In January 1932, human remains were discovered about three-quarters of a mile (1.21km) from where the skull had been found. is, according to folktales, a magnificent, rich, Scrooge McDuck like repository of gold hidden somewhere in southwestern United States. The story differs but heres the most common take, mind you there are over 100 different versions of the Story. According to the story, the Apaches quickly descended upon the family to ruthlessly slaughter all of them but one, left alive solely to tell the tale not to mess with the lost mine to anyone who would listen. The family is later attacked and butchered in the so-calledPeralta massacre. https://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/superstition-mountains/index.html, They were once known in Spanish as Sierra de la Espuma . Supposedly one of their 18 mines was very rich and they considered it their alfa mine. Get the latest on your favorite shows, plus updates on HISTORY events and more. Next week I will list some clues that are absolutely relevant to what we have physically on site. Three documentary filmmakers set out on a journey into Arizona's Superstition Mountains to uncover the truth about the most famous lost gold mine in the world - the Lost Dutchman Mine, purportedly the home to a treasure worth 200 million dollars. Most likely because Pedro de Peralta had been the Spanish Governor of New Mexico (in the 1600s) his family name of "Peralta" was the inspiration for a number of legends in the American Southwest. In March of 2011 three filmmakers set out to find the mine and document their entire process. Randomly stopped by on my way home from Lost Dutchman State Park and I was super happy I did! Then his body would finally be found wedged into a remote and inaccessible crevice, with the official cause of death a mystery. The Valentine State. (Latin Heart Reader / Wikimedia Commons). Since Ruths death, there have been numerous other deaths or disappearances in the Superstition Mountains. Some carved stones in the area are referred to as "Peralta Stones" and Spanish text and crude maps on them are considered by some to be clues to the location of a Peralta family gold mine in the Superstition Mountains, although others believe the stones to be modern fakes. Seniors $6.00 (65 and older) TheSuperstition Mountains, furthermore, are the abode of the Thunder God, and he causes the frequent regional thunderstorms. Years later, a man called Dr. Thorne treats an ailing or wounded Apache (often alleged to be a chieftain) and is rewarded with a trip to a rich gold mine. The Peralta Massacre is a legend that Apaches supposedly ambushed a mining expedition the Peralta family sent into the mountains. 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. [13] In most versions of the tale, Jacob Waltz locates a rich gold mine in the Superstition Mountains (in many versions of the story, they rescue or help a member of the Peralta family and are rewarded by being told the location of the mine). Dark Mountain is beautifully directed and filmed, it really took me by surprise. Then around 1692, the Jesuit padre father Eusebio Francisco Kino arrived. Tack a map onto a wall, toss a dart and chances are youd hit an outskirt of nowhere with a small Fort Knox in its hills. Let may say this; it is not important who engraved the stones, and if itwas Tomlinson and he being the maker or someone else being the engraver of the stones while historically interesting it is not the most important thing. X while searching for the mines. The story of the Peralta Stones is that they lead you to a small almost invisible ledge, like a small birds nest perched in the middle of a forest of giant oaks concealed by the natural elements, it obscures itself from all beasts of prey especially man. Jacob Waltz, the Dutchman, a mischievous canard if ever there was one, becomes obsessed with the mine. The family is later attacked and butchered in the so-called, Jacob, meanwhile, the lone survivor, is near catatonic. [19][20] After this was unsuccessful, Thomas and her partners were reported to be selling maps to the mine for $7 each. Long before Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and grifter-socialite Anna Delvey, we had the Gold Rush and even today, plenty of Americans are still fixated on an either long-lost or fictional gold mine in Arizona's Superstition Mountains.For more than a century, adventurous souls have sought the Lost Dutchman Mine, and since 1891 . Many people took the landmark to be the Weavers Needle but had no luck finding any gold nuggets in its vicinity. Mysterious bodies turned up in the Superstition Mountains all through the 1960s and 70s, with at least five people found dead with bullet holes to the skulls, and with other bodies found minus the heads, which were never found. 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". To this end he lived for years among their ranks, learning their ways and tending to their sick and wounded. (However, in some versions,[14] the 'mine' is actually a cache put there by the Peraltas.). [9] As of 1975, ruins of the Peralta mine were standing.