This story was based on the adventures of a young surgeon named Thorne, who, having cured the eye troubles of a couple of Apache Indians where he was stationed, was induced to visit the Indian village where there was an epidemic of the same disorder. Arizona Gold Adventures, Congress. 8284 Lost Mine Rd. Ruth was an amateur prospector in the that he had never found gold but had been seeking it for it for years. One searcher claimed to have found veins of gold in a narrow canyon just south of the Mazatal Mountains (near Four Peaks on Maricopa/Gila County borders). The Arizona Daily Star reported that the mine also experienced a fair amount of banditry, which includes approximately $70,000 in bullion (precious metal bars) stolen and hidden. But Ruth did indeed find the Lost Dutchman, according to a message in a bottle. In the coastal town of Lincoln City, Oregon, beachcombers flock to the sand in hopes of finding one very specific treasure: glass fishing floats. He reportedly said it came from a secret mine in the Superstition Mountains. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. Misinformation and rumors about the mine grew so ubiquitous that in 1895, they made it into the San Francisco Chronicle. Many legends of lost treasure from Arizonas early Gold Rush days still remain to this day. On June 17th, ocean rower Lia Ditton set off on a 20 ft. long rowboat, alone and unsupported, in an attempt to set the fastest ever time for a solo crossing from San Francisco to Hawaii. Mining towns such as Tumco, Bodie, Oatman and Randsberg were once booming with growth due to the mining operations which provided jobs and drew gold seekers from all over the country. of gold. Officials initially cited the cause of death as naturalfrom thirst or a heart conditionbut this did not explain the bullet holes and Ruths undischarged pistol found with the remains. No one was ever able to follow the Indian into the desert to discover his secret gold mine. It is a fact; however, that the Cibicu Indians of the Cherry Creek Valley knew of the existence of a rich placer field. A Detailed History of Mining in Arizona from Arizona Mining Association Watch on. Digging for Gold Today Written by James Harvey McClintock in 1913, compiled and edited by Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated July 2020. The dry desert lands of the U.S. have been the location of many famous mines and gold discoveries. Parker Schnabel and his friends pay tribute to the legends before them and attempt the Klondike Trail of 1897. The trails are well marked. It is said that more men have sought Pegleg's black nuggets than any other lost mine. Below, in the sand of the wash, was almost a pavement of gold nuggets. Whatever his reasoning, Waltz was never able to cash out. He was able to tell the story of the gold find, and the rescuing party went farther to find Crossthwaites body. $15,000 of gold was found under his bed after he died. The man brought pouches of gold nuggets he dug from the quartz vein to an assayer in Phoenix. the historic main street. Briefly narrated, it is this: In the summer of 1869, Abner McKeever and family were ambushed by Apache Indians on a ranch near the Big Bend of the Gila River. When you think of treasure hunters, it's typically Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones that come to mind. (Conrotto, 1991). Click here. Lost Cities & Ancient Mysteries of the Southwest by David Hatcher Childress, Adventures Unlimited Press, 2009. What will happen to society when AI lovers fool millions of people? Where to Find Gold in the Desert by James Klein, Gem Guides, 1994. Ed Schieffelin, who discovered the Tombstone mines, would later search diligently for the lost mine, but if he found it, he never told. His body and supplies were found in the mountains; the mine was, of course, not, though the area near his corpse was intensively searched. 8356 Lost Mine Rd. Vekols Buried Silver Ingots: Just a few miles north of the old ghost town of Vekol, near Casa Grande in Pinal County, lies a legendary cache of 300 silver ingots, each weighing 25 pounds. At the head of the Prescott Party was Ed. This article first appeared on Curiosity.com. There are three Indian legends of black-coated gold in the desert that support Pegleg's legend. Men who claimed to have found the Peralta mine were unable to return to it, or some disaster occurred just before they could file a claim, all adding to the lore of a "lost mine.". Almost every prospector, whether professional or tenderfoot, had his own pet lost mine that he looked for. True or not, the legend of the Lost Dutchmans Gold Mine continues to fascinate the public. Goldfield Ghost Town, Goldfield: Stop in at the Prospectors Palace to learn the art of panning from a gold historian. Safford commanded the recruits from Tucson and was elected commander-in-chief of the party at the camp near Grant. Rich Hill was the single richest discovery of gold in one place. Peck, discoverer of the famous Peck Mine at Alexandria. There, they spied the hat-shaped mountain, since known by the name of Sombrero Butte, and the men prospected widely through