January 1933 a Mining electrican named J.A. WebBackground: The Lost Dutchman Mine was founded by a German prospector named Jacob "The Dutchman" Waltz in 1876. [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. There have been at least three discoveries of the mine since the 1960s, and in all three cases, good gold was found. "Dutchman's Gold" was the season 4, episode 19 of, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 00:14. (2004). He soon returned to Pinal, saying that he had found an old mine, describing it as the most God-awful rough place you can imagine a ghostly place. Dearing; however, continued to work as a bartender until he could save enough money for the excavation. WebFor more than 120 years, the legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine has haunted the minds and souls of treasure seekers throughout the world. The Lost Dutchmans Mine is featured in Season 1, Episode 21 of the television series Unsolved Mysteries. The episode first aired on April 12, 1989. He vanished and was never seen again. WebOne of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is the Lost Dutchman Mine. December 09, 2019 The next person to come across the mine was a man named Dr. Abraham Thorne. The story of the missing mine started when the Peralta family moved to the area in the early 19th century to try their luck at mining. Speculation was rampant, with some saying he was killed by Apache and others alleging he was killed by Waltz. [17] Note that tombstone pictured shows birth year as 1808. Sinking dozens of shafts into the mountainside, they found little gold, other than some scarce remains from the Peralta Massacre. It was tied in a blanket and his skull was found about thirty feet away. In the first decade of the 1700s, he began to explore the region, finding several sources of gold. But the mine remains shrouded in mystery, so much so that it might not exist at all. 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. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchman's mine. In 1978, a man named Manuel Valdez was murdered in the Superstitions. WebLost Dutchman Mine is a non-linear adventure game which puts the player in the role of a gold miner, circa 1860. Although there has been no proof that the mine exists, from then on, many people have joined the search for the hidden gold. Ruth had in his possession what he claimed was a map giving the location of Camping: 135 sites (68 with electric/water) and cabins can be reserved year-round through Arizona State Parks. WebThe Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Found! The Lost Dutchman story actually begins in the 1800s when the wealthy, Mexican Peralta family came to the region to work mines under a Spanish land grant. Said to be the most famous lost mine of all time, it continues to draw prospectors to the Superstition Mountains of Arizona in WebThe Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine is a fabled gold mine located in the Southwest, though it's exact whereabouts are unknown. Richman, Irwin. In 1970, a seasoned prospector named Al Morrow was killed by a boulder that fell into a tunnel that he was digging. The path to these riches is paved in mystery and doom. Although his gun was found under the body, the death was ruled suicide. When people tried to follow him out of town, he would lose them in the many clefts and canyons on the peak. Location: Apache Junction, AZ. December 09, 2019 Quick Facts: Lost Dutchman State Park Camping. In 1963, a man named Vance Bacon, also working to tunnel through Weavers Needle, fell to his death. However, Ruth ignored Barkely's advice, and set out for a two-week stint in the mountains. 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. 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. One of the game's goals is to earn money, which can be achieved by searching gold in a river, mining for gold, or capturing wanted criminals. For the next century, the Peralta family and their laborers would make infrequent forays into Arizona bringing out loads of ore. The second was the Big Rebel filed in the Walnut Grove Mining District. The Lost Dutchman Mine is the most famous in American history. However, Thorne had to agree to be blindfolded for the 20-mile trip. 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. Temperatures during the day can easily climb to more than 100 degrees and at higher elevations can drop into the freezing temperatures at night. That same year, two California boys, who were hiking on Superstition Mountain, also vanished. Web10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Visit website Call Write a review About This abandoned old mining town, which has been refurbished as a tourist attraction, includes a mine tour, rides and shops. The Superstition Mountains can be seen behind these old buildings in nearby Goldfield,Arizona by Kathy Weiser-Alexander. After the land was ceded to the United States, the Peralta party was trespassing on U.S. soil. 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. In 1984, a prospector named Walt Gassler, who had been searching for the Lost Dutchman for most of his life, was found dead in the Superstitions. During this time, the Apache had turned their wrath against the Arizona settlers and the U.S. Army. In 1955, Charles Massey, who was hunting with a 22, was found shot between the eyes by a heavy-caliber rifle bullet. Both died within two years. Jacob Waltz said the mine was a large funnel-shaped pit. They found gold in the 1840s but were ambushed by a local tribe of Apaches. However, by 1877, he and another man by the name of Jacob Weiser (or Wisner,) returned to the Superstitions. 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".[23]. 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. After spending all her money, Thomas made a living from selling maps of the supposed location. He was one of the few who were well-prepared to prospect in unpromising locations. He sent friends back to his home to see if they could find the gold that he had kept there. Never again did the Peralta family venture back to the mine and all maps and knowledge of its location were lost through the years. 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. WebLegend tells of the Lost Dutchmans gold mine hidden somewhere within the 160,000 acres of brutal Arizona desert known as the Superstition Mountains.. (St. Johns, Apache County, Arizona Territory [Ariz.]) 18851903, September 8, 1892, Image 2", Dunning, B. Another found it in the Western Superstitions. Magill's adventures were chronicled in the book The Killer Mountains, by Curt Gentry. 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. Some have died on the search. One man found it in the Four Peaks and extracted several thousand dollars of ore back when gold was $20 an ounce. The start of the most famous legend to come from the mountains, that of the Lost Dutchman Mine, begins with these fortune-seekers. Most believed that Ruth died, probably from the extreme desert heat, and his body was carried away in parts by wild animals. 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. Over the years, many people have tried to find the Lost Dutchmans mine, and several have lost their lives searching for gold hidden in the Superstition Mountains. Waltz is attacked and wounded by marauding Apaches, but survives at least long enough to tell a man called Dr. Walker about the mine. , The Waterbury Democrat. 