OH, I almost forgot there is no cell phone service absolutely none. In later years there is the story of the adventurous Spanish born Doctor Abraham Thorne, who was at the time living among the Natives of the region and studying their medical practices. Here he worked at the Vulture Mine as a paid miner. Lights, screams, and shadows of Apache armies have been reported. So let me say it again, the documentation found ON the stones is the most important thing not so much who carved them. This account is usually dated to about 1870. A TwinTygr Film. According to the Apaches (North American Indians), the entryway to hell is in the Superstition Mountains. Non one really knows, but the answers just may lie out there in the desolate reaches of those desert badlands. In the year 1870, with his consent, they blindfolded him and took him on a 20-mile trip to an unknown location piled with gold ore. The headline that entangles those mountains in macabre tales and sinister ghost fantasies is the legend of the Lost Dutchmans Gold Mine. 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. Months pass, years some say, until one day Jacob comes back battered and bloody atop a lame mule. My husband has been enthralled with all the wonderful tales of the mountains since his college days a long time ago. After moving to the area, Ruth lingered numerous days at the ranch of Tex Barkely to outfit his expedition. Ruth ignored Barkelys help and set out for a two-week stint into cliffs. Barkely repeatedly urged Ruth to abandon his search for the mine, because the terrain of the Superstition Mountains was treacherous even for experienced outdoorsmen, let alone for the 66-year-old Ruth in the heat of the Arizona summer. It is generally accepted that the Peraltas and roughly 400 peon miners were massacred by the Apaches sometime around 1848. The rest of his remains were found a month later about a mile away. Padre Kino founded many missions including Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson. His skull with two holes in it identified as bullet holes was recovered about six months after he vanished, and the story made national news, thus sparking widespread interest in the Lost Dutchman's mine.[22]. 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. These are tall, volcanic formations in the wilderness and are popular as hiking destinations. (Chris J / Flickr). In appreciation, Gonzales told Erwin about the Peralta mine in the Superstition Mountains and an antique map of the site. What is important is the informational content recorded on the stones. [21], Were it not for the death of amateur explorer and treasure hunter Adolph Ruth, the story of the Lost Dutchman's mine would probably have been little more than a footnote in Arizona history as one of hundreds of "lost mines" rumored to be in the American West. 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. Our focus is on providing visitors with an experience of the Old West. The Apaches were either enraged over the violation of their sacred mountains or wanted to steal the gold from them. This is their turf and only the highly experienced and prepared should venture forward. 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 . Hrdlicka positively identified the skull as that of Adolph Ruth. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. [17] Note that tombstone pictured shows birth year as 1808. "Most. Lights, screams, and shadows of Apache armies have been reported. Dont expect High Street class; do expect old West charm, plenty of local history and lore, and the beautiful backdrop of the Superstition Mountains, not to mention a surprisingly good gift shop. Museum Members are FREE. Without doubt the most controversial but easily the most studied, researched and written about of all the historical documentation involving the Superstition Mountains, are the famous Peralta Stones. There are numerous hiking trails that hikers can access from multiple points, one of the more well-known ones being the Peralta Trailhead. Ruth disappeared while searching for the mine in the summer of 1931. 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. The gift shop also has an indoor museum. 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]. T Just a few miles south of Tucson lies Colossal Cave, an often overlooked natural landmark with well over a thousand years of history. Yes, the deserts of Arizona carry a spooky secret. For the price, this is well worth the visit. Though the remains had been scattered by scavengers, they were undoubtedly Ruth's. Come on down! Is this all just a spooky legend or id there something more to it? 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 Superstition Mountain Historical Society was formed on December 27, 1979. Richman, Irwin. [10] Trouble came after Willing learned that the deed was entirely bogus. (2004). 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. 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. 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. 