the Tonto Creek and Cherry Creek Valleys, and over the Sierra Ancha Mountains. One of the first deaths attributed to the lost mine was Adolph Ruth in the 1930s, whose remains were found with bullet holes a few months after he disappeared into the wilderness. This post card is a humourous version of the many serious treasure maps that undoubtedly circulated in Arizona and environs at the height of gold mine fever, at the end of the 19th century. He argued that each of these three legends contains some truth, but have become badly distorted through time. Click here to view the video Riding on Gold - Pegleg Smith. from the Netherlands) because he was, The Lost Dutchman Mine is also the most sought after in American history. It is said that Pegleg got drunk while in Los Angeles, started a brawl in the local saloon and was quickly kicked out of town by the authorities. (Jameson, 2009). All human development, from large cities to small towns, shines light into the night sky. After he had conquered the epidemic, he was placed upon a horse and taken to a deep rock-walled canyon laced with a high ledge of quartz that glittered with flecks of gold. from Germany; a common error, see also Pennsylvania Dutch). The largest exploring and prospecting expedition Arizona ever has known since the days of Coronado originated on the tale of a prospector named Miner. The ore in the heaps was about the same character as that which had been brought into Wickenburg in the early days by the Lost Dutchman, but it didnt agree at all with the ore in the shallow prospect hole, which was not considered worthy of further development. Attempts have been made to locate it atleast since 1892. Got a strange map? Updated June 25, 2020 The country has been thoroughly prospected since that time and mines of importance have been worked in that vicinity, but the nearest approach to the discovery of the old-time bonanza has been in the finding of placer gold in several of the gulches. Arizona Association of Gold Prospectors (AAGP), Phoenix. The second legend concerns an Indian woman who was wandering about the desert in a state of dehydration. The legend continues to evolve: recent additions are versions in which the gold is really a secret treasure trove of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a Confederate secret society active during the American Civil War (1861-1864). One of the most popular Arizona legends also happens to be one of the most deadly: the Lost Dutchman's gold mine. However, the most popular dates to the late-19th century with a German immigrant, Jacob Waltz, or the Dutchman. The mines involved usually contain a high-value commodity such as gold, silver or diamonds. One searcher claimed to have found veins of gold in a narrow canyon just south of the Mazatal Mountains (near Four Peaks on Maricopa/Gila County borders). Apache Trail Tours, Apache Junction: Two-hour jeep tour to the foothills of the Superstition Mountains with guided instruction on gold panning and how to tell the difference between real and fools gold. Panning equipment provided. 602.274.2521 The best times to visit this trail are September through May. Superstition Mountains. Night skies are getting 9.6% brighter every year, How skills-based training can build the workforce of the future, Parents, boys also have body image issues thanks to social media. He claimed to have been abducted by Navajo in 1854, discovering a rich gold vein during his captivity. Wickenburg established a farm near this settlement, now known as the town named in his honor. Mining flourished in Gila City until 1862 when a flood destroyed the town. Within a year, Thomas and others began searching for the hidden gold and even sold maps with instructions to get to the mine. To this day, both lost mines are actively sought after by old time prospectors and treasure hunters. When Waltz died, the 29-year-old Thomas sold her bakery, got a group together, and went searching for the mine. He packed his saddlebags with approximately $7,000 worth of gold and continued on to Los Angeles. 623.934.6882 2023 Warner Bros. He died in California on May 10, 1934, at the age of 70. Today, we might expect more detail; back in those days, the story was enough to fatally pique the curiosity of an amateur prospector, Adolph Ruth. The story was widely copied, and from eastern points, so many inquiries came that the Herald editor had to have a little slip printed to be sent back in reply. Apache Before the Storm, Edward S. Curtis, 1906. Asteroid Ryugu Has Dust Grains Older Than the Sun. He later earned a teaching certificate, served asTheodore Roosevelts right-hand-man in the Rough Riders, and become an Arizona State Representative. But the mine remains shrouded in mystery, so much so that it might not exist at all. "The Arizona Expeditions: Third Arizona Expedition" +/-Manuscripts "Chlorutahlite Mining in Utah"; "Gold and Silver Tales" "The Daughter of Julius Caesar" "A Lost Gold Mine of the Mojave Desert" "The Miracle Nugget of Mariposa" "Chapultepec Canyon and the Gold Cache in Cedar Valley" "The Very Peculiar Record of Mary L. Black" This wall has vertical eroded ridges resembling a pipe organ. Are Electric Highways the Way of the Future? There are multiple versions of the Pegleg legend as well as other stories of black nuggets that seem to correlate with some of the facts stated in Pegleg lore. Get counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. They were friendly, and he gave her hints about the mine's location. