Combine these with the legends of the indigenous Pima Indians and the mountains live up to their name. There is a Superstition Mountain Museum at 4087 N. Apache Trail, Highway 88 in Apache Junction. According to Thomas, it was on his deathbed that Jacob Waltz shared the story of his secret mine, and even provided a map to it filled with clues. While not unique features, they are extremely consistent with Jacob Waltzs descriptions. He died of pneumonia in 1891 and, according to the three neighbours who cared for him, he left them the box of gold under his bed and directions to the gold mine. To underline his great find, he had also written Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, and I conquered) in his diary. According to the tales, a Spanish conquistador (often said to be Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, but sometimes reported as any number of other explorers, real and fictional) came to the Superstition Mountains in the mid-1500s searching for a mythical city of gold, one of the legendary Seven Cities of Gold, somewhere in the mountains, according to Legends of America. However, things can go wrong. While this doesn't mean it's impossible there's gold to mine up there, it makes it far less likely. This is very important! The stories of conquistadors and Jesuits bearing gold are completely unverifiable without documentation or archaeological evidence. Superstition Mountain hasan elevation of 5,024 feet. Perhaps this is why many of the legends involve people bringing gold to the mountain and leaving it hidden there. What really happened to Ruth? Except perhaps not. Choice of of building material I like Ironwood +, There is a typo that should be alpha mine not alfa mine. The mountain is also frequented with mysterious sounds that many people have claimed to have heard. His skull with two holes in it identified as bullet holes was recovered about six months after he vanished, and the story made national news, thus sparking widespread interest in the Lost Dutchman's mine.[22]. Going on a year now. The earliest Lost Dutchman's mine in Arizona was said to have been near Wickenburg, about 180km (110mi) north-west of the Superstition Mountains: a "Dutchman" was allegedly discovered dead in the desert near Wickenburg in the 1870s alongside saddlebags filled with gold. To paraphrase an old Dutch Hunter, I dont know where the Dutchman is, but I know a thousand places it isnt! The meaning here is that gold can only exist in a prerequisite set of geological conditions. Padre Kino founded many missions including Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson. In speaking with one local historian and trusted source, he connects quite a few players to the site, not the least of which is Herman Petrasch. Previously, comparative tests which could prove that the matchbox and the Pit Mine samples were related were destructive in nature. Get Mysteries of the Superstition Mountains gear at https://my-store-cadb1e.creator-sprin. There are other legends about gold in the Superstition Mountains. So what do we really know about these legends, Waltz, and the Superstition Mountains? In this story (actually two interconnected stories), members of the Apache tribe are said to have a very rich gold mine located in the Superstition Mountains. In it, he puts together the clues and evidence and makes a convincing case for the Pit Mine. While a few versions have Waltz outright stealing the gold, in other versions, he either rescued or fell in love with an Apache woman who shared the secret of a gold vein her people had been mining for centuries, but as punishment for sharing the knowledge with an outsider, her tongue was cut out, ensuring she could never speak again. There is a lot of speculation about Aaron Mason and his involvement, but one interesting fact is that the man became a millionaire during this time. Blair contended that this story can be divided into "hawk" and "dove" versions, depending on whether the German(s) are said to behave violently or peacefully. Great discoveries have been made in the name of hunting for hidden wealth, but much blood has been shed in those same pursuits, too. In an addition to this legend, it's claimed two soldiers came to the Superstitions after hearing of Dr. Thorne's story to see if they could locate the cache. There are many variations of this story, including that the mine is cursed, killing anyone who . Adults $7.00 The neighboursJulia Thomas, Rhinehart Petrasch, and Hermann Petraschspent weeks looking for the gold, but failed to find it. James Reavis tried to assert that the Peralta family had a Spanish land grant and a barony granted by the King of Spain, which included a huge swath of Arizona and New Mexico, including the Superstition Mountains. Thorne is said to be either unwilling or unable to relocate the mine. Blair cited evidence of the historical Jacob Waltz and suggested that additional evidence supports the core elements of the story that Waltz claimed to have discovered (or at least heard the story of) a rich gold vein or cache. Forgive me if I currently do not have the technical documentation for the claim as the current pandemic has prohibited me from obtaining the source material. It appears no one ever bothered to just ask the Native Americans in the area if the mountains were sacred. Blair suggested that "fragments of this legend have perhaps become attached to the mythical mine of Jacob Waltz".