[9]. The mountain is also frequented with mysterious sounds that many people have claimed to have heard. Fun, family friendly historical site with a lot to see including replicas of old buildings, plenty of hiking, a gift shop and free lectures by locals describing how life was like. Non one really knows, but the answers just may lie out there in the desolate reaches of those desert badlands. Gone. 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. It was the fifth-largest fire in Arizonas history, it raged for over a month, despite the strenuous containment efforts of over 600 firefighters. Pingback: Legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Parts 2 & 3: Finally Found! The Superstition Mountains are a mountain range east of Phoenix and are known for their picturesque volcanic peaks and and jagged canyons. It is truly magnificent at twilight., The Apacheland barn figured prominently in dozens of western films and TV western episodes shot at the original Gold Canyon movie ranch. Theyre filled to the brim with ghosts and spirits. Months pass, years some say, until one day Jacob comes back battered and bloody atop a lame mule. 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. Since Ruth's death, there have been several other deaths or disappearances in the Superstition Mountains. When they immigrated to Pennsylvania from Deutschland (Germany), the locals mistook Deutsch for Dutch. To begin with, there was never any real Dutchman involved with the lost gold mine. On July 11, 2010, Utah hikers Curtis Merworth, Ardean Charles, and Malcolm Meeks went missing in the Superstition Mountains while looking for the mine. And the answer is absolutely yes! The lost stash of gold, which has gone on to be rather oddly known as the Lost Dutchmans Mine, has catapulted itself into one of the most intriguing unsolved modern mysteries there is, and the allure of its undiscovered riches has led many people to their deaths, with some estimates saying that over 600 people have mysteriously died or vanished during attempts to try and pry it from its ancient resting place. Near Apache Junction, Arizona there is a place called the Supersition Mountains where legends and superstitions come alive to tell their ghostly tales. Waltz is also said to make a deathbed confession to Julia Thomas, and draws or describes a crude map to the gold mine. There have been many stories about how to find the mine, and each year people search for the mine. Supposedly a mine with fabulously rich gold deposits. In later years, in 1945, a would-be treasure hunter named Barry Storm would claim that as he had been out looking for the treasure he had been fired upon by a mysterious sniper who he called Mr. A group of modern day treasure hunters search for the Lost Dutchman mine in the Superstition mountain range of Arizona. Lost Dutchman State Park - Check out the Superstition Mountain and Museum plus the Lost Dutchman State Park.Goldfield Mine Legend tells of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine hidden somewhere. Most recently, in 2009 there was a would-be treasure hunter by the name of Jesse Capen, a 35-year old bellhop from Denver who was in his free time by all accounts fascinated and obsessed with the legend of the Lost Dutchmans mine. He died on October 25, 1891, after having been nursed by an acquaintance named Julia Thomas (she was usually described as a quadroon). The staff and volunteers at this Museum were all very friendly and helpful. There is a $7 day use fee to enter the park, which is waived if you're camping ($15/night). Superstition Mountain at night. He turned out to be the surviving Peralta, and, to express his gratitude, he gave them directions to his familys gold mine in the Superstition Mountains. The man is barely alive. Yep, more footage has been found, kids. Blair insisted that the Peralta portion of the story is unreliable, writing: "The operation of a gold mine in the Superstitions by a Peralta family is a contrivance of 20th century writers". Mysteries of the Superstition Mountains 30.3K subscribers 251K views 2 years ago Ever heard of the Hermit of the Superstition Mountains or wondered what the legend was behind calling Elisha. The Village exhibit includes two brush structures, some call Wickiups (the Apache people call them Gowah --our home); a cooking area and hide drying rack. The Grand Canyon State. His campsite and vehicle were recovered shortly afterward. Finally did a little digging and it sounded interesting. Starring Sage Howard, Andrew Simpson, and Shelby. [16] A man called Jacob Walz was born in September 1810 in Wrttemberg. There are several paths that go through the brush and cacti. In appreciation, Gonzales told Erwin about the Peralta mine in the Superstition Mountains and an antique map of the site. More please. Ruth vanished while hunting for the mine in the summer of 1931. This is your spot. [11] According to Blair, the origin of this story can be traced to a doctor named Thorne who was in private practice in New Mexico in the 1860s. But Blair suggested that this core story was distorted in subsequent retellings, comparing the many variants of the Lost Dutchman's story to the game of Chinese whispers, where the original account is distorted in multiple retellings of the tale.