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); DesertUSA Newsletter -- We send articles on hiking, camping and places to explore, as well as animals, wildflower reports, plant information and much more. Superstition Mountains (in some versions they are told the location by a grateful member of the Peralta family, whose life they saved). Because of their superstitions, their secret remained well kept. In the desert somewhere west of Vurna, many expeditions have searched for the lost Peg-Leg Mine, said to have been discovered by a one-legged individual named Smith, about forty years ago. He struck up a friendship with several Yavapai chiefs, even when they were the most hostile to the other miners, and they told him of a place where there was much gold, far more than on Rich Hill, where we were working. Mining flourished in Gila City until 1862 when a flood destroyed the town. Tales of the lost Apaches gold, or Dr Thornes mine. The root of this story is the effort of three US soldiers to locate gold in New Mexico based on what Dr Thorne allegedly told them. Gold miners Dakota Fred and his son Dustin are determined to make a fortune no matter the risk. The Weaver - Rich Hill district is located near the intersection of four townships, each one being one of Arizona's top gold areas. In 1932, campers found a note from him bobbing in Arizona's Salt River. The story continues that after working for a while, eleven of the party started for the Pima villages for supplies. That is, until Miguel Peraltas family stumbles upon the site and start mining the gold. The Vulture Mining Company was born. Some of the stories have many versions, each containing a few facts that differ from each other. Just one day into his journey, he disappeared. In many versions of the story, Weaver's Needle is a prominent landmark for locating the lost mine. There is a Superstition Mountain Museum at 4087 N. Apache Trail, Highway 88 in Apache Junction. In fact, there is a man who claims to have found Pegleg's Lost Mine in 1952. Tour the historic Mammoth Gold Mine and visit the Goldfield Museum. Legends of lost gold have long been part of Arizona history. Let me know at [emailprotected]. Offers five-day prospecting lessons and mining excursions for small groups throughout the year. Its hard to separate the legend and the lore from the lies, he said. The body of one "dutch hunter" (as they are known to locals) was found in the Superstition Mountains as recently as 2012. 2. In Colorado, Exploring the Worlds Longest Cave System, Washingtons Olympic Peninsula is a Natural Wonderland, UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED: Investigating the Legend of California's Gold-Laden Ghost Ship, The Bermuda Triangle Isn't Actually a Mystery, The House on the Rock Is the Tourist Trap to End All Tourist Traps, Every Year, Thousands of Glass Orbs Are Hidden on This Oregon Beach, Female Ocean Rower Attempts Record-Breaking Solo Crossing, The Explorers Club Discovery Expedition Grantees, she and her team passed over two enormous gold mines, they made it into the San Francisco Chronicle. All rights reserved. Lynx Lake Mineral Withdrawal Area & Gold Panning Trail, Prescott. Dig Here! Most popular of lost mine stories in pioneer days was that of the Ni**er Ben. In 1891, a miner named A.H. Peeples, who had been prospecting with the Weaver Party, told an editor what he knew of the legend. Join Lawrence Fishburne as he uncovers the truth behind the strangest mysteries of all time in History's Greatest Mysteries: Solved - https://histv.co/HGMSTh. Get-rich-quick schemes are as American as the Fourth of July. Discovery.com unpacks the mysteries and myths long surrounding the Bermuda Triangle. Lost Gold and Silver Mines of the Southwest by Eugene L. Conrotto, Dover Publications, 1991. Written by James Harvey McClintock in 1913, compiled and edited by, Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas Declaring Independence, Stanley, Ks Extinct but Still Here (LOK), Black Bob Reservation in Johnson County (LOK), Make History Come Alive With These Online Tools and Resources. Entrance is free. Gold Mining Clubs & Dig Sites None of these maps featured any real location of the mine. Have found the lost Dutchman. As was common in the West, the first discoveries of gold were placer deposits, followed by lode deposits found near Apache Junction, Big Bug, Bullhead City, Chloride, Globe, Oatman, Pearce, Quartzsite, Salome and Tombstone, which yielded the lions share of the states early gold supply. Instead he punched out without ever harvesting the hidden gold. A passing prospector had told him to hike a half-mile up the wash to a 20-foot-high wall on the right bank. #s. 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