Briefly narrated, it is this: In the summer of 1869, Abner McKeever and family were ambushed by Apache Indians on a ranch near the Big Bend of the Gila River. His body and supplies were found in the mountains; the mine was, of course, not, though the area near his corpse was intensively searched. However, the history of gold in the area goes back even further than that. This story involves Jakob Waltz (some sources say Weitz, Weitzer, Walls, Welz,) and another German named Jakob Weiser although this second German probably is a spin-off of the first Jakob, which occurred in the re-telling of the story. Shasta, Californias Mysterious Volcano, is an Enigma Waiting to be Explored, Three New Species of Snakes Discovered in Graveyards and Churches in Ecuador. Two of the most famous lost mines are the Lost Dutchman Mine of Arizona and Pegleg Smith's Mine of Southern California. ), The Desert Environment There is another lost mine, equally as famous as the Pegleg mine, which has crazed the minds of prospectors and treasure seekers for years. Tiffany Owens is a freelance travel writer and the Phoenix/Scottsdale City Expert for HomeandAbroad.com. Lost Mines & Buried Treasure of the Southwest by Thomas Penfield, Adventures Unlimited Press, 2004. When the mines closed, the towns died, and their remains have become ghost towns and tourist attractions. 8356 Lost Mine Rd. Six Planets are Retrograde, What Does that Mean for You? The third Indian legend is about a Yaqui Indian who lived and worked near Warner's Ranch. Wickenburg established a farm near this settlement, now known as the town named in his honor. One story describes the journey of a discharged soldier who followed Pegleg's trail from Yuma to Los Angeles. 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. Returning down Cherry Creek, prospecting continued up the Pinto Creek and Pinal Creek Valleys. He disappeared, as usual, one night, and never returned. During the robbery, they were confronted by a small contingent of Mexican soldiers and police and a battle ensued. With Arizona's wild and violent past, you can bet there are quite a few that exist in our Southwestern state. Night skies are getting 9.6% brighter every year, How skills-based training can build the workforce of the future, Parents, boys also have body image issues thanks to social media. This wall has vertical eroded ridges resembling a pipe organ. Its location is not exactly known but it is rumored to be somewhere within either the Superstition Mountains which is near the Apache Junction on the eastern side of Phoenix, Arizona. Generally considered a moderately challenging route. 2023 Warner Bros. The gun had been there so long that even the hammer and trigger had rusted away. Thank you! However, when asked if theyd been lucky as of late in their gold-seeking endeavors, one man was only willing to say that he finds enough to keep him interested.. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. There was a Dr Thorne who had a private practice in New Mexico, however. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. The find might have been the later famous Bonanza, in a western extension of the mountain, from which several millions of dollars in free gold were extracted. The Indians would not harm him, evidently on account of his color. The second significant gold discovery was made by Pauline Weaver (of Weavers Needle fame) in 1862 on the Colorado River at La Paz. But Ruth did indeed find the Lost Dutchman, according to a message in a bottle. He died in California on May 10, 1934, at the age of 70. He found some. 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. This might be the way the Peralta story became incorporated into the Lost Dutchman legend. What i, Magic hour castle walks. If the story ended there, the legend of the Lost Dutchmans gold mine would make an interesting story. Arizonas Gold Rush Since there is more than one version of the story, there are many contradicting facts. In many versions of the story, Weaver's Needle is a prominent landmark for locating the lost mine. Numbers of others have tried to find the Ni**er Ben diggings, but they have not been discovered as yet. What will happen to society when AI lovers fool millions of people? The desire for gold can be so great that it motivates men to endure unbelievable hardships including starvation, dehydration and death. The gold trail led through New Mexico, Tucson, and Yuma to California. Some of the stories have many versions, each containing a few facts that differ from each other. Entrance is free. Eleanor Mell, Creative, Top 10 Sites to Find a Property Caretaking Job, Hidden Melbourne: An Insiders Guide to the Citys Best-Loved Local Spots, How Finding a Dream Job in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean Turned Us Into Digital Nomads, ModernDayNomads.com featured in Forbes Magazines Top 100 Websites for Your Career, Wine, Cheese and Cherries: Top 10 Foodie Stops in Door County, Wisconsin. In 1916, two miners found an old Spanish saddle bag filled with $16,000 worth of smelted gold near the site of the Peralta Massacre. As was common in the West, the first discoveries of gold were placer deposits, followed by lode deposits found near Apache Junction, Big Bug, Bullhead City, Chloride, Globe, Oatman, Pearce, Quartzsite, Salome and Tombstone, which yielded the lions share of the states early gold supply. 