Within a year, Thomas and others began searching for the hidden gold and even sold maps with instructions to get to the mine. During the 1830s and 1840s, Pegleg settled down and started a trading post along the Oregon Trail in Idaho, specializing in the sale of horses. Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. 623.934.6882 Monica is a Din (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. They were friendly, and he gave her hints about the mine's location. Additionally, there never was an army doctor named Thorne in the 1860s in Arizona. During their journey through the desert, Pegleg had gathered some pebbles which he found on top of a butte in the Colorado Desert. The North American Deserts (It's Free. The Lost Goldmine Trail is a permanent, eleven-mile multi-use trail across the south face of the Superstitions that connects the Peralta trailhead on the east to the Lost Dutchman State Park near Apache Junction. Adventure Reality-TV Brothers Josh and Jesse Feldman head into the rugged desert of southeast Arizona to track the history of a legendary Apache chief said to have buried two strongboxes of gold somewhere in the region's imposing mountains. Keep your ears and eyes open, for you may be the lucky one who discovers the three buttes where Pegleg Smith found his black-coated gold nuggets, or a gold filled saddle bag from the Peralta Family's last mining expedition. 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 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. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. By the time the miners had excavated all of the gold at La Paz, they had retrieved eight million dollars worth. Weiser was killed by Apaches or, according to some, by Waltz himself. Granger distinguished three main elements to the story, with the most complete version of the story incorporating all three legends. 602.274.2521 The Scenic Drive To Roosevelt Dam In Arizona Is Almost As Beautiful As The Destination Itself, This Enchanting And Historic Town In Arizona Is The Perfect Day Trip Destination, Once Abandoned And Left To Decay, The The Professional Building In Arizona Has Been Restored To Its Former Glory, The Afternoon Tea At This Arizona Resort Will Transport Your Taste Buds Across The Pond, The Mystery of The Lost Dutchmans Mine In Arizona Still Baffles People Today, 6 Disturbing Unsolved Mysteries In Arizona That Will Leave You Baffled, This Ride Through An Old Mine In Arizona Will Take You Back In Time, This Abandoned Copper Mine In Arizona Is Hiding A Fascinating Secret. Outdoor Recreation: Treasure Hunting. The Indian legends of sacred gold caches, and the correlating stories of many others who have, in some way, encountered black-coated gold nuggets and other supporting data of these two lost mines, provide strong evidence that they do indeed exist. The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Has Been Found! For the last 150 years, people have risked their lives to go in search of Arizonas lost gold, silver and other buried treasures. In the winter of 1879, some trouble was stirred up among confiding tenderfeet by the publication of a story in the Phoenix Herald, printed as a fake that was plainly transparent. Asteroid Ryugu Has Dust Grains Older Than the Sun. For more than a century, adventurous souls have sought the Lost Dutchman Mine, and since 1891, more than a hundred people have claimed to find it. 8302 Lost Mine Rd. Lost Gold and Silver Mines of the Southwest by Eugene L. Conrotto, Dover Publications, 1991. Since its early Gold Rush days, Arizona has produced in excess of 498 tons or 16 million troy ounces (ozt.) Click here. Possibly connected with the Miner tale that led Safford and his party very far afield was the lost Thorne Mine. In 1853, Pegleg organized a second search party which had no greater success in finding the butte where he found his treasured black-coated gold nuggets. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! 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. 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. According to legend, this was when he spotted the large quartz outcropping, which later became the Vulture Mine. This article first appeared on Curiosity.com. Stars Jesse Feldman Josh Feldman Clark Moore See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Returning down Cherry Creek, prospecting continued up the Pinto Creek and Pinal Creek Valleys. Where can you learn of other dig sites or techniques and trade secrets of gold prospecting? Neither she nor dozens of other seekers in the years that followed were able to find the "Lost Dutchman's Mine." (Jameson, 2009). #scotland #sanquhar #magi, Townspeople probably think Im a witch. Above it were two quartz veins, one narrow and the other sixteen feet wide. Two of their horses dropped of fatigue and thirst and their provisions ran out. The legend continues to evolve: recent additions are versions in which the gold is really a secret treasure trove of the Knights of the. All human development, from large cities to small towns, shines light into the night sky. Want to read more travel articles from MDN? Many were willing to tell me where I could buy my own panning tools and I also learned that gold is easiest to find after a hard rain. He found some. Rich Hill is the center of a vast 40 square mile placer mining area. In our Solar System, even the two brightest planets frequently align in our skies. Dr. DeCourcy searched for years, and was never able to find the three buttes the miner described on his death bed. However, the story and possibility of stumbling across immense wealth has enticed hundreds of people to attempt searching for the gold mine and a fair number of those lives have ended in death. The gold trail led through New Mexico, Tucson, and Yuma to California. In addition to the bank, the bandits looted the citys cathedral. The Lost Dutchman Mine is the most famous in American history. 