[7] A man named Miguel Peralta and his family did operate a successful mine in the 1860s but near Valencia, California, not in Arizona. Searchers should never enter the wilderness area by themselves, should take plenty of water, and pack lightly in order not to overexert themselves. As early as September 1, 1892, The Arizona Enterprise was reporting on the efforts of Thomas and several others to locate the lost mine whose location was told to her by Waltz. However it occurred, in the 1870s, the mine was worked, and Waltz found the gold that had been hidden in the Superstition Mountains. filed a transfer of claim to the Turkey Creek Mining District. Are these many deaths part of the old Apache curse? In yet another version of the tale, two (or more) U.S. Army soldiers are said to have discovered a vein of almost pure gold in or near the Superstition Mountains. Two months later, another prospector from Denver, Colorado named Walter J. Mowry was found in Needle Canyon. WebOngoing discoveries of the Lost Dutchman Mine have continued for well over a hundred years. Legend says Waltz was helped by a descendant of the Peralta family to locate the hidden gold. The headlines were sensational alleging that Ruth had been murdered for his map. There is little evidence that he had any success. The land not only contained a rich gold mine, but also several silver mines. 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. Ruth disappeared while searching for the mine in the summer of 1931. Another found it in the Western Superstitions. A further search found the rest of his remains and effects, but the maps were gone. However, before relocating to what is now Pinal County, Arizona, Waltz worked at the Henry Wickenburgs Vulture Gold Mine near Wickenburg, Arizona. In the summer of 1880, two recently discharged soldiers from Fort McDowell, showed up in Pinal, Arizona looking for work at the Silver King Mine. However, sometime later legend tells us that Dr. Thorne determined that he would try to find the place again. A reward was immediately offered by the family and searchers combed the mountain for the next 45 days but Ruth was not found. "Dutchman's Gold" was the season 4, episode 19 of, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 00:14. Sinking dozens of shafts into the mountainside, they found little gold, other than some scarce remains from the Peralta Massacre. Suggest edits to improve what we show. He had metal pins in his leg, and used a cane to help him walk. "[24], Authorities in Arizona did not convene a criminal inquest regarding Ruth's death. , The Waterbury Democrat. There have been at least three discoveries of the mine since the 1960s, and in all three cases, good gold was found. He is blindfolded and taken there by a circuitous route, and is allowed to take as much gold ore as he can carry before again being escorted blindfolded from the site by the Apaches. In 1963, a man named Vance Bacon, also working to tunnel through Weavers Needle, fell to his death. After a thorough search, the hunt was called off. The Lost Dutchman Mine is the most famous in American history. Some say a man named Jacob Weiser aided him, although no trace of Weiser exists. But the map to the Peralta mine was said to be missing. That same year, two California boys, who were hiking on Superstition Mountain, also vanished. December 09, 2019 The Lost Dutchman is Americas most famous lost mine, and many people have risked their lives searching for it. A skull with two bullet holes was found six months later. Let the prospector keep on finding the old lost mine and he is made, no matter it is not the original.. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. Gonzales claimed descendant from the Peralta family and said he had information on the whereabouts of the mine. The pilot set him down in La Barge Canyon, close to Weavers Needle. For over a century, treasure hunters have sought the treasures supposedly lost in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona, but what do we really know about the events surrounding this tale? They found gold in the 1840s but were ambushed by a local tribe of Apaches. 