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. A day-use entrance is $10 per vehicle. Ongoing discoveries of the Lost Dutchman Mine have continued for well over a hundred years. There have been at least three discoveries of the mine since the 1960s, and in all three cases, good gold was found. The Lost Dutchman Mine is said to be a rich goldmine located somewhere in the southwestern American state of Arizona. In 1748, the Superstitions, as well as some 3,750 square miles of what is now Arizona, were given to Mexican cattle-baron, Don Miguel Peralta of Sonora, in a land grant. Extensive flooding devastated the farm in 1891, and Waltz contracted pneumonia. Apache Before the Storm, Edwards S. Curtis, 1906. They found gold in the 1840s but were ambushed by a local tribe of Apaches. Gonzales claimed descendant from the Peralta family and said he had information on the whereabouts of the mine. One of the game's goals is to earn money, which can be achieved by searching gold in a river, mining for gold, or capturing wanted criminals. (However, in some versions,[14] the 'mine' is actually a cache put there by the Peraltas.). 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. Some months later, in December, a skull with two holes in it was discovered near the three Red Hills by an archaeological expedition. Fees: $25-$35 per campsite. 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]. It is easily accessible about 40 miles east of Phoenix via U.S. Highway 60, the Superstition Freeway. But in the 1990s, roughly 100 years after the Dutchmans death, Feldman believes he found it. The Indians called Superstition Mountain the Devils Playground.. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The St. Johns herald. Famed Apache Geronimo is sometimes mentioned in relation to this story. However, in 1846, four descendants of the original grant, Enrico, Pedro, Ramon, and Manuel Peralta, decided to make another foray into Arizona, risking not only the curse, but also the wrath of the Apache. The public is encouraged to submit proposed articles and inquiries to dayspast@sharlothallmuseum.org. More than 20 years later, in 1927, a New Jersey man and his sons were hiking the mountain when rocks began to roll down on them from the cliffs above as if someone had pushed the boulders. The soldiers are alleged to have presented some of the gold, but to have been killed or to have vanished soon after. 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 not his manner that earned him his eccentric reputation; rather, it was his appearance, his high intelligence and the isolated way that he lived. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. 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 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. [28], One fact against the existence of "Lost Dutchman Mine" is that Waltz was a "placer miner"; while the gold pieces he had were in quartz, the Superstition Mountains are in fact volcanic. At todays gold price, $1,270/ounce, his gold would be worth over $360,000. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. A note found in his checkbook claimed he had discovered the mine and included directions. 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. [3] Former Arizona Attorney General Robert K. Corbin is among those who have looked for the mine. Julia Thomas, having invested everything she owned into the venture to find the mine, never attempted to find it again. It involves murder, secrets, and a whole lotta sweet, sweet gold. They were never seen again. Two years later, in 1980, the skeleton of a man named Rick Fenning was found. 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. Location: Apache Junction, AZ. Four days later, an investigation determined it belonged to an Austrian student named Franz Harrier. The mystery is shrouded in history, lore and several curious deaths. 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. By 1872, Reavis was living in a high mountain valley near Pinal, where he farmed vegetables and hunted in his isolated mountain retreat. There is little evidence that he had any success. Whether out of greed or, some kind of dispute over how they would handle their new-found wealth, Hernandez killed his friend Ferreira. The soldiers replied that the ore had been picked up while crossing Superstition Mountain, where they had also spied an old mine. 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. People often asked of him the obvious questions Where was the gold coming from? In the Spring of 1891, Waltzs homestead was caught in a flood and he was saved from certain death by two brothers named Herman and Reinhardt Petrasch. But, they wouldnt make it. Though the coroner acceded that foul play might have been involved, the original statement was never changed. Clapp had been missing since July. Two months later, another prospector from Denver, Colorado named Walter J. Mowry was found in Needle Canyon. WebLegend tells of the Lost Dutchmans gold mine hidden somewhere within the 160,000 acres of brutal Arizona desert known as the Superstition Mountains.. The Lost Dutchman story actually begins in the 1800s when the wealthy, Mexican Peralta family came to the region to work mines under a Spanish land grant. Many believe it's hidden in the Superstition Mountains, and it's rumored a curse falls upon all those who try to find it. During their outing, Jenkins found a heavy quartz rock that he later learned was heavily laden with gold. In 1870, Waltz had a homestead of about 160 acres (0.65km2) near Phoenix where he operated a farm.[18]. 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. 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". One of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is 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. With the body were several gold nuggets. WebA curved arrow on a mysterious map inscribed on stone surfaces pointed to the identical place, confirming the location. It was then that the pair moved near the Superstition Mountain range. To determine if the skull was Ruth's, it was examined by Dr. Ale Hrdlika, a well-respected anthropologist who was given several photos of Ruth, along with Ruth's dental records. The earliest documentation of him in the U.S. is an 1848 affidavit in which Waltz declared himself to be "about 38 years old". Herman Petrasch accused his brother, Rhinehart, of not paying attention to Jacobs bedside clues and the disagreement led to their never speaking again. Five days later, another skeleton was found, which was later identified as William Richard Harvey, a painter from San Francisco. Sure that he was mad, even the Apache left him alone. Allegedly, there were rifle shots and indications of foul play. The first was the Gross Lode filed in the Walker Mining District. Does the Lost Dutchman Mine really even exist, or is it nothing more than a tall tale perpetuated throughout the years? Waltz began prospecting in California in the 1850s. WebOne of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is the Lost Dutchman Mine. Born in 1810 in Wrttemberg, he first appears in American records in 1848. Waltz also filed on one mine in just his name, the General Grant, also in the Walnut Grove Mining District. Two years later, another prospector from Denver, Colorado named Walter J. 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