[6]. This is only speculation, what I do know is that, people who have dismissed the information on the stones, no matter who carved the stones, those non believers have been badly mistaken. One day he travelled to the fabled site of the mother lode, Superstition Mountains near Phoenix, Arizona, and never came back. [27], Throughout the 20th century, various expeditions and individuals continued to search the Superstitions for the Lost Dutchman Mine. While walking thru the shaft holding a digging iron one day, I was tapping the floor to make sure it was solid. It is here were you will reach areas that are barely penetrable, this is where most trails stop abruptly for safety reasons. Is it possible he took his own life? Some think this mine was first excavated by Mexico's Peralta family, then commandeered by Apaches or simply abandoned. It is generally accepted that the Peraltas and roughly 400 peon miners were massacred by the Apaches sometime around 1848. What really matters, though, is that Waltz the namesake Dutchman, or "Deutsch" (German) man wouldn't reveal the mine's location. Buy "In Search of the Heart" by Phil Reinhardt at http://www.superstitionmountainmuseum.org/museumgifts/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_. There are numerous hiking trails that hikers can access from multiple points, one of the more well-known ones being the Peralta Trailhead. [28], One fact against the existence of "Lost Dutchman Mine" is that Waltz was a "placer miner"; while the gold pieces he had were in quartz, the Superstition Mountains are in fact volcanic. Thorne claimed that he was taken captive by Navajos in 1854, and that during his captivity he had discovered a rich gold vein. Home. Everyone loves a good treasure hunting story. Skeptoid Media, 29 Jan 2013. So who killed the Spanish treasure hunters that came to the land? They either mined or found enormous gold deposits in the Superstition Mountains. It's unclear if Waltz himself ever specifically claimed to have a secret gold mine in the mountains, but one woman said he did claim just that Julia Thomas, Jacob Waltz's friend and neighbor, according to Skeptoid. The breathable air on some surfaces actually gets even hotter; this is the biggest killer in the Superstition Mountains and dont forget the rattle snakes, scorpions, tarantula spiders, Gila monsters plus huge mountain lions and dozens of other things that will take your life. [26], Blair wrote that "the national wire services picked up the story [of Ruth's death] and ran it for more than it was worth", possibly seeing the mysterious story as a welcome reprieve from the bleak news that was otherwise typical of the Great Depression. A lack of historical records leaves uncertainty as to whether a Peralta family ever had possession of land, or mines, in or near the Superstition Mountains. The exact year varies, but the story goes that a rich Mexican mining family named Peralta also came to the area in search of gold. Finally The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Is Found! There have been many stories about how to find the mine, and each year people search for the mine. In gratitude, Gonzales told Erwin about the Peralta mine in the Superstition Mountains, and gave him some antique maps of the site (Gonzales claimed to be descended from the Peralta family on his mother's side). (Latin Heart Reader / Wikimedia Commons). He had metal pins in his leg, and used a cane to help him walk. Mine records show that one possibly two Peralta family members with possible links connecting them to the 1848 massacre, also worked at the Vulture mine during the same time period as Waltz. The conquistador ordered the men to stay close together so they weren't picked off, but this didn't help. gold is where you find it. Supposedly, the Peraltas actually found a very rich gold vein and set up a mining operation. The Silvermine Mountains or Silvermines Mountains ( Irish: Sliabh an Airgid) [1] are a mountain range in County Tipperary, Ireland. We at Arcana Exploration believe we can show that this was later worked by Jacob Waltz, and after his death came to be known as the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. Admission Elevation: 6,001 Feet (1,829 Meters) Primary Mineral: Copper Lat, Long: 46.3369, -113.26190 Map: View on Google Maps Legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Parts 2 & 3: Finally Found! Researchers point to an old beliefby local farmersthat the nearby Pima Native American tribe were superstitious about the mountains. The Gold Rush was in full swing and Waltz wanted a piece of those potential fortunes. The highest peak of the range is Keeper Hill or Slievekimalta at 694 metres (2,277 ft) high. According to Legends of America, the Native Americans in the area believed the Thunder God of their religion lived in the Superstition Mountains, and thus they were required to protect it with lethal force, killing any who might set foot on the mountain and disturb their deity. The Superstition Mountains to the east of Phoenix, AZ reportedly hold a legendary motherlode of gold known as the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. Gary also spoke to the Feldman family, who have been searching for the mine since the 1960s, under patriarch Ron's tutelage. Much of the interior is so brutal with severe weather shifts (the Apache winds) that much of the interior is off limits for search and rescue. Just to connect some dots, Mason was the fellow who staked the two soldiers who turned up dead while seeking their lost bonanza. Ask any prospector and they will tell. Sep 2, 2019 5 6 . He spent much of his spare time reading about it and searching for it. [21], Were it not for