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. Quite literally so, according to Southwestern Folklore author and researcher Byrd Granger. Now all we had to do was dig, and we would surely find one of the richest and most hunted treasures in the worldthe Lost Dutchmans Gold Mine, secreted in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, Arizona. Lost Dutchman Mine is a simulation game that casts the player in the role of a gold miner in the 1860's. Many believe it's hidden in the Superstition Mountains, and it's rumored a curse falls upon all those who try to find it. This and other Days Past articles are also available at https://sharlothallmuseum.org/articles/days-past-articles.l. The Superstitions are now a federal wilderness area and Arizona State Park, so even if the gold were found it would have to be surrendered to the government. Storm speculated that Adolph Ruth might have been a victim of the same sniper. Superstition Mountain, Arizona by Kathy Weiser-Alexander. But in the 1990s, roughly 100 years after the Dutchmans death, Feldman believes he found it. There May Be a Long-Lost Gold Mine in the Arizona Mountains By: Mae Rice For more than a century, adventurous souls have sought the Lost Dutchman Mine, and since 1891, more than a hundred people have claimed to find it. When the Spanish arrived in 1540, the region was inhabited by the Apache Indians, who considered Superstition Mountain to be sacred ground, as it was home to their Thunder God. $89+ per night for cabins. Clapp had been missing since July. The legend of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine is a quintessential version of just such a story. Most believed that Ruth died, probably from the extreme desert heat, and his body was carried away in parts by wild animals. However, Blair argued that there is a strong likelihood that there never was a second man named Weiser, but rather that a single person named Waltz was, over the years, turned into two men as the legend of the Dutchman's mine evolved. Scientists say that the Superstition Mountains dont contain the type of mineral deposits that produce gold. Next to his decomposing body was a small sack of gold ore. In his search, Ruth utilized a map that his son had obtained in Mexico several years previous, which dated back to the period of the Mexican Revolution (1909-1923), and was later referred to as the Ruth-Peralta map. WebBackground: The Lost Dutchman Mine was founded by a German prospector named Jacob "The Dutchman" Waltz in 1876. Allegedly, there were rifle shots and indications of foul play. The fact of the finding of the mine for the past twenty years has kept alive the mining industries of the territory. The mine is named after German immigrant Jakob Waltz (c. 18101891), who purportedly discovered it in the 19th century and kept its location a secret. Days Past is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). Waltz also filed on one mine in just his name, the General Grant, also in the Walnut Grove Mining District. It involves murder, secrets, and a whole lotta sweet, sweet gold. Quite literally so, according to Southwestern Folklore author and researcher Byrd Granger. Ruth was searching for lost Peralta Mines, especially that of the Lost Dutchman. Since Ruth's death, there have been several other deaths or disappearances in the Superstition Mountains. But the mine remains shrouded in mystery, so much so that it might not exist at all. Generally speaking, this mine is claimed to be situated in the Superstition Mountains, described by one source as a collection of rough terrain that has gained the name of a single mountain which lies to the east of Phoenix, the Arizonan capital. It would be his last. In February 1951, Dr. John Burns, a physician from Oregon, was found shot to death on Superstition Mountain. The Apache let him pick up as much as he could before the doctor was once again blindfolded for the return trip. At the campsite were a bloodstained blanket, a Geiger counter, a gun-cleaning kit, but no gun, cooking utensils, and some letters, from which the names and addresses had been torn from. This article is a preview of a presentation he will make at the sixteenth Annual Western History Symposium that will be held at the Prescott Centennial Center on August 3rd. It was even said a candle box containing high-grade gold ore was found under his bed. The same year, a Tempe man and his wife (unnamed) found it a days travel from Tempe. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. Though the coroner acceded that foul play might have been involved, the original statement was never changed. According to legend, a family by the name of Peralta moved north from Mexico in the early 19th century to try their luck at mining in the American West and their efforts were WebFor more than 120 years, the legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine has haunted the minds and souls of treasure seekers throughout the world. A day-use entrance is $10 per vehicle. As the Indians were subdued by the soldiers, a reservation was established near Fort McDowell, where Thorne began to provide his services. WebLost Dutchman State Park About Lost Dutchman State Park Named after the fabled lost gold mine, Lost Dutchman State Park is located in the Sonoran Desert, at the base of the Superstition Mountains, only 40 miles east of Phoenix. [9] As of 1975, ruins of the Peralta mine were standing.