Thomas Glover is the author of three books on Jacob Waltz and the Lost Dutchman Mine. WebThe Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine (also known by similar names) is, according to legend, a rich gold mine hidden in the southwestern United States. Suggest edits to improve what we show. It involves murder, secrets, and a whole lotta sweet, sweet gold. In the Fall of 1961, police began searching for a prospector by the name of Jay Clapp, who had been working on Superstition Mountain on and off for a decade and a half. One of the boys legs was crushed. 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. Later, Waltz was suspected of high-grading ore from the Vulture Mine and was dismissed. People have been seeking the Lost Dutchman's mine since at least 1892,[2] while according to one estimate, 9,000 people annually made some effort to locate the Lost Dutchman's mine. Many believe it's hidden in the Superstition Mountains, and it's rumored a curse falls upon all those who try to find it. In fear, the conquistadors finally fled, refusing to return to the mountain, which they dubbed Monte Superstition. The Pennsylvania Dutch Country. When the doctor agreed, he was taken to a place that was allegedly near the mine, where a pile of gold ore had been stacked near the base of the canyon wall. Ruth ended his note with the phrase "Veni, vidi, vici. Please contact SHM Library & Archives reference desk at 928-445-3122 Ext. Activities: Hiking, birdwatching, and stargazing. That same year, Robert St. Marie, who was attempting to drill a hole all the way through Weavers Needle, was killed by prospector Edward Piper. Jacob Waltz moved to the Salt River Valley in 1868 and purchased a 160-acre farm on the north bank of the Salt River. Julia Thomas, having invested everything she owned into the venture to find the mine, never attempted to find it again. The lost Dutchmans gold mine location Ramiro valdez Oct 28, 2021 2 Replies 38 Views 8K Sunday at 7:31 PM EDN E Peter's Canyon, The Jeauits, and the Lost Dutchman LDWhitneyAuthor Jan 22, 2023 2 3 Replies 55 Views 3K Feb 16, 2023 LDWhitneyAuthor Clue 4 Peaks Lined up as 1 ConceptualizedNetherlandr Apr 19, 2014 8 9 10 Replies 181 Views 23K Skeptoid Media, 29 Jan 2013. There are several paths that go through the brush and cacti. It does not. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. In 1949 a man named James Kidd disappeared in the Superstitions. It is thought that Apaches stole the gold and hid it in the mountains. It was not his manner that earned him his eccentric reputation; rather, it was his appearance, his high intelligence and the isolated way that he lived. 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. December 09, 2019 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. [9] As of 1975, ruins of the Peralta mine were standing.[9]. Superstition Mountain, Arizona by Kathy Weiser-Alexander. Some months later, in December, a skull with two holes in it was discovered near the three Red Hills by an archaeological expedition. Waltz began prospecting in California in the 1850s. 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 Ruths son, a lawyer, had helped a man called Pedro Gonzales with a legal matter and in return, was given some old maps. 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. In 1976, a prospector named Howard Polling was found dead of a gunshot wound. Next to his decomposing body was a small sack of gold ore. The lost mine is thought to be located somewhere near Weavers Needle, the main landmark of the Superstition Mountains, even though the area has been diligently searched by hundreds of people. He was one of the few who were well-prepared to prospect in unpromising locations. WebOne of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is the Lost Dutchman Mine. Despite his efforts, Willing was never able to recover the money he gave to Peralta. The tales of the Lost Dutchman mine might have passed into history if it wasnt for Adolph Ruth, who decided to find the gold in the summer of 1931. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. 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. The question is, if Jacob Waltz found a rich gold mine, why didnt he file a claim? Three years later his headless skeleton was finally discovered. Thorne earned the respect of tribal leaders as he cared for the sick and injured, and after curing several Apache of an eye disease, he was offered an opportunity to be led to the gold in the Superstitions in 1870. He was a student of mining and was knowledgeable in geology. The player was free to roam around the desert and town at will constrained only by the need to make sure they had enough food to eat and a safe place to sleep. Although there has been no proof that the mine exists many people have joined the search for the hidden gold. 