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). 8338 Lost Mine Rd. 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. lost dutchman state park - arizona gold mine stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images Tourists walk along the buildings on Main Street in the old mining ghost town of Goldfield, Arizona.. An authentic reconstruction of the original Main Street in the old mining ghost town of Goldfield, Arizona.. There's even a museum exhibit about the mine in the area, which tasks itself with "the separation of fact from fiction" fitting for a mine that's right on the border between mythical and real. The most significant and debilitating bout occurred in 1849 after gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill the previous year. The Ashleys were never able to retrace Palmers path to the ledge. For More Information When the miner reached Los Angeles, he became ill and was taken under the care of Dr. DeCourcy. Research shows that spending more time on social media is associated with body image issues in boys and young men. Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. Stars Jesse Feldman Josh Feldman Clark Moore See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Jakob Waltz was nicknamed Dutch (i.e. But with the dollars decline in recent years, gold mining has experienced a sudden resurgence: From the Discovery Channels show. Attempts have been made to locate it atleast since 1892. of gold. 8302 Lost Mine Rd. The differences are evident in the variance of descriptive landmarks, dates, and historical information. 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). If only it were that easy. 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. There are two trails available. Hunting lost Spanish gold mines for me started back in 1992 when I moved back to Sedona Arizona. Finder of this note please give to Howard Peterson. The worlds longest cave system is a gargantuan labyrinth of 420 miles of twists and turns and nooks and crannies, with limestone travertine stalactites dripping from the ceilings. In 1912, when Arizona became the 48th state in the Union, President Taft signed the statehood proclamation with a golden pen, made from gold mined in local gold mines. Pegleg, also known as Thomas Smith, lost his leg to an arrow during a trapping expedition in the fall of 1827. One of the most popular Arizona legends also happens to be one of the most deadly: the Lost Dutchman's gold mine. Additionally, there never was an army doctor named Thorne in the 1860s in Arizona. - arizona gold mine stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images In Colorado, Exploring the Worlds Longest Cave System, Washingtons Olympic Peninsula is a Natural Wonderland, UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED: Investigating the Legend of California's Gold-Laden Ghost Ship, The Bermuda Triangle Isn't Actually a Mystery, The House on the Rock Is the Tourist Trap to End All Tourist Traps, Every Year, Thousands of Glass Orbs Are Hidden on This Oregon Beach, Female Ocean Rower Attempts Record-Breaking Solo Crossing, The Explorers Club Discovery Expedition Grantees, she and her team passed over two enormous gold mines, they made it into the San Francisco Chronicle. Parker Schnabel and his friends pay tribute to the legends before them and attempt the Klondike Trail of 1897. 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. Dr. DeCourcy searched for years, and was never able to find the three buttes the miner described on his death bed. The Vulture Mining Company was born. Some favorites include: Doc Thornes Lost Gold Mine: Next to the Lost Dutchmans Gold, the most talked about and searched for treasure in Arizona over the last century remains Doc Thornes gold. I've got to have help quick. Over this wall and back of the next rise is a prospect hold with large chunks of galena (lead sulfide) on the surface. While searching for the fluted wall, Ashley tumbled down a steep wash bank and, while nursing his bruises, noticed a ledge of pure white quartz streaked with red and green. He broke off a piece and put it in his sample sack. 