Before we get into those, here are some genuine facts about the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine: There really was a Lost Dutchman, although he wasnt Dutch. Yavapai County - Rich Hill. Supposedly tucked away in the rugged trails of the Superstition Mountains, the legend of unfathomable riches has numerous versions and characters and each insists on being the correct story, with some dating to the first trek Spanish conquistadors made into the northern reaches of the Sonoran desert. Since its early Gold Rush days, Arizona has produced in excess of 498 tons or 16 million troy ounces (ozt.) Lynx Lake Mineral Withdrawal Area & Gold Panning Trail, Prescott. What really matters, though, is that Waltz the namesake Dutchman, or "Deutsch" (German) man wouldn't reveal the mine's location. Wormley reached the river, almost demented from his sufferings, and was unable to guide a party back into the desert. They failed to return and nine more, driven by impending hunger, took the same trail, leaving in camp only Adams and two others. A man named Ross Browne, in 1863, said that at the store of Hooper & Hunter in Arizona City he saw masses of pure gold as large as the palm of the hand, brought in by adventurers who stated that certain Indians had assured them that they knew places in the mountains where the surface of the ground was covered by the same kind of yellow stones. Gold in Morgan City Wash: In 1934, Palmer Ashley was helping his father work a difficult, low-grade prospect near Morgan City Wash, 23 miles outside of Wickenburg. Mining flourished in Gila City until 1862 when a flood destroyed the town. One searcher claimed to have found veins of gold in a narrow canyon just south of the Mazatal Mountains (near Four Peaks on Maricopa/Gila County borders). The Lost Dutchman Mine is also the most sought after in American history. After he had conquered the epidemic, he was placed upon a horse and taken to a deep rock-walled canyon laced with a high ledge of quartz that glittered with flecks of gold. Treasure hunters guard their techniques and secret mining spots like truffle hunters. What will happen to society when AI lovers fool millions of people? Gold Mining Clubs & Dig Sites Free, no day use fee. After one hundred and twenty- five plus years incredibly, the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine has been found, proving that the legend is more than mere myth and as predicted by Jacob Waltz himself "No miner will ever find my mine". Lost Gold and Silver Mines of the Southwest by Eugene L. Conrotto, Dover Publications, 1991. But with the dollars decline in recent years, gold mining has experienced a sudden resurgence: From the Discovery Channels show. They keep hoping that one day soon, they will be the lucky one who discovers the long lost mine, the one which has been sought after for years by others with similar faith. Hunting lost Spanish gold mines for me started back in 1992 when I moved back to Sedona Arizona. Why 2023s Venus-Jupiter conjunction wont be bettered until 2039. He kept the location hidden, perhaps in hopes of one day being able to take advantage of its riches when the timing was right. His partner had been killed, and he had escaped only by a miracle. It wasn't until after the 1849 Gold Rush that Pegleg returned to California to organize a prospecting party to search for the butte where he found the black gold nuggets. Join DesertUSA as we continue the search for gold in the Desert. Want to read up on some other Arizona mysteries? The location of the mine never became known to anyone, save its discoverer. But theres enough to it to encourage people to go after that gold. In the early 1850s, the Colorado River crossing at Yuma became a major route for gold seekers from the East. Old time miners would sample gold bearing rivers following the wa. There are records of Waltz selling or transporting gold which are estimated to total $254,000.. This post card is a humourous version of the many serious treasure maps that undoubtedly circulated in Arizona and environs at the height of gold mine fever, at the end of the 19th century. Though the Indians pressed handfuls of the nuggets upon him, Thorne still persisted that the stuff was worthless and refused to take any, convinced that he could again find the treasure. It is called the Lost Dutchman Mine and is said to be located in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. Some 8,000 people each year try to find it. Taking some of the horseflesh with them, they struck northerly, seeking water in what is supposed to have been the Granite Wash range of mountains in Northern Yuma County. One of the most popular Arizona legends also happens to be one of the most deadly: the Lost Dutchmans gold mine. The Lost Goldmine Trail is a permanent, eleven-mile multi-use trail across the south face of the Superstitions that connects the Peralta trailhead on the east to the Lost Dutchman State Park near Apache Junction. Weekly, he fields questions from visitors who want to know where the gold is. {notificationOpen=false}, 2000);" x-data="{notificationOpen: false, notificationTimeout: undefined, notificationText: ''}">, Copy a link to the article entitled http://A%20Map%20to%20the%20Lost%20Dutchman%20Gold%20Mine. He died before he was ever able to return to the desert in search of his gold-covered buttes. In the distance, he saw a high mountain, crowned with a peculiar rocky formation like a gigantic thumb turned backward (a description that might be Sombrero Butte) to the east of Cherry Creek Valley. Peck, discoverer of the famous Peck Mine at Alexandria. Up to8,000 people each year go hunting for a legendary gold mine, guided by cryptic maps like these. However, the history of gold in the area goes back even further than that. Lost Pick Mine of Old Arizona: Hidden Gold Remains Hidden By Andrea Aker December 29, 2009 8325 7 Excerpt from In Old Arizona by Marshall Trimble, the state's official