[15]. The story of the Lost Dutchmans Mine would go on to become a persistent legend and obsession for many would-be treasure hunters over the years. However, there were no directions to the conquest mentioned in his diary. The story became a national sensation and suddenly everyone knew about the mines and its horror riddled backstory. They either mined or found enormous gold deposits in the Superstition Mountains. FREE with paid Adult The closest approximate was a German miner of the PennsylvaniaGerman community. Find a wide array of distinctive and unique items including books, apparel, local Native American arts and crafts and seasonal gift selections. Over the years, subsequent search for the mines has only lead to heartache and death. As with most of the terrain encompassing the Phoenix metropolitan area, and the Superstition Mountains, have a desert environment, with scorching summer temperatures and sparse sources of water. As predicted by Waltz none are miners, they are in fact like most folks that are reading this post, just regular hard-working everyday folks with normal jobs, going to their kids ball games, playing a round of golf, and in the fall deer hunting and going to Blue Jackets NHL games. The neighboursJulia Thomas, Rhinehart Petrasch, and Hermann Petraschspent weeks looking for the gold, but failed to find it. According to the story, in about 1912 Erwin C. Ruth gave some legal aid to Gonzales, saving him from almost certain imprisonment. Is this all just a spooky legend or id there something more to it? Some of you reading this may know a lot, about the Lost Dutchman Goldmine, others may be new to the story of the Lost Dutchman Mine, so before going much further, I will do a very quick overview. These are rectangular, cross-shaped, and heart-shaped stones with etchings of a horse, a priest, a dagger, a trail, topographic features, and Spanish inscriptions. In late November or early December 2009, Denver, Colorado citizen Jesse Capen disappeared in the Tonto National Forest. [42] The park was expanded to 320 acres (130ha) in 1983. The Superstition Mountains, with a name like that you might as well give away fancy proton-backs, of the Ghostbuster variety, at the visitors center, is a series of jagger tooth mountains in Arizona just the east of Phoenix. [3] Former Arizona Attorney General Robert K. Corbin is among those who have looked for the mine. In January 2011, three sets of remains assumed to be those of the lost men were retrieved. Eight months later their camera and cell phones were recovered along the western edge of LaBarge Canyon. Members of the Apache tribe were said to have a truly valuable gold mine located in the Superstition Mountains. The University of Arizona is the oldest college in the state, existing before Arizona achieved statehood. As the mountains have a desert climate and few water resources, there is not much vegetation here. The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable and I am looking forward to returning with my kids. Adults $7.00 Capens corpse was found three years later in November 2012 by a local search and rescue organization, stuffed into a crevice. There have been other mysterious and ominous disappearances as well, including an abandoned campsite found in the mountains in 1958 complete with blood-soaked blankets, but no bodies and no suspect. Jacob Waltz took to returning to the mountains only when he needed the gold. People off his Mine that he cover up with a ironwood tree :The books give me my The Pima Indians famously feared the mountain that they knew as Ain-we-gophon (Superstition Mountain). During Kinos time other Missionaries in California and Mexico were jealous and suspicious of Kino because, while they were poor and struggled his missions were rich and flourished, they said he had a secret gold mine from which he took rich gold and funded his missions and rancheros amassing 50 thousand head of cattle making him the Southwests first mega rancher. In 1977, 292 acres (118ha) abutting the Tonto National Forest were set aside as the Lost Dutchman State Park. Famed Apache Geronimo is sometimes mentioned in relation to this story. He further stated, after examining the two holes [in the skull], that it appeared that a shotgun or high-powered rifle had been fired through the head at almost point-blank range, making the small hole when the bullet entered and the large hole when it exited. Hanna-Barbara, Jean Giraud, and Don Rosa have incorporated the story in their cartoons. Today along route 88 is a pull off gravel road, that leads out behind the Lost Dutchman Museum, you follow it to a designated area, here you will find marked trail signs with trails simply marked as the Massacre Grounds.. 2023 Copyright Phoenix Ghosts. The park offers 134 campsites, each with a picnic table, barbeque grill, and fire pit, and 68 equipped with electric hook-ups and water. Waltz was buried in Phoenix at what is now called the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park. Blair suggested that "fragments of this legend have perhaps become attached to the mythical mine of Jacob Waltz".