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). [42] The park was expanded to 320 acres (130ha) in 1983. Waltz was buried in Phoenix at what is now called the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park. As Curt Gentry wrote, "Dr. Hrdlicka positively identified the skull as that of Adolph Ruth. WebOne of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is the Lost Dutchman Mine. Improve this listing Tours & experiences Explore different ways to experience this place. But the mine remains shrouded in mystery, so much so that it might not exist at all. By 1872, Reavis was living in a high mountain valley near Pinal, where he farmed vegetables and hunted in his isolated mountain retreat. The story of the Lost Dutchman Mine might have become just another obscure legend had it not been for an easterner named Dr. Adolph Ruth, an amateur treasure-seeker who ambled into the Superstitions in the summer of 1931. Not long after, the miners began to pay for supplies in nearby Phoenix with high-grade gold ore, but they never stated where it was coming from nor ever filed a claim. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. [17] Note that tombstone pictured shows birth year as 1808. In the 20 years following Waltzs death in October of 1891, the possible discovery of the mine was reported multiple times in newspapers from Bisbee to Tombstone to Phoenix. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. WebThe Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Found! Mason bought the ore from the men, outfitted them and entered a partnership with the pair to share in the profits. The player can freely explore a town and a vast desert, limited only by the protagonist's necessity to eat and rest. Just a week later he was killed in a cave-in without ever disclosing the location to anyone. 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. Clapp had been missing since July. Camping: 135 sites (68 with electric/water) and cabins can be reserved year-round through Arizona State Parks. Quite literally so, according to Southwestern Folklore author and researcher Byrd Granger. In 1865, Thorne was working as an army doctor at Fort McDowell, Arizona. 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. Activities: Hiking, birdwatching, and stargazing. 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? 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. Apparently, he Julia Thomas became the first searcher for the lost mine. Born in 1810 in Wrttemberg, he first appears in American records in 1848. Still, more men disappeared only to be found dead later, their bodies mutilated and their heads cut off. WebOngoing discoveries of the Lost Dutchman Mine have continued for well over a hundred years. One man found it in the Four Peaks and extracted several thousand dollars of ore back when gold was $20 an ounce. Fees: $25-$35 per campsite. In 1934 the Superstitions claimed the life of Adam Stewart, the cause of death unknown. In January 1961, a family picnicking near the edge of the mountain discovered the body of Hilmer Charles Bohen buried beneath the sand. Ironically, it is also one of the most found lost mines in America. The Lost Dutchman is Americas most famous lost mine, and many people have risked their lives searching for it. When the Peralta miners heard that the Apache might attack, they packed up, concealed the entrance to the mine, and with burros and wagons laden with gold, began to make their way back to Mexico in the winter of 1847-1848. The legend continued to grow and soon the lost mine was referred to as the Lost Dutchman, as many at the time confused the Germans with the Dutch. Thorne is said to be either unwilling or unable to relocate the mine. However, before relocating to what is now Pinal County, Arizona, Waltz worked at the Henry Wickenburgs Vulture Gold Mine near Wickenburg, Arizona. Another version of the tale states that Waltz actually learned of the mines location from Ken-tee. It involves murder, secrets, and a whole lotta sweet, sweet gold. (St. Johns, Apache County, Arizona Territory [Ariz.]) 18851903, September 8, 1892, Image 2", Dunning, B. Apparently, he Two more men who were hiking in the Superstitions that year became involved in some kind of dispute. The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine hit the headlines in 2009 when Denver native Jesse Capen, 35, disappeared in Arizona's Tonto National Forest during a search for the mine. After the land was ceded to the United States, the Peralta party was trespassing on U.S. soil. The Apache; however, refused to help them, telling them that if they dared to trespass on the sacred ground, the Thunder God would take revenge upon them, causing tremendous suffering and horrible deaths. WebBackground: The Lost Dutchman Mine was founded by a German prospector named Jacob "The Dutchman" Waltz in 1876. He was a student of mining and was knowledgeable in geology. Allowed to remove the blindfold, Thorne found himself in a canyon where a large unusual rock pinnacle loomed to the south. 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. [8] The mine was quite profitable, earning about $35,000 in less than one year; Blair described this as "an unusually good return" for such a small gold mine to earn in such a relatively brief period. 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