"The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine." [16] A man called Jacob Walz was born in September 1810 in Wrttemberg. And now we get to the real problem with these legends there's basically zero evidence any of them ever happened. In speaking with one local historian and trusted source, he connects quite a few players to the site, not the least of which is Herman Petrasch. It's very possible the clues are also unverifiable legends people have clung on to in hopes of finding riches. To underline his great find, he had also written Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, and I conquered) in his diary. . Supposedly a mine with fabulously rich gold deposits. Come on. Silvermines - Wikipedia Alleged lost gold mine in the Superstition Mountains. ZERO ZIP NADA!! That's not even counting those hunting the treasure in the ensuing years. Official estimates vary (the Superstition Mountains are also a popular hiking area and sometimes it's likely difficult to tell if someone was just hiking and got lost or was looking for the Lost Dutchman), but there are at least some every decade. Generally speaking, this mine is claimed to be situated in the Superstition Mountains, described by one source as "a collection of rough terrain that has gained the name of a single mountain" which lies to the east of Phoenix, the Arizonan capital. Instead, he went missing and his skull was found 6 months later with two large circular holes. That is not to say that it was hidden in plain sight, defying discovery under our very noses, but rather that it was concealed by the collective expectations of generations of Dutch Hunters, veiled in legend. It is about three and a half miles of rough trail, though, if youre observant, you will eventually come across some of the more infamous Dutchman clues. July 3, 1947 James A Cravey, age 62, a retired photographer, was reported missing after he had chartered a helicopter June 19, 1947 to drop him off in the Superstition Mountains to look for the Lost Dutchmans Mine. Within the refuge are 14 trail heads that cover 190 miles. In June 1931, Ruth set out to locate the lost Peralta mine. Allegedly, people saw the Jesuits come up to the Superstition Mountains with their loads of gold, but when they were spotted again on the other side, the mules carried no loads. Admission Even if the stories of soldiers looking specifically for the Lost Dutchman mine are true, there's no evidence they actually found anything at all and didn't just move on empty-handed, no mysterious deaths required. Legends have. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination for residents of the Phoenix, Arizona, area. Click here for Part Eleven ofThe Lost Dutchman Mine. Jacob Waltz took possession of his mine in 1869, six years before the Silver Chief was filed as an original location. There have been many stories about how to find the mine, and each year people search for the mine. These cookies do not store any personal information. . In fact, Julia Thomas was the very first so-called "dutch hunter," combing through the mountains and seeking the lost gold. When you visit, follow the hard rock mining process from mine to bullion. "The St. Johns herald. He had worked as a miner but was an amateur prospector at best. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchman's mine. According to some storytellers, in September 1848, a band of Apaches slaughtered the entire Peralta Family, except one (someone had to live to tell the tale). They didnt find it because its not in the superstitions Too bad i cant post pictures, because i know exactly where it is, Did you ever think the Dutchman might have used another mine location to through Weavers Needle, a peak located in the Superstition Mountains. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. Cravey said he would walk out of the mountains on June 28, 1947. Mine records show that one possibly two Peralta family members with possible links connecting them to the 1848 massacre, also worked at the Vulture mine during the same time period as Waltz. Waltz did claim to have a treasure, but he really didn't and was simply telling tall tales to make his life seem more interesting, then Julia Thomas believed him. They found what they were looking for and then some, according to Lost Dutchman State Park. Except perhaps not. "Tex" Bradford of Globe Arizona went in search of the "Lost Dutchman Mine"; by October 1933 he had been missing for nine months. Researchers point to an old beliefby local farmersthat the nearby Pima Native American tribe were superstitious about the mountains. , The Waterbury Democrat. 4087 East Apache Trail These trails traverse from the desert floor up into the edges of the mountains. He reportedly said it came from a secret mine in the Superstition Mountains. The Lost Dutchman Mine Part Eleven: The Stone Maps, The Lost Dutchman Mine Part Ten: The Dutch Hunters, Linda Hazzard: Seattles First Serial Killer. There are other legends about gold in the Superstition Mountains. C. Colt1911 Tenderfoot. Hanna-Barbara, Jean Giraud, and Don Rosa have incorporated the story in their cartoons. There have been many books, films, and cartoons about the Lost Gold of the Superstition Mountains. Over the next few weeks and months I will share some photos that will not give away the location but will show things that until now have never been shown before. Mining Folklore - The Midnight Society [5] One Lost Dutchman's mine is said to be in Colorado, another in California; two are said to be located in Arizona. Then the Apaches killed Jacob Weiser,or according to some, Waltz himself did it. Rogers was partnered with Aaron Mason, foreman of the Silver King mine. [42] The park was expanded to 320 acres (130ha) in 1983. In January 1932, human remains were discovered about three-quarters of a mile (1.21km) from where the skull had been found. It can also be a touchy subject to broach, depending on who you are speaking with. It appears no one ever bothered to just ask the Native Americans in the area if the mountains were sacred. Waltz died in 1891 of pneumonia, but before he passed, he gave a few final clues to the location of his mine and even provided a crude map to it. (Chris J / Flickr). 