27.07 - MU Plus+ Podcast - Flames of Prophecy, 29.07 - MU Podcast - Contract with the Goddess, 27.06 - MU Plus+ Podcast - Secret Vaults of Time, 29.06 - MU Podcast - Italian Disco Abductions, The Mystery of New York's Renegade Subway Psychic, Forget About What We Know About Roswell: It's What's Missing About the Case That We Need to Look For, Archeologists Discover Another Secret Corridor Inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, A Boat-Swallowing Sea Monster of Norse Legends Still Lives Today, Ghosts, Fairies, and a Spectral Hag on Canada's Most Haunted Island, More on the Matter of the Most Dangerous Creature of the Mind: The Slenderman, Unmarked Black Helicopter Above Chicago Sparks Conspiracy Theories, "What's the Creepiest Thing You've Ever Seen or Heard?" A raspberry into the face of common sense. These trails traverse from the desert floor up into the edges of the mountains. , on the northeast side, includes a favorite trail that heads up to Fremont Saddle; picturesque panoramic views of most of the locale. Ruths response? Randomly stopped by on my way home from Lost Dutchman State Park and I was super happy I did! Two prospectors saved his life and, in gratitude, he gave them directions to the gold mine, thus setting off a wild goose chase that continues to the present day. Waltz relocated to Arizona in the 1860s, and stayed in the territory for most of the rest of his life. DARK MOUNTAIN is the chilling reconstruction from their footage of their last days. However, things can go wrong. Also in that year was the disappearance of two young boys, Ross Bley and Charles Harshbarger, whose bodies were never found. Subscribe Today! Along with the, The Superstition Mountain Museum presents a celebration of fine art from Mexico at this free three-day event, March 10-12, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 4, Private Events have become an important part of the Superstition Mountain Museum event schedule over the past few years, and next season will be no, As a member of the Apache Trail Attractions Committee, Superstition Mountain Museum shares in the concern with reopening Apache Trail (SR-88) from Apache Junction all, On November 25-27, 2022 and again on December 10-11, the museum will be hosting Holiday Boutiques featuring artists and merchants displaying and selling their unique, The Superstition Mountain Historical Society was awarded an Arizona Humanities grant in September, 2021 to build a public outdoor exhibit of an authentic Apache Wickiup. The story differs but heres the most common take, mind you there are over 100 different versions of the Story. This is very important! 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day and Easter. 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. There have been countless such deaths and disappearances in the region over the years, many of them with missing heads or gunshot wounds to the head. [29][clarification needed]. 1: Recorded description of the museum. The curse of the treasure would continue in the 1940s, when a 62-year-old treasure hunter by the name of James A. Carvey journeyed into the Superstition Mountains and also ended up dead and with his head separated from his shoulders. (Doug Dolde / Wikimedia Commons). There was a catastrophic flood in Phoenix in 1891, and Waltz's farm was one of many that was devastated. Many people have dismissed them as a hoax. Don Miguel Peralta was the head of a powerful and wealthy Mexican family from Sonora, and they were either ranchers or operated mines or did both. Ahh, heres the chronological faux-pass. Ive driven by this place countless times without ever checking it out. Wednesday Sunday 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. The Superstitions are one of four mountains which mark the ancestral territory of the Apache People. Producers included Tamara Blaich, Jennifer Harrington, and Megan Peterson with cinematography by Pyongson Yim and editing by Jennifer Harrington. The Superstition Mountains Superstition Mountain has an elevation of 5,024 feet. Ruth did not return as scheduled, and no trace of him could be found after a brief search. People from the town below certain that only death and demons travel acrossSuperstition Mountain at night. Dr. Thorne starts to investigate. Members of the Apache tribe were said to have a truly valuable gold mine located in the Superstition Mountains. Famed Apache warrior, Most stories go like this, the family of a man called Miguel Peralta struck gold by accident they were just passing by and started drilling the mine. While it is small, it is packed with information and visual stimulation if you enjoy history. The newcomers, thus, became the Pennsylvania Dutch. 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. After he had spent many years in their midst, the Apache Elders decided to reward his selfless service with gold. Erwin passed the information to his father Adolph, who had a long-standing interest in lost mines and amateur exploration. Famed Apache warrior Geronimo was oftentimes sometimes discussed in the story; because its always good to shoehorn a celebrity into an urban legend. 