historian. The Scenic Drive To Roosevelt Dam In Arizona Is Almost As Beautiful As The Destination Itself, This Enchanting And Historic Town In Arizona Is The Perfect Day Trip Destination, Once Abandoned And Left To Decay, The The Professional Building In Arizona Has Been Restored To Its Former Glory, The Afternoon Tea At This Arizona Resort Will Transport Your Taste Buds Across The Pond, The Mystery of The Lost Dutchmans Mine In Arizona Still Baffles People Today, 6 Disturbing Unsolved Mysteries In Arizona That Will Leave You Baffled, This Ride Through An Old Mine In Arizona Will Take You Back In Time, This Abandoned Copper Mine In Arizona Is Hiding A Fascinating Secret. Redwoods provide habitats for many forest creatures and pull more carbon out of the air than any other tree species. Better evidence was secured a few days later in the discovery of the dead horse, with the gold ore strapped to his back. 623.934.6882 For the last 150 years, people have risked their lives to go in search of Arizonas lost gold, silver and other buried treasures. In the coastal town of Lincoln City, Oregon, beachcombers flock to the sand in hopes of finding one very specific treasure: glass fishing floats. Chapter 12 of Thunder God's Gold by Barry Storm (John Clymenson), published in 1945, tells a very interesting story about a large piece of rich gold quartz found by William (Bill) Jenkins while on a picnic in the Superstition Mountains with his family in 1937. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Then in 1868, Wickenburg used his gold proceeds to fund a new project that would change Arizona history forever: The Swilling Irrigation Canal Company, conceived by ex-Confederate soldier Jack Swilling of Prescott. In 2006, all of Arizonas gold production came as a fortuitous byproduct of copper mining. Ed Schieffelin, who discovered the Tombstone mines, would later search diligently for the lost mine, but if he found it, he never told. Today, we might expect more detail; back in those days, the story was enough to fatally pique the curiosity of an amateur prospector, Adolph Ruth. Notes and Author: This article is primarily a tale told by James Harvey McClintock between the years of 1913 and 1916 when he published a three-volume history of Arizona called Arizona: The Youngest State. The Vulture Mining Company was born. When they failed, it is reported they sold copies of a map for $7 each. At the time, he was living in Phoenix, reportedly on land owned by Julia Thomas, a local bakery owner. Who doesnt love a good mystery? Desert Geological Terms, Home | About | Contact Us | Feedback | Privacy | Site Outline | Advertising on DesertUSA | Hotels, New Evidence About the Lost Dutchman Mine, 7 Smartphone Apps to Improve Your Camping Experience. The Ashleys were never able to retrace Palmers path to the ledge. Many legends of lost treasure from Arizonas early Gold Rush days still remain to this day. He packed his saddlebags with approximately $7,000 worth of gold and continued on to Los Angeles. The assumption that he was murdered by Apache Indians appears to have been sustained by a prospectors discovery near the Vulture Mine in the summer of 1895 of the barrel of an old muzzle-loading shotgun, and by it, a home-made mesquite gun stock. From Tucson and Sonora, they were joined by two large companies of Mexicans. Many prospectors and historians wonder why he did not go back to the desert and search for the butte where he discovered the gold. List of Arizona Mineral & Mining Museums. Roadrunner Prospectors Club, Phoenix. For almost 120 years now, theyve been looking for it. The lure, he said, continues to draw treasure hunters from all over the world to the Superstitions. Back in 1540 Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led a large expedition across Arizona in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. I had heard of a publicly declared gold excavation and panning trail in the Lynx Lake Recreational Area near Prescott and decided to investigate. He had a very irritating habit of disappearing from the camp once in a while, going by night, and taking with him several burros, whose feet would be so well wrapped that trailing was impossible. Have found the lost Dutchman. Ruth injured his leg so severely in the process that he developed a lifelong limp. However, the article that appears here is far from verbatim. Already in the 16th century, Spanish Conquistadors roamed the area, looking for the precious metal. The explanation then was given that the Indians were afraid that the white men would come in such numbers that the Indian preponderance of population would be lost. True or not, the legend of the Lost Dutchmans Gold Mine continues to fascinate the public. The Apache (some even mention their famous chief Geronimo in this respect) are the only ones who know of a very rich gold mine in the. Lost Mines & Buried Treasures of Arizona by W.C. Jameson, University of New Mexico Press, 2009. We must ask ourselves the toughest question of all -- "Do I believe there is still gold to be found in the desert?" 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. A few mines are still being actively worked today, but most mining companies that have tried to revive the old mines have been unsuccessful. The legend continues to evolve: recent additions are versions in which the gold is really a secret treasure trove of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a Confederate secret society active during the American Civil War (1861-1864). Apache Before the Storm, Edward S. Curtis, 1906. Was Peg Leg's Gold Found? By the 1860's large discoveries of gold were occurring in the Bradshaw Mountains, especially along the Hassayampa . That is, until Miguel Peraltas family stumbles upon the site and start mining the gold. If only it were that easy. Several trails through the Superstition wilderness reference the mythical mine: there's Treasure Loop trail, Peralta Trail, and Dutchman's trail. All of the legends and stories mentioned in this article have been told many times by miners and prospectors who believe that the Pegleg and Lost Dutchman Mine exists. Adventure Reality-TV Brothers Josh and Jesse Feldman head into the rugged desert of southeast Arizona to track the history of a legendary Apache chief said to have buried two strongboxes of gold somewhere in the region's imposing mountains. Waltz and his partner, Jacob Weiser, worked the mine and allegedly hid one or more caches of gold in the Superstitions. Vekols Buried Silver Ingots: Just a few miles north of the old ghost town of Vekol, near Casa Grande in Pinal County, lies a legendary cache of 300 silver ingots, each weighing 25 pounds. 