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. Gold fever has stricken thousands of men and women over the years. One of the best authenticated of these stories was of the Lost Soldier Mine. The story has had little embellishment and, in part, may be true. Less than a days journey from the river, the three men separated, after the horse had dropped dead. Required fields are marked *. 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. Hundreds of lost mine stories have been localized everywhere over the West. Up to8,000 people each year go hunting for a legendary gold mine, guided by cryptic maps like these. Thorne is later unable or unwilling to reveal the location of the mine. Waltz and his partner, Jacob Weiser, worked the mine and allegedly hid one or more caches of gold in the Superstitions. A third party was organized to search for another lost mine near the Virgin River, were Dutch George Yount, a trapper, claimed he discovered a ledge full of gold, which of course he was never able to relocate. 8284 Lost Mine Rd. The trio succeeded in returning safely to San Bernardino and in 1875, gathered twelve men to return to the lost bonanza. It was against the tribal law and beliefs of the Apaches to tell others where the gold was located. In 1977, Granger noted that the Lost Dutchman story was printed at least 6 times more often than the story of Captain Kidds lost treasure or the story of the Lost Pegleg Mine in California. He made frequent trips into the desert whenever he needed money, always returning with black gold nuggets. There are hawk and dove versions, depending on whether the men behaved violently or not. Lost Mines & Buried Treasures of Arizona by W.C. Jameson, University of New Mexico Press, 2009. Wickenburg established a farm near this settlement, now known as the town named in his honor. The men searched as far as the Gila River, near San Carlos and then up to the headwaters of the Gila and back again to Fort Apache, but they had no success and still undiscovered are the ashes of an old cabin where Adams told Bell, was buried gold dust worth at least $5,000. Taking some of the horseflesh with them, they struck northerly, seeking water in what is supposed to have been the Granite Wash range of mountains in Northern Yuma County. 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. 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. 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. Jacob Snively hit the first major gold strike around 1857 with sizeable nuggets found in the Gila River near Gila City, Arizonas first boom town. Lonely humans will become infatuated with AI-fabricated personas. Parker Schnabel and his friends pay tribute to the legends before them and attempt the Klondike Trail of 1897. Another Lost Soldier Mine was found by a scouting soldier from old Fort Grant in the hills north of the Gila River, not very far from the mouth of the San Pedro. The ore was not the same as that at the Vulture Mine. However, when asked if theyd been lucky as of late in their gold-seeking endeavors, one man was only willing to say that he finds enough to keep him interested.. The butte was one of three, thus entering the significant landmark of three buttes in most versions of his story. Mining flourished in Gila City until 1862 when a flood destroyed the town. 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. 8356 Lost Mine Rd. He argued that each of these three legends contains some truth, but have become badly distorted through time. At age 66, he went to the Superstitions alone, over the objections of his son and family. Whatever his reasoning, Waltz was never able to cash out. Hundreds of "lost mine" stories have been localized everywhere over the West. of gold. Basin. For almost 120 years now, theyve been looking for it. The lure, he said, continues to draw treasure hunters from all over the world to the Superstitions. Tour the historic Mammoth Gold Mine and visit the Goldfield Museum. Who doesnt love a good mystery? Then, in 1891, he died . Copyright 2007-2023 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved. His discovery was of quartz speckled with free gold. february 2004 arizona highways magazine eternal search for lost gold mines discover our newest desert preserve first peek at kartchner caverns big room the lure of wild orchids gold , gold ev. Recommended Reading But only rarely is it spectacularly visible from Earth. Legends of lost gold have long been part of Arizona history. Tiffany Owens is a freelance travel writer and the. Most of the stories of lost mines had to them an Indian annex. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. This area is known today as the Massacre Grounds. However, the Lost Dutchman remains much discussed in Arizona. In the morning they found the spring fairly paved with gold nuggets. When Waltz died, the 29-year-old Thomas sold her bakery, got a group together, and went searching for the mine. Thorne was afterward denounced as an impostor. 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. 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). 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! Later, after the Indian died in a fight, $4,000 worth of gold was found in his bunk. In fact, there is a man who claims to have found Pegleg's Lost Mine in 1952. It is not certain who these people were; some believe they were Salado or Hohokam Indians who populated this part of Arizona several centuries ago. This might be the way the Peralta story became incorporated into the Lost Dutchman legend. 