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. Treasure hunting at Superstition Mountains Arizona - The Lost Dutchman's Mine. In the 1800's, a german goldhunter named Jacob Waitz discovered a huge goldmine within the mountains that has since been named the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine (German <- > The Netherlands; let . Keep in mind for security reasons for now I have to be selective on what we divulge. "Dutchman's Gold" was the season 4, episode 19 of, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 00:14. Near Apache Junction, Arizona there is a place called the Supersition Mountains where legends and superstitions come alive to tell their ghostly tales. Very similiar to big foot hunters. Gone. Capens corpse was found three years later in November 2012 by a local search and rescue organization, stuffed into a crevice. Legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Parts 2 & 3: Finally Found! 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). In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchmans Mine. Combine these with the legends of the indigenous Pima Indians and the mountains live up to their name. 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. In June 1931, Ruth set out to find the lost Peralta mine. Famed Apache Geronimo is sometimes mentioned in relation to this story. He is blindfolded and taken there by a circuitous route, and is allowed to take as much gold ore as he can carry before again being escorted blindfolded from the site by the Apaches. The roofs of the cave are blackened from centuries of Native Ameri Go Wildcats! They are bound on three sides by U.S. Route 60, Arizona State Route 88, and Arizona State Route 188, and are visible from miles away. 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. By what name was Dark Mountain (2013) officially released in Canada in English? We provide an historical context that includes the region's Native American people, the life of early western settlers, local geology and industry as well as the legends promoted through film and media. The earliest documentation of him in the U.S. is an 1848 affidavit in which Waltz declared himself to be "about 38 years old". A group of modern day treasure hunters search for the Lost Dutchman mine in the Superstition mountain range of Arizona. However, there were no directions to the conquest mentioned in his diary. These steep, jagged volcanic mountains were formed over 29 million years ago and they cover an area of 160,000 acres. [3] Former Arizona Attorney General Robert K. Corbin is among those who have looked for the mine. Skeptoid Media, 29 Jan 2013. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Finally The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Is Found! 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. [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". "[24], Authorities in Arizona did not convene a criminal inquest regarding Ruth's death. Want to reenact that James Franco film with the rusted and dull pocket knife? The weather in the Superstition Mountains is notoriously unpredictable, with storms seeming to come out of nowhere and accompanied by abrupt drops in temperatures. 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. January 7, 2023 12:00 pm - April 29, 2023 3:00 pm, Desert Safety and Survival (March Sold Out), Weaving Class with Nanabah Aragon (March Sold Out). The legend of the lost gold continued to attract people, and, in 1932, a veterinarian in the Park Service, Adolph Ruth, decided to go treasure hunting. Yet it is also a place of fabled mysteries, talk of dark curses, strange disappearances and deaths, high strangeness, and a secret treasure that it allegedly holds close to it, reluctant to ever give it up. The elder Ruth had fallen and badly broken several bones while seeking the lost Pegleg mine in California. The record high temperature is 128 degrees. The gift store was absolutely fantastic and was filled with high-quality books about Arizona and southwest history, folklore, Native Americans, and the Wild West. "Tex" Bradford of Globe Arizona went in search of the "Lost Dutchman Mine"; by October 1933 he had been missing for nine months. Superstition Mountain Museum is located in an area full of legend, history and intrigue. In June 1931, Ruth set out to locate the lost Peralta mine. They either mined or found enormous gold deposits in the Superstition Mountains. In most variants of the story, the family of a man called Miguel Peralta discovered the mine and began mining the gold there, only to be attacked or massacred by Apaches in about 1850 in the supposed Peralta massacre. Supposedly a mine with fabulously rich gold deposits. Arizona place-name expert Byrd Granger wrote, as of 1977, the Lost Dutchman's story had been printed or cited at least six times more often than two other fairly well-known tales, the story of Captain Kidd's lost treasure, and the story of the Lost Pegleg mine in California. Out in the remote badlands of the U.S. state of Arizona, just to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area lies a sun scorched, dried up, arid moonscape of twisted peaks and sprawling expanse of badlands called the Superstition Mountains, at one time called the Sierra de la Espuma . The story became a national sensation and suddenly everyone knew about the mines and its horror riddled backstory. Read on to find out if you should start planning your trip to a Dark Mountain. The mysterious deaths and disappearances go on and on. A must see if you are by the Superstition Mountains. 