the death of amateur explorer and treasure hunter Adolph Ruth, the story of the Lost Dutchman's mine would probably have been little more than a footnote in Arizona history as one of hundreds of "lost mines" rumored to be in the American West. "Jesse James Feldman has uncovered compelling new evidence of a chain of events that link pre-Anglo mining in Arizona's famed Superstition Mountains with Jacob Waltz and the Peralta miners. Next week I will list some clues that are absolutely relevant to what we have physically on site. Dec 4, 2008 4,168 3,192. That's just the name we use for the group of mining exhibits that you'll experience when you visit the museum. TheSuperstition Mountains, furthermore, are the abode of the Thunder God, and he causes the frequent regional thunderstorms. In fact, the location fits well for both the Doc Thorn and the Two Soldiers stories. The Lost Dutchmans Mine is featured in Season 1, Episode 21 of the television series Unsolved Mysteries. The episode first aired on April 12, 1989. John D. Wilburn in his book Dutchman's Lost Ledge of Gold (1990), wrote that the Bulldog Gold Mine near Goldfield, Arizona, fits very well the description Jacob Waltz gave as the location of his 'lost mine'. The one, tangible piece of evidence still in existence are the samples remaining from the ore taken by Dick Holmes, namely the matchbox. These Native American legends aren't the only tales involving religion and gold stores in the area. However, despite bankrupting herself and spending a very long time in the mountains, she and her search party never found any evidence of a hidden gold cache, per Arizona Report. And importantly I have hard facts that the Stones are linked to other historical information. If you need rescued, they will land two miles away and hike in to get you. The Superstition Mountains, with a name like that you might as well give away fancy proton-backs, of the Ghostbuster variety, at the visitor's center, is a series of jagger tooth mountains in Arizona just the east of Phoenix. It is easily accessible about 40 miles east of Phoenix via U.S. Highway 60, the Superstition Freeway. He really did die in 1891 of pneumonia. Many of Ruth's personal effects were found at the scene, including a pistol (not missing any shells) and the metal pins used to mend his broken bones. Some searchers for the mine have disappeared in likely wilderness accidents. It is known as the Pit Mine because of the funnel like shape it was dug in, which was common in Spanish and Mexican mining. We know today they're not actually sedimentary rock, but volcanic, according to Lost Dutchman State Park. It's also worth noting the mountains aren't known to have gotten their ironic name from any of the above legends. As Curt Gentry wrote, "Dr. Hrdlicka positively identified the skull as that of Adolph Ruth. Waltz found it in the mountains and came to grab gold out of it as needed. Also, there's no documentation showing he ever filed a claim for a mine in the Superstitions or any paperwork showing where he allegedly sold mass amounts of gold. These are tall, volcanic formations in the wilderness and are popular as hiking destinations. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This problematic paradox, I believe, is the product of years of misdirection to steer seekers to the west side of the mountains. Follow the Process. However, there were no directions to the conquest mentioned in his diary. They didnt find it because its not in the superstitions Too bad i cant post pictures, because i know exactly where it is, Did you ever think the Dutchman might have used another mine location to through The Peralta Massacre is a legend that Apaches supposedly ambushed a mining expedition the Peralta family sent into the mountains. Sign up for exclusive updates, previews and special content: So, where is it then? 4087 East Apache Trail While this theory did not ignore the two holes in the skull, it did fail to explain how Ruth had managed to remove and bury the empty shell, then reload his gun, after shooting himself through the head". If you were inclined to seek it out, your starting location would be the Rogers Trough Trailhead, though you would not be taking that trail, rather you would be backtracking along the ridge, roughly northwest, in generally the same direction as the primitive road you drove in. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchman's mine. The record high temperature is 128 degrees. The legend then states that, sometime later, the last Peralta survivor(s) were helped out of some kind of bind by Jacob Waltz, and in his debt, they gave him the only thing they had of value: a map to the Peralta family mine in the Superstition Mountains, according to Cowboys and Indiansmagazine. Two prospectors saved his life and, in gratitude, he gave them directions to the gold mine, thus setting off a wild goose chase that continues to the present day. It is a ranger-guided hike focusing on the aesthetic . The earliest documentation of him in the U.S. is an 1848 affidavit in which Waltz declared himself to be "about 38 years old". Since Ruth's death, there have been several other deaths or disappearances in the Superstition Mountains. At the low elevations, you will encounter tall saguaro cactusand Ponderosa pines at higher levels, and these are generally near the streams. The Pima Indians famously feared the mountain that they knew as Ain-we-gophon (Superstition Mountain). Superstition Mountains - Ghost, lost mines, murder and mayhem.

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