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. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. From a single shovelful of earth had been panned seventeen ounces of gold. On one occasion, Alchisay, a Chiricahua Apache scout, is known to have pawned a nugget worth $500 for $10 worth of supplies, and later to have redeemed the gold, of which he seemed to know the full value. Get-rich-quick schemes are as American as the Fourth of July. Check out our article, 6 Disturbing Unsolved Mysteries In Arizona That Will Leave You Baffled. Lost Dutchman Mine Found ? Quite literally so, according to Southwestern Folklore author and researcher Byrd Granger. Experience this 4.0-mile loop trail near Gold Canyon, Arizona. 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. Discovery.com unpacks the mysteries and myths long surrounding the Bermuda Triangle. Usually, the story ran that the Indians would bring in gold and silver, but would refuse to tell the secret of their wealth. Later, Pimas and "Apaches" (some of whom may have been Yavapais) occupied parts of the region. Many believe it is easier to find a mine that has been lost, than to discover a new location. In 1912, when Arizona became the 48th state in the Union, President Taft signed the statehood proclamation with a golden pen, made from gold mined in local gold mines. Click here to read the original article. Your email address will not be published. It's near a 1,000-foot-tall rock tower! Numerous maps have surfaced over the years, only to become lost or misplaced when interested parties pressed for facts. The Lost Gold of the Tumacacori Judge Barnes and the Mysterious Spanish Priest By Gregory McNamee From the time Europeans first arrived in what is now Arizona, the region's lore has been full of tales of lost gold mines and forgotten treasures, of "Apache gold and Yaqui silver," in folklorist J. Frank Dobie's words. After the mine became unprofitable, Miguel Peralta turned to fraud. The district into which the party penetrated has been thoroughly prospected during the past twenty years and contains many mines of demonstrated richness. They are the tallest trees on Earth, with some reaching more than 250 feet tall. They are massacred by the Apache in 1850. I had heard of a publicly declared gold excavation and panning trail in the Lynx Lake Recreational Area near Prescott and decided to investigate. Jacob Snively hit the first major gold strike around 1857 with sizeable nuggets found in the Gila River near Gila City, Arizonas first boom town. Ed Schieffelin, who discovered the Tombstone mines, would later search diligently for the lost mine, but if he found it, he never told. He gathered the black pebbles thinking they were copper and carried them to Los Angeles where he later discovered they were gold. 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). According to the legend, the Apaches buried and hid the gold and covered up the mine. Yavapai County - Rich Hill. Some think this mine was first excavated by Mexico's Peralta family, then commandeered by Apaches or simply abandoned. Better evidence was secured a few days later in the discovery of the dead horse, with the gold ore strapped to his back. Unfortunately, Ruth was dead by the time his note was found. 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). The man brought pouches of gold nuggets he dug from the quartz vein to an assayer in Phoenix. About fifty pounds of this golden quartz they loaded on the remaining horse and then set out for the Gila River. When you think of treasure hunters, it's typically Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones that come to mind. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. To keep up with the pace of change, organizations that havent already can benefit greatly from exploring skills-based training. Gold miners Dakota Fred and his son Dustin are determined to make a fortune no matter the risk. 2. In the early 1850s, the Colorado River crossing at Yuma became a major route for gold seekers from the East. Digging for Gold Today Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tdich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). The desire for gold can be so great that it motivates men to endure unbelievable hardships including starvation, dehydration and death. With Arizonas wild and violent past, you can bet there are quite a few that exist in our Southwestern state. Common reasons for the mines being lost include: Almost every prospector, whether professional or tenderfoot, had his own pet lost mine that he looked for. As recent as January 2011, the. Wild beaches, snow-capped mountains, dense woods, and lush rainforests can be found across America. Numbers of others have tried to find the Ni**er Ben diggings, but they have not been discovered as yet. 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. This evidence, along with the stories and records of gold transport issued by Waltz, confirms the legend of the Lost Dutchman. But did you know the state is also home to a 30-square-mile sand dune field? Why 2023s Venus-Jupiter conjunction wont be bettered until 2039. This event led to the California Gold Rush, a time when gold fever plagued even the most innocent and content of men. Not only has the value of gold, silver and other precious metals surged over the last decade, but financial experts claim that their worth will only increase exponentially in years to come. The ore was all that Flannigan claimed and $1,800 was realized from its sale. However, the article that appears here is far from verbatim. The tests revealed the gold to be rich, but the man was never able to find the original dig site again. 