In the early 1850s, the Colorado River crossing at Yuma became a major route for gold seekers from the East. There are two trails available. Written by James Harvey McClintock in 1913, compiled and edited by Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated July 2020. In 2006, all of Arizonas gold production came as a fortuitous byproduct of copper mining. Shasta, Californias Mysterious Volcano, is an Enigma Waiting to be Explored, Three New Species of Snakes Discovered in Graveyards and Churches in Ecuador. ), The Desert Environment Township 14 0090N 0050W ranks third in the state with 179 placer claims. With new miners, new claims, new machines and new ways to pull gold out of the ground, the stakes are higher than ever. A few mines are still being actively worked today, but most mining companies that have tried to revive the old mines have been unsuccessful. He was able to tell the story of the gold find, and the rescuing party went farther to find Crossthwaites body. The worlds longest cave system is a gargantuan labyrinth of 420 miles of twists and turns and nooks and crannies, with limestone travertine stalactites dripping from the ceilings. 8302 Lost Mine Rd. 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. Two of the most famous lost mines are the Lost Dutchman Mine of Arizona and Pegleg Smith's Mine of Southern California. He disappeared, as usual, one night, and never returned. 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. Because of their superstitions, their secret remained well kept. Ed Schieffelin, who discovered the Tombstone mines, would later search diligently for the lost mine, but if he found it, he never told. He supposedly described the mine's location to Julia Thomas, a neighbor who took care of him prior to his death. Then in 1868, Wickenburg used his gold proceeds to fund a new project that would change Arizona history forever: The Swilling Irrigation Canal Company, conceived by ex-Confederate soldier Jack Swilling of Prescott. 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. Men struck out on his trail and soon found Flannigan, who would have lasted only a few hours longer. Governor A.P.K. The Lost Dutchman Mine is the most famous in American history. Stars Jesse Feldman Josh Feldman Clark Moore See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist The Superstition Mountains (their name inspired by Pima Indian legends) have been a source of mystery and legend since early times. Most Arizonians are familiar with the Lost Dutchman, but there is a whole host of other tales of lost gold and loot (some with crude maps) still buried in the desert. Arizona Lost Mines By James Harvey McClintock in 1913 Arizona Prospector Almost every prospector, whether professional or tenderfoot, had his own pet "lost mine" that he looked for. Numerous maps have surfaced over the years, only to become lost or misplaced when interested parties pressed for facts. This area is known today as the Massacre Grounds. It is possible that the mountain was the Harqua Hala. Pan for gold then take a ride on Arizona's only narrow gauge train. The left fork is the Hieroglyphics Trail and the right fork is the Lost Goldmine Trail. 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. Heres a roundup of the best mining clubs, tours, dig sites, claim staking, books and historical information to help you start your own quest for Arizona gold. What really matters, though, is that Waltz the namesake Dutchman, or "Deutsch" (German) man wouldn't reveal the mine's location. For More Information When you think of treasure hunters, it's typically Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones that come to mind. There are hawk and dove versions, depending on whether the men behaved violently or not. Already in the 16th century, Spanish Conquistadors roamed the area, looking for the precious metal. A medical examiner ruled that Ruth died of natural causes (i.e., that broken leg, plus starvation), but some maintain that he was murdered because he knew too much about the legendary mine. According to legend, this was when he spotted the large quartz outcropping, which later became the Vulture Mine. True or not, the legend of the Lost Dutchmans Gold Mine continues to fascinate the public. The explanation then was given that the Indians were afraid that the white men would come in such numbers that the Indian preponderance of population would be lost. Some 8,000 people each year try to find it. In the late 1800s, just after the Gold Rush, a German prospector named Jacob Waltz reportedly started showing up in Phoenix with a lot of gold ore. Like, a noteworthy amount. Below, in the sand of the wash, was almost a pavement of gold nuggets. 8284 Lost Mine Rd. When the miner reached Los Angeles, he became ill and was taken under the care of Dr. DeCourcy. Wanting to retire in 1866, he sold 80% of the mine to Benjamin Phelps and other East Coast investors. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. In 1932, campers found a note from him bobbing in Arizona's Salt River. Nearby, was a human skeleton, bleached from long exposure. 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. Digging for Gold Today Here's the thing about the House on the Rock it's certainly a sight to behold, but it's no museum. Until its closure in 1998, the Gold Road mine in Oatman was Arizonas last operating gold mine. The next find was some small heaps of very rich gold rock, probably where sacks had decayed from around the ore, and then, a short distance away was discovered a shallow prospect hole, sunk on a gold-bearing ledge. After his leg was amputated, his friends fashioned him a wooden leg, thus earning him the name Pegleg. This story involves Jakob Waltz (some sources say Weitz, Weitzer, Walls, Welz,) and another German named Jakob Weiser although this second German probably is a spin-off of the first Jakob, which occurred in the re-telling of the story. In fact, many cities in Arizona were named by the miners that flocked to their respective areas. They keep hoping that one day soon, they will be the lucky one who discovers the long lost mine, the one which has been sought after for years by others with similar faith. Ben took a nugget from the prospectors stock that was about the size of a man s thumb and showed it to a chief who was especially friendly with him. Take a private tour of NYCs American Museum of Natural History from home! Peck, discoverer of the famous Peck Mine at Alexandria. A man named Ross Browne, in 1863, said that at the store of Hooper & Hunter in Arizona City he saw masses of pure gold as large as the palm of the hand, brought in by adventurers who stated that certain Indians had assured them that they knew places in the mountains where the surface of the ground was covered by the same kind of yellow stones. 