[6]. After an intensive search, Ruths skull was was found at the bottom of a remote ravine, sitting out there all alone in the unforgiving desert. For a small fee you can see items owned by locals and learn all about the local history. By what name was Legend of the Superstition Mountains (2015) officially released in Canada in English? Travis Tumlinson, a policeman, discovered the Peralta Stones on a roadside near the Superstition Mountains in the 1940s. The headline that entangles those mountains in macabre tales and sinister ghost fantasies is the legend of the Lost Dutchmans Gold Mine. "Tex" Bradford of Globe Arizona went in search of the "Lost Dutchman Mine"; by October 1933 he had been missing for nine months. [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. The search, nevertheless, still continues. Come on down! In 2003, a beautiful new museum, composed of an exhibit gallery and a gift shop and a small office, was dedicated and opened at 4087 E. Apache Trail (State Route 88). The men must deal with a lack of water and the fact that the map leads him into lands held sacred by the Apaches. See production, box office & company info. This is their turf and only the highly experienced and prepared should venture forward. The multi-acre museum site soon saw the addition of a historic Cossack 20-Stamp . There are still those who obsessively search for it and try to decode its secrets, but no one has ever really quite managed to find it, to the point that many skeptics question whether it ever really existed at all. Over the next few weeks we will provide some images and photos taken at or very near the site. Blair suggested that this Waltz could be the same Waltz who later came to be regarded as the legendary Dutchman, and that he Americanized the spelling of his family name. [1], The Lost Dutchman's is perhaps the most famous lost mine in American history. The Superstitions are one of four mountains which mark the ancestral territory of the Apache People. , The Waterbury Democrat. Superstition Mountains and the Lost Dutchman Mine The lost Dutchman Gold mine is generally believed to be somewhere near or in the Superstition Mountains in Arizona. 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). Later, he remarked that he had noticed a towering rock formation nearby, but otherwise remained clueless about the whereabouts of the place. The soldiers have stalked back to town, fistfuls of gold but their sanity shot, only to die a day later or in one case, murdered while rambling on and on about the, Adolph Ruth is really the amateur explorer and treasure hunter that made the mines into a national phenomenon. According to their folklore, the mountain guards an ancient storehouse of precious metals and treasures, and anyone who ventures forth to get the treasure is likely to die. 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. However, Ruth ignored Barkely's advice, and set out for a two-week stint in the mountains. In fact, after five years including thousands of hours of research and then four expeditions starting in 2015, The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine has been found by Arcana Exploration and Discovery. , on the northeast side, includes a favorite trail that heads up to Fremont Saddle; picturesque panoramic views of most of the locale. He would vanish into thin air for his efforts. According to the account, 1912 Erwin C. Ruth gave s Gonzales legal aid, saving the riff-raff from almost certain imprisonment. He had metal pins in his leg, and used a cane to help him walk. [volume], October 11, 1933, Page NINE, Image 9, "Arizona desert searched for missing Denver man seeking gold mine", "Mother of missing treasure hunter holds onto hope", "Body of man who hunted legendary 'Lost Dutchman's' gold mine believed found in Arizona mountains", "3 Utah men still missing on Arizona treasure hunt", "3 Search for men looking for Lost Dutchman's gold suspended", "More remains found in Superstitions; may be hiker's", "Escape - When The Man Comes, Follow Him", "The Lost Dutchman's Mine History and Bibliography", Arizona Mining Scams and Unassayable Ore Projects of the Late 20th Century, "Skeptoid #347: The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lost_Dutchman%27s_Gold_Mine&oldid=1137505190. These trails traverse from the desert floor up into the edges of the mountains. The stones are named for an obscure "Peralta family", said to be an old and powerful Mexican family. Their bodies were never found but their camera was. And, amazingly, a few of these people were also found in the same headless state as Adolph Ruth. It was speculated that he had fallen or even jumped, but it is still a mystery, just another casualty of the futile search for the lost treasure. Around 1860 a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz moved into the Wickenburg Arizona area about 80 miles from Phoenix. The Lost Dutchman Mine, Arizona - Legends of America The Lost Dutchman Mine, Arizona Superstition Mountain, Arizona by Kathy Weiser-Alexander One of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is the Lost Dutchman Mine. The Peralta family would go on to be suspected of having left some evidence behind of their discovery in the form of a series of odd stones mysteriously etched with codes, pictograms, and cryptic messages written out in imperfect Latin, which are said to hold the key to finding the treasure and which have been dubbed the Peralta Stones. These stones were allegedly written up by the family shortly before their massacre and left behind by Apaches who did not know their true meaning and so left them to rot away in the sun. Youll find us in the rugged 160,000 acre Superstition Mountain range in the Tonto National Forest in Central Arizona. 