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). No sign of the filmmakers themselves has been found to date. I feel the information on the Peralta stones is most likely from a very old map of Jesuit origin. They believed that the entrance to the underworld itself lay somewhere in among these peaks, and that powerful spirits roamed the withered landscape. In June 1931, Ruth set out to locate the lost Peralta mine. Lights, screams, and shadows of Apache armies have been reported. They were supposedly dug up in the desert, in area east of Gold canyon and Tucson in the late 1940s byTravis E Tomlinson. 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And, where praytell do most folks believe said El Dorado is safely hidden Why, in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction. 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. Want to feel like youre in a horror movie and quite possibly high on Peyote? The Museum Gallery offers a detailed exploration of the history of this region with artifacts, multi-media, testimonials and docent-led tours. 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. The gift shop also has an indoor museum. Among the many legends to have emerged from the area, one of the most enduring ones is that of The LostDutchmansGold 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 . Superstition Mountain Museum is located in an area full of legend, history and intrigue. 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. Pingback: Legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Parts 2 & 3: Finally Found! TheLost Dutchmans Gold Mineis, according to folktales, a magnificent, rich, Scrooge McDuck like repository of gold hidden somewhere in southwestern United States. The Valentine State. He pursued mining and prospecting, but seems to have had little luck with either. Other storytellers claim that the Peralta Family escaped with gold, but another family died in the massacre. First you drive to the outskirts of Phoenix and find Apache Junction, then pick up the old Apache Trail (route88) and go about 35 miles to Tortilla Flat, site of the old stage coach Pony express stop, along the Apache Trail. Waltz is also said to make a deathbed confession to Julia Thomas, and draws or describes a crude map to the gold mine. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Is someone or something trying to keep this treasure hidden? People from the town below certain that only death and demons travel acrossSuperstition Mountain at night. 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. Legend tells of the Lost Dutchmans 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 lode has lured thousands of treasure hunters and continues to claim the lives of those eager to decipher the legends clues and riddles. Please note that admission prices for Special Events are subject to change. [32] The hellhole supposedly also sends out tremendous winds, and these cause the infamous dust storms of the region. The mine is named after German immigrant Jacob Waltz,18101891. My husband has been enthralled with all the wonderful tales of the mountains since his college days a long time ago. Granger wrote that "fact and fiction blend in the tales",[3] but that there are three main elements to the story: In 1977, Granger identified 62 variants of the Lost Dutchman's story some of the variations are minor, but others are substantial, casting the story in a very different light from the other versions. In March of 2011, three filmmakers disappeared in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona while documenting their search for the Lost Dutchman mine. 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. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. And the answer is absolutely yes! 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. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Months pass, years some say, until one day Jacob comes back battered and bloody atop a lame mule. According to the account, 1912 Erwin C. Ruth gave s Gonzales legal aid, saving the riff-raff from almost certain imprisonment. Superstition Mountain hasan elevation of 5,024 feet. 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day and Easter. The Superstition Mountain Museum collects, preserves and displays the artifacts, history and folklore of the Superstition Mountain region and the Apache Junction area. 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. It is easily accessible about 40 miles east of Phoenix via U.S. Highway 60, the Superstition Freeway. 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. The short "Discovery Trail" is a clear route with several placards giving the natural history of the area. 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. We especially liked the large selection of locally mined semi-precious gemstones. 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-Season This isn't another nauseating, shaky-cam mess. Top Ten list of haunted spots in Phoenix. 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. Waltz is attacked and wounded by marauding Apaches, but survives at least long enough to tell a man called Dr. Walker about the mine. Interestingly it was found that he had amassed a small fortune in a short amount of time after starting his forays into the mountains, urging suspicions that he had found the lost mine. There were also strange stories among the Apache of a magnificent, hidden cavern full of gold, said to be a vast treasure long buried within the mountains and protected by spirits, troll-like beasts called Tuar-Tums, and even their Thunder God himself. For instance, about six of the maps are relevant, others may be relevant, but for now do not appear to be. Join MU Plus+ and get exclusive shows and extensions & much more! Along with the body was found a mysterious note ensconced within a bottle, which said that he had broken his leg and needed help, but which also stated that he had had managed to find the legendary Lost Dutchmans Mine. The Native Apache people of the area had already long held this as a rather sinister scared place even before outsiders came in to settle the land. Visitors are treated to a working display of historic large scale model trains and learn about the prominent role they took in the settlement of the West. Get-rich-quick schemes are as American as the Fourth of July. Dark Mountain is beautifully directed and filmed, it really took me by surprise. We are a non-profit corporation under Section 501 (c) 3, organized to collect and preserve the history and legends of Arizonas Superstition Mountains, and to support research, education and publications involving the region. 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. 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. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchman's mine. The earliest documentation of him in the U.S. is an 1848 affidavit in which Waltz declared himself to be "about 38 years old". 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. The man is barely alive. He died on October 25, 1891, after having been nursed by an acquaintance named Julia Thomas (she was usually described as a quadroon). For a small fee you can see items owned by locals and learn all about the local history. The record high temperature is 128 degrees. From the Press Release He would take this secret location practically to his grave, but as he lie dying from a bout of pneumonia in 1891 he allegedly told all, laying out the secret location of the lost and cursed Apache treasure, giving detailed but cryptic instructions on how to navigate the rough terrain to the entrance, as well as scrawling out a crude map to it all as he lay on his deathbed. Next week I will list some clues that are absolutely relevant to what we have physically on site. Reports of inexplicable sounds, sightings, and events have led to claims of supernatural beings and even aliens. Assistir Dortmund X RB Leipzig - Ao Vivo Grtis HD sem travar, sem anncios. The story became a national sensation and suddenly everyone knew about the mines and its horror riddled backstory. Very sweet museum with great views of the Superstition Mountains. 