623.934.6882 Weiser is attacked (either by Apache or by Waltz) but survives long enough to tell a Dr Walker about the mine. Almost every prospector, whether professional or tenderfoot, had his own pet lost mine that he looked for. With Arizona's wild and violent past, you can bet there are quite a few that exist in our Southwestern state. #scot, Lynx Lake Mineral Withdrawal Area & Gold Panning Trail, Arizona Association of Gold Prospectors (AAGP), Phoenix/Scottsdale City Expert for HomeandAbroad.com, Want to read more travel articles from MDN? Prospectors often recite stories that support the fabled legend of Pegleg's lost mine. Supposedly tucked away in the rugged trails of the Superstition Mountains, the legend of unfathomable riches has numerous versions and characters and each insists on being the correct story, with some dating to the first trek Spanish conquistadors made into the northern reaches of the Sonoran desert. A passing prospector had told him to hike a half-mile up the wash to a 20-foot-high wall on the right bank. Get counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. They are the tallest trees on Earth, with some reaching more than 250 feet tall. Later, after the Indian died in a fight, $4,000 worth of gold was found in his bunk. The gun had been there so long that even the hammer and trigger had rusted away. What will happen to society when AI lovers fool millions of people? Finder of this note please give to Howard Peterson. The story continues that after working for a while, eleven of the party started for the Pima villages for supplies. One of the most popular Arizona legends also happens to be one of the most deadly: the Lost Dutchman's gold mine. Over this wall and back of the next rise is a prospect hold with large chunks of galena (lead sulfide) on the surface. While searching for the fluted wall, Ashley tumbled down a steep wash bank and, while nursing his bruises, noticed a ledge of pure white quartz streaked with red and green. He broke off a piece and put it in his sample sack. He had a very irritating habit of disappearing from the camp once in a while, going by night, and taking with him several burros, whose feet would be so well wrapped that trailing was impossible. The desire for gold can be so great that it motivates men to endure unbelievable hardships including starvation, dehydration and death. Old time miners would sample gold bearing rivers following the wa. 8338 Lost Mine Rd. Many believe it is easier to find a mine that has been lost, than to discover a new location. 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. Click here to read the original article. Just one day into his journey, he disappeared. Around 1870, two U.S. Army soldiers discover a vein of almost pure gold in or near the. Southwest Treasure Hunters Gem & Mineral Guide: Where & How to Dig, Pan and Mine Your Own Gems & Minerals, GemStone Press, 2008. A cryptic map of the gold mine, or just a fake? This is a popular trail for hiking and mountain biking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. 2023 Warner Bros. In addition to the bank, the bandits looted the citys cathedral. It's one of the mine's few concrete objects, and it read: "I'm sitting under a tree in a creek with leg broke. Notes and Author: This article is primarily a tale told by James Harvey McClintock between the years of 1913 and 1916 when he published a three-volume history of Arizona called Arizona: The Youngest State. He was believed to be part of Pauline Weavers original exploration party that traveled along the Hassayampa River. Yavapai County - Rich Hill. I had been prospecting out of Prescott AZ. Doc Thorne's Lost Gold Mine: Next to the Lost Dutchman's Gold, the most talked about and searched for treasure in Arizona over the last century remains Doc Thorne's gold. He reportedly said it came from a secret mine in the Superstition Mountains. Join DesertUSA as we continue the search for gold in the Desert. The ore was not the same as that at the Vulture Mine. 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. Before we get into those, here are some genuine facts about the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine: There really was a Lost Dutchman, although he wasnt Dutch. There are quite a few lost Spanish mines in Arizona the Lost Dutchman is the most famous of them but there are the Lost Padre, Geronimo's . He argued that each of these three legends contains some truth, but have become badly distorted through time. Sign up below or read more about the DesertUSA newsletter here. Later, Pimas and "Apaches" (some of whom may have been Yavapais) occupied parts of the region. 914.589.3985. Chapter 12 of Thunder God's Gold by Barry Storm (John Clymenson), published in 1945, tells a very interesting story about a large piece of rich gold quartz found by William (Bill) Jenkins while on a picnic in the Superstition Mountains with his family in 1937. Rich Hill was the single richest discovery of gold in one place. 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. From a single shovelful of earth had been panned seventeen ounces of gold. But Ruth did indeed find the Lost Dutchman, according to a message in a bottle. The three, finally driven out by famine, started out and found on their trail, the bodies of all their comrades, who had been murdered by Apache Indians. Entrance is free. Thorne pretended that the sand was of little value, but furtively took all that he could. Want to read more travel articles from MDN? That is, until Miguel Peraltas family stumbles upon the site and start mining the gold. Lost Mines & Buried Treasure of the Southwest by Thomas Penfield, Lost Cities & Ancient Mysteries of the Southwest by David Hatcher Childress, Lost Gold and Silver Mines of the Southwest by Eugene L. Conrotto, Lost Mines & Buried Treasures of Arizona by W.C. Jameson, Southwest Treasure Hunters Gem & Mineral Guide: Where & How to Dig, Where to Find Gold in the Desert by James Klein, 3 Thrillseekers wanted to travel to Sweden, Ecuador or Canada in July with World Nomads, Worldwide: Getty Images Awarding $10,000 Grants to 3 Instagram Photographers, New Creative Opps for Travelers in Switzerland, Montana, Michigan, California & Marfa, Texas, Hey Dutchman Hunters! His partner had been killed, and he had escaped only by a miracle. , Spanish Conquistadors roamed the area, looking for the Pima villages for supplies can be so that. As the Massacre Grounds only by a miracle finder of this note please give Howard... Famous in American history to Julia Thomas, a neighbor who took of... Was amputated, his friends fashioned him a wooden leg, thus earning him name... Society when AI lovers fool millions of people Peraltas family stumbles upon the site and start mining the gold mine! 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