16 Lost Treasures of Arizona Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine Herman Wolf's Treasure Trove Legend of the Lost Opata Mine The Smiling Bandits Lost Loot Red Jack Almer Gangs Lost Loot $72,000 in Gold Coins: Stolen Army Payroll Buried Cans of Gold Coins at Ashurst Ranch Lost Gold at Granite Dells Blacksmith's Lost Booty Hidden Indian Gold Near Lynx Creek document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Lonely humans will become infatuated with AI-fabricated personas. He made frequent trips into the desert whenever he needed money, always returning with black gold nuggets. You'll also get to witness an old west gun fight performed by the famous Goldfield . With Arizona's wild and violent past, you can bet there are quite a few that exist in our Southwestern state. Follow the lives of ambitious miners as they head north in pursuit of gold. I had been prospecting out of Prescott AZ. He and his son had searched California's Borrego Desert for gold, but they found none. The soldiers dug out coarse gold by the aid of their knives. Only empty buildings, cemeteries, and broken-down stamp mills remain to tell their story, along with brief notes in the history books documenting their existence. Ruth". There are two trails available. During the 1830s and 1840s, Pegleg settled down and started a trading post along the Oregon Trail in Idaho, specializing in the sale of horses. Each step into the desert may bring you a little closer to a fortune. It is not certain who these people were; some believe they were Salado or Hohokam Indians who populated this part of Arizona several centuries ago. Finally, in disgust, the different parties separated at Wheatfields and returned to their homes. Weiser is attacked (either by Apache or by Waltz) but survives long enough to tell a Dr Walker about the mine. It is said that more men have sought Pegleg's black nuggets than any other lost mine. Maricopa County. The next find was some small heaps of very rich gold rock, probably where sacks had decayed from around the ore, and then, a short distance away was discovered a shallow prospect hole, sunk on a gold-bearing ledge. The gold trail led through New Mexico, Tucson, and Yuma to California. Nearby, was a human skeleton, bleached from long exposure. This might be the way the Peralta story became incorporated into the Lost Dutchman legend. Some of the stories have many versions, each containing a few facts that differ from each other. This is one of the better counties for gold mining in Arizona. Then, in 1891, he died . Updated June 25, 2020 Walk down Main Street, explore the many shops and historic buildings. Recommended Reading Boettcher Mansion, Capitol Hill, Denver - built in, Always nice to have a solid noodle place with love, Red rock vistas, 2021. The individuals who truly believe in a particular legend, spend the greater portion of their lives collecting data and facts about the lost mine they so eagerly seek. Prominent among the lost mines stories of Northern Arizona was that of the Adams Diggings. Most indefinite are the details, and the various locations indicated lie anywhere from the Colorado River through to Globe. This evidence, along with the stories and records of gold transport issued by Waltz, confirms the legend of the Lost Dutchman. A Detailed History of Mining in Arizona from Arizona Mining Association Arizona Mineral Rights & Mining Claims This wall has vertical eroded ridges resembling a pipe organ. There are multiple versions of the Pegleg legend as well as other stories of black nuggets that seem to correlate with some of the facts stated in Pegleg lore. There is a Superstition Mountain Museum at 4087 N. Apache Trail, Highway 88 in Apache Junction. The root of this story is the effort of three US soldiers to locate gold in New Mexico based on what Dr Thorne allegedly told them. To this day, both lost mines are actively sought after by old time prospectors and treasure hunters. But will big risks lead to an even bigger pay out? 8356 Lost Mine Rd. But did you know that they can all be found within Washingtons Olympic National Park? He supposedly described the mine's location to Julia Thomas, a neighbor who took care of him prior to his death. The gun had been there so long that even the hammer and trigger had rusted away. Men who claimed to have found the Peralta mine were unable to return to it, or some disaster occurred just before they could file a claim, all adding to the lore of a "lost mine.". When Ashleys dad took a break to go into Phoenix on business, the young man decided to investigate a rumored lead deposit nearby. Lost Spanish mines In Arizona. He argued that each of these three legends contains some truth, but have become badly distorted through time. Are Electric Highways the Way of the Future? Offers five-day prospecting lessons and mining excursions for small groups throughout the year. 8230 Lost Mine Rd. Not only is it 600 miles of mountains, lakes and rivers, but leaving late in the season means the winter may derail their plans. Ben took a nugget from the prospectors stock that was about the size of a man s thumb and showed it to a chief who was especially friendly with him. 914.589.3985. 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