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. I understand that it has been filled in recently and the surrounding area may have been hit by recent wildfires. People off his Mine that he cover up with a ironwood tree :The books give me my This is only speculation, what I do know is that, people who have dismissed the information on the stones, no matter who carved the stones, those non believers have been badly mistaken. Many other mysterious deaths in the Superstition Mountains followed that of Ruths in the subsequent years, including two soldiers from the U.S. Army. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. For more. Allegedly, Dr. Thorne tried to find the cave again but was unsuccessful, or found it and was killed. Let's start with the basics. Adults $7.00 We know today they're not actually sedimentary rock, but volcanic, according to Lost Dutchman State Park. 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. (2004). The Dutchman Crazy Jake Adolph Ruth Train Robberies Indian Wars Ted DeGrazia. He had acquired maps that he was sure would lead him straight to the gold. In some versions of this story, Waltz was actually plundering these shrines for his own gold. According to Blair, the story may have its roots in the efforts of three U.S. soldiers to locate gold in an area of New Mexico, based on an allegedly true story related to them by Dr. Thorne of New Mexico; see above. The search, nevertheless, still continues. Everyone loves a good treasure hunting story. Up on the mountain, if someone breaks a leg; it will take at least two on the team to get you down; it is dangerous for three healthy climbers, much less one with broken body parts. 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. Arcadia Publishing. 1: Recorded description of the museum. [19][20] After this was unsuccessful, Thomas and her partners were reported to be selling maps to the mine for $7 each. He really did die in 1891 of pneumonia. The story goes that in the mid-1700s, the Superstition Mountains were visited by a group of priests of the Jesuit Order, and they came with over 240 mules loaded down with gold, according to the Denver Post. 9 May 2022. [4], Robert Blair wrote "[t]here have been at least four legendary Lost Dutchman's gold mines in the American West, including the famed Superstition mine of Jacob Waltz". 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Silver Chief Mine - Western Mining History Legend tells of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine hidden somewhere within the 160,000 acres of brutal Arizona desert known as the "Superstition Mountains." The promise of a $200 million mother. January 1933 a Mining electrican named J.A. Additionally, there is a partial tunnel, or drift, in the canyon below that moves in the direction of the main shaft and was crudely walled up. Lastly, the alleged mine directions Ruth had were from an 1895 newspaper account. 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. Eventually, the conquistador ordered his men to flee and he never returned to the mountains, which they called Monte Supersticin, thus giving the mountains the name of Superstition. Choice of of building material I like Ironwood +, There is a typo that should be alpha mine not alfa mine. And the answer is absolutely yes! This also fits Waltzs description. Blair suggested that "fragments of this legend have perhaps become attached to the mythical mine of Jacob Waltz".[6]. The Supers are east northeast of Phoenix. The map is supposedly filled with clues, and there are many others purportedly given by Waltz at various points in his life according to legends, but it's hard to prove he actually ever said any of those things. The newcomers, thus, became the Pennsylvania Dutch. Ruth disappeared while searching for the mine in the summer of 1931. The Legend Of The Lost Dutchman And His Gold Mine Explained Tantalizingly, Ruth's checkbook was also recovered, and proved to contain a note written by Ruth wherein he claimed to have discovered the mine and gave detailed directions. 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. FREE with paid Adult The legend of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine is a quintessential version of just such a story. Children 10 and under Arcana has had the luxury of having had the site location for over three years, and for this reason we have been able to reverse engineer, historical information and put many of the pieces together. It's unclear if Waltz himself ever specifically claimed to have a secret gold mine in the mountains, but one woman said he did claim just that Julia Thomas, Jacob Waltz's friend and neighbor, according to Skeptoid. Jacob's Trail : The legend of jacob waltz's lost dutchman gold Mine 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. The Lost Dutchman State Park, which opened in 1977 and has the Peralta Trail, is also a nod at the legend. 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. There are lots of similar tales of gold-hunting soldiers, too, from all over the southwest. (Part 1) When the Spanish explorers discovered and began the exploration of the Americas the King of Spain required that a priest accompany the conquistadors. As the story goes, Waltz had some minor success drawing gold out of the mountains, and eventually, he started coming back to town with huge loads of high-grade gold ore. We miss it. Going on a year now. The earliest documentation of him in the U.S. is an 1848 affidavit in which Waltz declared himself to be "about 38 years old". Cox also believed he had found the Dutchman, though it is unclear to which one of his claims he made this attribution. Regardless, Dr. Thorne helped the man and he recovered, according to Legends of America. 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. The average high temperature in June, July and August, is 104 degrees. 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. Those who have been inside describe it as like an hourglass on its side, with a narrow entrance, an open area with a wide,stopedceiling, and a tapering end.