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. They trek into the mountains. He was remembered as having been obsessed with finding the mine for several years. 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. Treasure hunting at Superstition Mountains Arizona - The Lost Dutchman's Mine. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. 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. Tales of these other Lost Dutchman's mines can be traced to at least the 1870s. There are several paths that go through the brush and cacti. Theyre filled to the brim with ghosts and spirits. Students 11-17 $4.00 We at Arcana Exploration believe we can show that this was later worked by Jacob Waltz, and after his death came to be known as the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. The park offers 134 campsites, each with a picnic table, barbeque grill, and fire pit, and 68 equipped with electric hook-ups and water. [7] A man named Miguel Peralta and his family did operate a successful mine in the 1860s but near Valencia, California, not in Arizona. X while searching for the mines. [29][clarification needed]. Intrigue Journal. And importantly I have hard facts that the Stones are linked to other historical information. (Doug Dolde / Wikimedia Commons). German? [1], The Lost Dutchman's is perhaps the most famous lost mine in American history. Finally did a little digging and it sounded interesting. Furthermore, Wilburn stated that geology indicates that there is no gold in the Superstition Mountains, which are igneous in origin. 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 certain seasons, they also have gun fighters and mule/donkey rides for the kids as well. They even had the old rock crusher up and working. In a story that echoes some of the earlier tales, Ruth's son Erwin C. Ruth was said to have learned of the Peralta mine from a man called Pedro Gonzales (or Gonzalez). [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. 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. We had a 7-hour drive ahead of us and we wanted to start early. One of these was a veterinarian and treasure hunter named Adolf Ruth, who in 1931 made his way to these wind-swept wilds, armed with what he at the time claimed to be the actual original map to it. "Tex" Bradford of Globe Arizona went in search of the "Lost Dutchman Mine"; by October 1933 he had been missing for nine months. For more macabre tales check out our Top Ten list of haunted spots in Phoenix. The haunted state? Dr. These trails traverse from the desert floor up into the edges of the mountains. On 8 June 2019, a fire broke out in the Superstitions Wilderness area and soon spread across 26,000 acres. 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. 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. X., who seemed to be guarding the area. In this case the body was found first, with the rest of the body following a full 6 months later. No suspects or motive were ever found. All funds and donations go back into preserving the area. Others that it was Waltz. Superstition Mountain Museum has a large collection of props, sets, posters and memorabilia connected to Western movie and television history. 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. About Lost Dutchman State Park. 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. The staff and volunteers at this Museum were all very friendly and helpful. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchmans Mine. Keep in mind for security reasons for now I have to be selective on what we divulge. 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. 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. Their bodies were never found, but their camera was." In an act of kindness, Throne treats an ailing Apache chieftain. Later I will give more details and then begin providing information on how things fit together. A must see if you are by the Superstition Mountains. When and where we can get a direct line of sight, we use high tech Walkie talkies, to communicate with each other. Director Earl Bellamy Writer Sam Peckinpah (teleplay and story) Stars Dale Robertson John Litel Myron Healey Thorne is said to be either unwilling or unable to relocate the mine. In any case, the event led to the naming of the Massacre Falls after it. Children 10 and under These cookies do not store any personal information. 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). 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. 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. 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. Some searchers for the mine have disappeared in likely wilderness accidents. Arcana Exploration. [25] Blair noted that the conclusion of the Arizona authorities was rejected by many, including Ruth's family, and "those who held onto the more romantic murdered-for-the-map story". (2004). 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. In 1977, 292 acres (118ha) abutting the Tonto National Forest were set aside as the Lost Dutchman State Park. Some have died on the search. There are numerous hiking trails that hikers can access from multiple points, one of the more well-known ones being the Peralta Trailhead. The roofs of the cave are blackened from centuries of Native Ameri Go Wildcats! Waltz would claim to have been out prospecting when he had come across an unimaginably vast vein of gold out in the mountains, curiously supposedly near Weavers Needle. [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. 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. This account is usually dated to about 1870. Its now the 1870s. 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). Eight months later their camera and cell phones were recovered along the western edge of LaBarge Canyon. Jacob Waltz took to returning to the mountains only when he needed the gold. And then I finally paid a visit this past weekend and was pleasantly surprised. Tries to portray danger and incidentin fact nothing going on. Padre Kino founded many missions including Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson. 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. Apache Junction, AZ 85119-8409, Phone options: The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. This is their turf and only the highly experienced and prepared should venture forward. The Lost Dutchman's Mine has gone on to become a pop cultural legend, written of in countless books and appearing on numerous TV shows. To this end he lived for years among their ranks, learning their ways and tending to their sick and wounded. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. That was circa 1850. T Just a few miles south of Tucson lies Colossal Cave, an often overlooked natural landmark with well over a thousand years of history. , on the northeast side, includes a favorite trail that heads up to Fremont Saddle; picturesque panoramic views of most of the locale. People off his Mine that he cover up with a ironwood tree :The books give me my Here is a place of sprawling rugged wilderness, encompassing the Superstition Wilderness Area and drawing in hikers, rock climbers, campers, and all manner of those looking to enjoy the natural splendor and outdoor activities on offer. We miss it. Its estimated worth is around 200 million dollars. The museum does not disappoint! On Valentines Day Elvis was available at the church for weddings. Then the Apaches killed Jacob Weiser,or according to some, Waltz himself did it. This is your spot. https://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/superstition-mountains/index.html, They were once known in Spanish as Sierra de la Espuma . Finally The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Is Found! 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.