[9]. [17] Note that tombstone pictured shows birth year as 1808. Quite literally so, according to Southwestern Folklore author and researcher Byrd Granger. Over the decades, this tale was gradually absorbed into the Lost Dutchman's story. The path to these riches is paved in mystery and doom. They were discovered by the Apache, who killed them before they could escape with the gold. The Peralta Massacre is a legend that Apaches supposedly ambushed a mining expedition the Peralta family sent into the mountains. In the meantime, the Apache were angry at the intrusion upon their sacred grounds. Be well prepared if you plan to join the thousands of others who have searched for the lost mine, as conditions can be harsh in this rugged terrain. However, the Peralta Mine eventually became unprofitable and after the money was gone Miguel Peralta turned to fraud. The Indians called Superstition Mountain the Devils Playground.. Shrouded in mystery, the mine is not only allegedly rich in gold but is also said to have a curse upon it, leading to a number of strange deaths, as well as people who mysteriously go missing when they attempt to locate the old mine. The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine (also known by similar names) is, according to legend, a rich gold mine hidden in the southwestern United States. Yet, another year later, an old prospector by the name of Guy Hematite Frink was lucky enough to return from the mountain with a number of rich gold samples. Though he preferred his own company and his large library of books to being with others, he never turned away a visitor to his retreat and often traveled to the area mining camps to sell his vegetables. Later, the Turkey Creek Mining District was carved out of the Walker District, and Waltz et al. Blair had little doubt that Waltz related to Thomas the location of an alleged gold mine. The next person to come across the mine was a man named Dr. Abraham Thorne. Location: Apache Junction, AZ. Ruths untimely demise did nothing to dissuade further searchers. Undaunted; however, Julia and the Petrasches made an expedition into the Superstitions that summer, trying to find the mine. But in the 1990s, roughly 100 years after the Dutchmans death, Feldman believes he found it. In June 1947, a prospector named James A. Cravey made a much-publicized trip into the Superstition canyons by helicopter, searching for the Lost Dutchman Mine. The soldiers replied that the ore had been picked up while crossing Superstition Mountain, where they had also spied an old mine. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchman's mine. To this day, his death remains a mystery; however, it is but one more life claimed by the mountain and perhaps, its curse. WebOne of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is the Lost Dutchman Mine. The short "Discovery Trail" is a clear route with several placards giving the natural history of the area. The Superstition Mountains west of Phoenix, Arizona by Carol Highsmith. WebLost Dutchman State Park About Lost Dutchman State Park Named after the fabled lost gold mine, Lost Dutchman State Park is located in the Sonoran Desert, at the base of the Superstition Mountains, only 40 miles east of Phoenix. Thorne claimed that he was taken captive by Navajos in 1854, and that during his captivity he had discovered a rich gold vein. "The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine." "Dutchman" was a common American term for a German ("Dutch" being the English cognate to the German demonym "Deutsch", and not a reference to the Dutch people). Extensive flooding devastated the farm in 1891, and Waltz contracted pneumonia. During this time, the Apache had turned their wrath against the Arizona settlers and the U.S. Army. WebLost Dutchman State Park About Lost Dutchman State Park Named after the fabled lost gold mine, Lost Dutchman State Park is located in the Sonoran Desert, at the base of the Superstition Mountains, only 40 miles east of Phoenix. The following February, his headless skeleton was found in a canyon, a good distance from his camp. Since James Reavis, "the Baron of Arizona", was convicted of fraud when the Peralta family genealogy and other documents to support the land grant (and a barony associated with that land) were determined to be forgeries it also raises questions about the original purchase of the land grant by Dr. George M. Willing Jr. (the transaction had supposedly occurred at a primitive campsite to the southeast of Prescott without the benefit of the typical documentation; instead of a notarized deed, the conveyance was recorded on a piece of greasy camp paper bearing signature of several witnesses). 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