Of course, one obvious argument against this being the Dutchman is the fact that The Silver Chief was a silver mine, not a gold mine. Mike . "The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine." 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]. The one, tangible piece of evidence still in existence are the samples remaining from the ore taken by Dick Holmes, namely the matchbox. Blair insisted that the Peralta portion of the story is unreliable, writing: "The operation of a gold mine in the Superstitions by a Peralta family is a contrivance of 20th century writers". Superstition Mountains - Ghost, lost mines, murder and mayhem. These are tall, volcanic formations in the wilderness and are popular as hiking destinations. 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. Your browser doesn't support the HTML5 CANVAS tag. When they immigrated to Pennsylvania from Deutschland (Germany), the locals mistook Deutsch for Dutch. In fact, Julia Thomas was the very first so-called "dutch hunter," combing through the mountains and seeking the lost gold. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Supposedly, the Superstition Mountains have long been a sacred site for the nearby Apache tribe of Native Americans. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. For more. It seems likeliest one of two things happened. [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". So, where is it then? 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. [12] Thorne related his claims to three U.S. soldiers in about 1858. 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. The Superstition Mountain Historical Society was formed on December 27, 1979. The Peralta Stones are a set of engraved stone tableted works that are approximately 18 inches long and weigh about 25 lbs. [3] Former Arizona Attorney General Robert K. Corbin is among those who have looked for the mine. What really happened to Ruth? . While a few versions have Waltz outright stealing the gold, in other versions, he either rescued or fell in love with an Apache woman who shared the secret of a gold vein her people had been mining for centuries, but as punishment for sharing the knowledge with an outsider, her tongue was cut out, ensuring she could never speak again. However, there were no directions to the conquest mentioned in his diary. The conquistador and his men arrived and made their way deep into the mountains, despite the warnings of danger from the local Apache. Mysteries of the Superstition Mountains - Just another WordPress site These are rectangular, cross-shaped, and heart-shaped stones with etchings of a horse, a priest, a dagger, a trail, topographic features, and Spanish inscriptions. He'll tell you the ore assayed out to something like 10,000 ounces of gold to the ton. He had acquired maps that he was sure would lead him straight to the gold. The average high temperature in June, July and August, is 104 degrees. Still, this doesn't dissuade treasure hunters. In June 1931, Dr. Adolph Ruth set out on a two-week voyage through the legendary Superstition Mountains in search for the lost treasure. Researchers point to an old beliefby local farmersthat the nearby Pima Native American tribe were superstitious about the mountains. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. That, in and of itself, is a separate legend. OH, I almost forgot there is no cell phone service absolutely none. This tale involves two German men, Jacob Waltz and Jacob Weiser. The Superstition Mountain Mining Company (SMMC) No, we're not really a mining company. It's impossible to know for certain, but there is one big clue. Many people took the landmark to be the Weavers Needle but had no luck finding any gold nuggets in its vicinity. Adults $7.00 James Reavis tried to assert that the Peralta family had a Spanish land grant and a barony granted by the King of Spain, which included a huge swath of Arizona and New Mexico, including the Superstition Mountains. [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. Forgive me if I currently do not have the technical documentation for the claim as the current pandemic has prohibited me from obtaining the source material. Silver King Mine The Pit Mine is located close to the Randolph Mining District, which is historically well known and produced vast amounts of silver. There have been many stories about how to find the mine, and each year people search for the mine. His expeditions led to the discovery of several of what he called Spanish mines which, at the time, was in contradiction to accepted history. 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. "Dutchman" was a common American term for a German ("Dutch" being the English cognate to the German demonym "Deutsch", and not a reference to the Dutch people). One of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is the Lost Dutchman Mine. Weavers Needle, a peak located in the Superstition Mountains. Jesuit Treasure in the Superstitions - DesertUSA.com/mb3 To paraphrase an old Dutch Hunter, I dont know where the Dutchman is, but I know a thousand places it isnt! The meaning here is that gold can only exist in a prerequisite set of geological conditions. As a counter to Ed Piper, we have Celeste Jones, who was kind of a cult leader from California who . Both of these legends are sometimes set before the Dutchman arrived in Arizona, but some time afterward, and thus Dr. Thorne and the soldiers may have stumbled across the Lost Dutchman's mine. The Dutchman Crazy Jake Adolph Ruth Train Robberies Indian Wars Ted DeGrazia. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Treasure Map of the Superstition MountainsThe Peralta Stones Around 1860 a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz moved into the Wickenburg Arizona area about 80 miles from Phoenix. 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. 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. The short "Discovery Trail" is a clear route with several placards giving the natural history of the area. Legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Parts 2 & 3: Finally Found! Image property of Arcana Exploration, photo taken at the Lost Dutchman Museum Apache Junction, Arizona. This beautiful program is designed to start with a famous Arizona sunset draping gracefully over the Superstition Mountains, and end under the light of the full moon. According to the story, in about 1912 Erwin C. Ruth gave some legal aid to Gonzales, saving him from almost certain imprisonment. Keep in mind for security reasons for now I have to be selective on what we divulge. . Within the refuge are 14 trail heads that cover 190 miles. The hellhole supposedly also sends out tremendous winds, and these cause the infamous dust storms of the region. 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. The Pit Mine is located close to the Randolph Mining District, which is historically well known and produced vast amounts of silver. Jacob Waltz took possession of his mine in 1869, six years before the Silver Chief was filed as an original location. The location in question is called the Pit Mine or The Silver Chief. In any case, the event led to the naming of the Massacre Falls after it. 2: Cashiers for questions about whats happening at the museum and local area Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. First, let's talk about the geology of the mountains. Explore The Mysteries. None of this rules out that he simply found a cache of abandoned gold, of course, and when he died, he did have in his possessions some high-grade gold ore, though its value is unclear and it may have just been for attracting potential investors in his prospecting operations. From this base he easily could have worked a gold mine in the Superstition Mountains.