do it, I truly believe that with all my heart." It seems like Barkhouse has been there through every step of the Lagina brothers' journey, and while he seems helpful, other viewers aren't so convinced.

According to TVOvermind, many "Oak Island" fans have speculated that Barkhouse isn't there to help the Lagina brothers in finding the hidden treasure, but rather, he's there to steer them away from where it may be located. They have suggested that Barkhouse is part of the Knights Templar and has taken an oath to keep people from finding the money. While this may seem like a far stretch, the reality star has only fueled more of these theories as he has proudly said he's a Freemason and Knights Templar on his Facebook, per TVOvermind. Regardless, fans are split on whether or not Barkhouse truly wants to find the hidden treasure.