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Thorne told his story to three solders in 1858, upon which the soldiers unsuccessfully set out to find the vein. Common reasons for the mines being lost include: Waltz and his partner, Jacob Weiser, worked the mine and allegedly hid one or more caches of gold in the Superstitions. But will big risks lead to an even bigger pay out? Scott Taylor/Flickr Then, in 1891, he died . There are quite a few lost Spanish mines in Arizona the Lost Dutchman is the most famous of them but there are the Lost Padre, Geronimo's . Maricopa County is also popular for prospecting because much of the gold here is found in sizable pieces that can be found with metal detectors . Years later, an army doctor by the name of Thorne treats an ailing Apache (possibly a chief) who as a reward takes him to the mine blindfolded, of course where he can take as much gold as he can carry. When we arrived, the parking area held a variety of license plates, from California to Florida. The group wandered around the desert unsuccessfully, and Pegleg ended up deserting the group and turn up later in Los Angeles. Legends and stories of gold mines filled the hearts, souls and minds of prospectors, driving them into some of the most dangerous and desolate lands in search of gold. Quite literally so, according to Southwestern Folklore author and researcher Byrd Granger. Pegleg's Lost Mine - video Riding on Gold - Pegleg Smith february 2004 arizona highways magazine eternal search for lost gold mines discover our newest desert preserve first peek at kartchner caverns big room the lure of wild orchids gold , gold ev. 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. 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. It has been looked for in Colorado, California and in two places in Arizona the other one being near Wickenburg, 180 km north-west of the, Granger distinguished three main elements to the story, with the most complete version of the story incorporating all three legends. Arizona Gold Mining Adventure, Phoenix. But did you know that they can all be found within Washingtons Olympic National Park? No one was ever able to follow the Indian into the desert to discover his secret gold mine. None of these maps featured any real location of the mine. Until its closure in 1998, the Gold Road mine in Oatman was Arizonas last operating gold mine. According to legend, this was when he spotted the large quartz outcropping, which later became the Vulture Mine. The ore was not the same as that at the Vulture Mine. Heres a roundup of the best mining clubs, tours, dig sites, claim staking, books and historical information to help you start your own quest for Arizona gold. 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. It told of the arrival of a prospector from the depths of the Superstition Mountains, from which he had been driven out by pigmy Indians, who had swarmed out of the cliff dwellings. Click here to read the original article. This area is known today as the Massacre Grounds. Today, the consensus among geologists is that the Superstitions are unlikely to contain a secret gold mine. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Are Electric Highways the Way of the Future? As you probably guessed, they were fakes. 623.934.6882 While on the butte, she saw a railroad construction camp where she was given water, food and time to rest. These sites exist in some of the most rugged, dangerous wilderness areas of the U.S. Forest Service, said George E. Johnston, president emeritus of the Superstition Mountain Museum. The men searched as far as the Gila River, near San Carlos and then up to the headwaters of the Gila and back again to Fort Apache, but they had no success and still undiscovered are the ashes of an old cabin where Adams told Bell, was buried gold dust worth at least $5,000. 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. Jacob Snively hit the first major gold strike around 1857 with sizeable nuggets found in the Gila River near Gila City, Arizonas first boom town. However, the name "Apache" came to be closely associated with the Superstitions, and the mountains became an Apache stronghold in the 1800s. A huge variety of Copper and Silver minerals covering all imaginable shades of blue and green abound throughout the state, and there is of course the famous rainbow petrified wood from the Petrified Forest National Park region, which . (Jameson, 2009). 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". At age 66, he went to the Superstitions alone, over the objections of his son and family. From Tucson and Sonora, they were joined by two large companies of Mexicans. In 1848, during a routine expedition to carry gold back to Mexico, the large party was ambushed by Apaches, and all were killed except for a few Peralta family members who escaped. Through the years, truth and fiction about this mine have been irrevokably mixed up, producing 62 varieties of the legend. 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