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. Magill's adventures were chronicled in the book The Killer Mountains, by Curt Gentry. The praying hands formation at the Superstition Mountains range. More please. 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'. 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. 4: Volunteer Coordinator Weiser was the mans best friend and confidant. [9] As of 1975, ruins of the Peralta mine were standing.[9]. The neighboursJulia Thomas, Rhinehart Petrasch, and Hermann Petraschspent weeks looking for the gold, but failed to find it. 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. The hellhole supposedly also sends out tremendous winds, and these cause the infamous dust storms of the region. In 1870, Waltz had a homestead of about 160 acres (0.65km2) near Phoenix where he operated a farm.[18]. Barkely urged Ruth to abandon his search for the mine: the area and the mines cursed and full of devils.. Then the Apaches killed Jacob Weiser,or according to some, Waltz himself did it. [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. Up until Ruths disastrous expedition, the mines were little more than a footnote in the history of Arizona; one of a thousand so-called. Thorne is said to be either unwilling or unable to relocate the mine. October through April If you loved watching old westerns you will love this place. 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. Around 1860 a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz moved into the Wickenburg Arizona area about 80 miles from Phoenix. Indeed, in the decades since Waltz made his mysterious proclamation of the mine public, there have been numerous earnest attempts to try and track it down, and these have the sinister habit of meeting rather gruesome ends. 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. Blair contended that this story can be divided into "hawk" and "dove" versions, depending on whether the German(s) are said to behave violently or peacefully. 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. They are encircled by U.S Route 60 on the south Arizona State 88 on the northwest, and Arizona 188 on the northeast. 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.. Over the decades, this tale was gradually absorbed into the Lost Dutchman's story. The man is barely alive. Kinos Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson unlike other missions in California was both massive and opulent, and still stands today. 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. He had metal pins in his leg, and used a cane to help him walk. Superstition Mountain (Yavapai: Wi:kchsawa, O'odham: Gakok) is a prominent mountain and regional landmark located in the Phoenix metropolitan area of Arizona, immediately east of Apache Junction and north of Gold Canyon.It anchors the west end of the federally designated Superstition Wilderness Area and is a popular outdoor recreation destination, home to numerous trails for hiking and . Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. (Latin Heart Reader / Wikimedia Commons). They trek into the mountains. Yet there are still all of these mysterious disappearances and death, these enigmatic decapitated corpses and their bullet-ridden heads. TheLost Dutchmans Gold Mineis, according to folktales, a magnificent, rich, Scrooge McDuck like repository of gold hidden somewhere in southwestern United States. Arcana Exploration is made up of a group of five friends and supporters, from central Ohio, who until five years ago knew very little if anything about the LDM. Kino is believed to have had a rich goldmine somewhere in the Superstition Mountains. 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. This is considered to be the starting and gathering point for most Dutch Hunters. A corpse is later found and IDed as Weiser; coroners unable to state whether the wounds were caused by Apache weapons or American-made knives. Later on came a long list of early and newly appointed Dons of Spain who also made forays into the Prima Alta looking for riches. Theyre filled to the brim with ghosts and spirits. In the version in which the Apaches killed the Peralta Family, the surviving member then went on to get embroiled in a brawl fight years later. Ruths son Erwin C. Ruth heard of the Peralta mine from a man called Pedro Gonzales. Intrigue Journal. The men must deal with a lack of water and the fact that the map leads him into lands held sacred by the Apaches. 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. Everyplace had a lost mine. In March of 2011, three filmmakers disappeared in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona while documenting their search for the Lost Dutchman mine. I feel the information on the Peralta stones is most likely from a very old map of Jesuit origin. 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). Cursed, blighted, tainted, whatever you want to call it. In January 2011, three sets of remains assumed to be those of the lost men were retrieved. Anyway, the great west after Grant decided to Manifest Destiny and promote those great plains maybe theyll forget all that Civil War squabble if they start to settle into lands without so much emotional baggage tended to promote El Dorado like tales.
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