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'. Afterwards, Waltz fell ill (he was rumored to have contracted pneumonia during the flooding). A must see if you are by the Superstition Mountains. The roofs of the cave are blackened from centuries of Native Ameri Go Wildcats! Willing died in 1874 before there had been a thorough investigation of the documents or opportunity to cross examine him on the stand as was later done with Reavis. [32] An alternate view which better fits the lost mine legend is that he periodically appeared with large amounts of gold, The Sterling Legend by Estee Conatser reports that a Jacob Walzer sold $250,000 in gold to the U.S. Mint during the 1880s and had $1500 when he died in 1891. The museum with its indoor and outdoor exhibits is a pleasant surprise and definitely worth your time if youre going on the Apache Trail or to the nearby Lost Dutchman State Park. Early on during the Spanish Conquest, Conquistadors such as Francisco Vazquez de Coronado (1535) came to the American southwest (New Spain) in search of gold trying to locate, Montezumas Seven Cities of Cibola. There is a Superstition Mountain Museum at 4087 N. Apache Trail, Highway 88 in Apache Junction. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It started out as an exciting day for us all on February 25th, 2016. The Supers are east - northeast of Phoenix. The mine is named after German immigrant Jacob Waltz,18101891. For the first time ever, Arcana Exploration has undeniable physical proof that the mine exists, proof that is to say, photographic physical documentation that many of the generally excepted clues, are in fact real and do exist and are physically present in one location. Web. You came here for the nasty bits that are constantly swept under the rug. Cursed, blighted, tainted, whatever you want to call it. And is that information relevant? Whether a wedding, elopement,, The amphitheater and other outdoor locations on the Museum's property are available for outdoor events including small catered receptions. Because of what we have discovered at the site, Arcana Exploration believes we have proof for the first time that there is a common link between Waltz and the Peraltas. You came for the yellow rag gossip. For the price, this is well worth the visit. Instead, he went missing and his skull was found 6 months later with two large circular holes. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. (Doug Dolde / Wikimedia Commons). Blair argued that this Peralta story (well known to Arizona residents) was eventually incorporated in the Lost Dutchman's story, in a severely distorted version, following the renewed interest in the Lost Dutchman's mine in the 1930s. Here he worked at the Vulture Mine as a paid miner. This is very important! Tales of these other Lost Dutchman's mines can be traced to at least the 1870s. The elder Ruth had fallen and badly broken several bones while seeking the lost Pegleg mine in California. These are tall, volcanic formations in the wilderness and are popular as hiking destinations. They are mysterious, they are cool as ice, and for all those Dark Tourism enthusiasts, they are full of legends and weird happenings. Ruths response? Later I will give more details and then begin providing information on how things fit together. January 1933 a Mining electrican named J.A. It does not matter if Tomlinson engraved them or someone else did, exactly when they were made is not important, what matters is what is on them. Yes, the deserts of Arizona carry a spooky secret. About this campaign You may also be interested in Gogopicks Funding The MOST PROFESSIONAL Smart Toothpaste Dispenser Check it out! Yet the mountains and their cursed treasure would get their most well-known mystery with the arrival of a German immigrant named Jacob Walz, also often spelled Waltz, who was a gold prospector in the Phoenix valley in the late 1800s. Padre Kino founded many missions including Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson. In December of 1949 a man named James Kidd vanished without a trace in the area as well. There have been many books, films, and cartoons about the Lost Gold of the Superstition Mountains. Lots to see on site from a barn, trains, petting zoo on Saturdays, little gift shop, and a labyrinth and even a chapel dedicated to Elvis. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. Wasnt it Dutch? DARK MOUNTAIN is the chilling reconstruction from their footage of their last days. Erwin gave the data to his father Adolph. Some places have long been thought to be simply no good. According to these legends, this treasure was almost never seen by mortal eyes, at least not by anyone who lived to tell about it, but there are some tales of outsiders stumbling across it. But what they actually found has been a hidden secret that people have been trying to piece together for last 125 years. [12] Thorne related his claims to three U.S. soldiers in about 1858. OH, I almost forgot there is no cell phone service absolutely none. As Curt Gentry wrote, "Dr. Hrdlicka positively identified the skull as that of Adolph Ruth.

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