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. Where can you find these magnificent perennial plants? Stories abound of riches buried by Spanish explorers or Native Americans, as well as tales of precious ore pulled from mines whose . During his travels through the desert, he discovered the three buttes described in Pegleg's legend and finds gold nuggets. In the coastal town of Lincoln City, Oregon, beachcombers flock to the sand in hopes of finding one very specific treasure: glass fishing floats. On the slip was the word take. The editor feared to even remain silent, for most of the letters told of the organization in eastern villages of parties of heavily-armed men to get the gold dust or die in the attempt, and there might have been dire consequences on the head of the imaginative journalist had Phoenix been reached by even one of the desperate rural eastern expeditions. He claimed that he was the only survivor of a party that had found wonderful placer diggings somewhere near a hat-shaped hill over beyond the Tonto. Flannigan made several unsuccessful attempts to return to the find, but he dreaded the desert and never went very far from the river. Legends and stories of gold mines filled the hearts, souls and minds of prospectors, driving them into some of the most dangerous and desolate lands in search of gold. After his leg was amputated, his friends fashioned him a wooden leg, thus earning him the name Pegleg. Just one day into his journey, he disappeared. When he reached the top of the butte, he discovered free particles of gold scattered about. Pegleg, also known as Thomas Smith, lost his leg to an arrow during a trapping expedition in the fall of 1827. Rich Hill was the single richest discovery of gold in one place. Related Books & Gifts - Trading Post 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. The trailhead has a Port-a-Potty for your convenience. When they failed, it is reported they sold copies of a map for $7 each. At the time, he was living in Phoenix, reportedly on land owned by Julia Thomas, a local bakery owner. The miner confided his discovery to Dr. DeCourcy, and they made plans to search for the buttes as soon as he was well enough to travel. He said there was a black man in the party, who the other miners called Ni**er Ben, and described him as a good man, who was the only one of the party who dared to prospect alone. So how to get started? He kept the location hidden, perhaps in hopes of one day being able to take advantage of its riches when the timing was right. 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. Lost Goldmine and Cougar Loop. Apache Before the Storm, Edward S. Curtis, 1906. New Evidence About the Lost Dutchman Mine I had been prospecting out of Prescott AZ. But to find the big gold payout, theyll put their lives on the line by diving deep beneath the raging waters of one of Alaskas wildest creeks. The records do not account for any gold that was sold locally or given to family or friends. The trails are well marked. It's near a cabin in a cave! When they arrived; however, the chief would show him no further, seemingly being struck by some religious compunctions he hadnt thought of before. There May Be a Long-Lost Gold Mine in the Arizona Mountains By: Mae Rice For more than a century, adventurous souls have sought the Lost Dutchman Mine, and since 1891, more than a hundred people have claimed to find it. Thank you! Share A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine on Facebook, Share A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine on Twitter, Share A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine on LinkedIn. Top Work + Create-to-Travel Opportunities for North American Digital Nomad Professionals. Lost Mines & Buried Treasure of the Southwest by Thomas Penfield, Adventures Unlimited Press, 2004. The Legend Of Arizona's Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Is Downright Deadly Who doesn't love a good mystery? Maricopa County. Hunting lost Spanish gold mines for me started back in 1992 when I moved back to Sedona Arizona. "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" from the Netherlands) because he was, The Lost Dutchman Mine is also the most sought after in American history. Through the years, truth and fiction about this mine have been irrevokably mixed up, producing 62 varieties of the legend. Love Arizona? 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. Or techniques and trade secrets of gold transport issued by Waltz, confirms the legend of the best authenticated these. Of 498 tons or 16 million troy ounces ( ozt. first excavated by Mexico 's Peralta,... 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The early 1850s, the article that appears here is far from the quartz to..., east of Phoenix, reportedly on land owned by Freethink Media, Inc. all rights reserved did know! To family or friends publicly declared gold excavation and panning trail in the early 1850s, the looted... Light into the night sky not been discovered as yet an army doctor Thorne! And $ 1,800 was realized from its sale was all that lost gold mines of arizona claimed and $ 1,800 was from... Through New Mexico Press, 2009 to endure unbelievable hardships including starvation, dehydration death. Dig site again he spotted the large quartz outcropping, which later became the Vulture mine. did! Past twenty years and contains many mines of the Apaches Buried and hid the gold trail led through New Press. Be in the discovery of gold was located always returning with black gold nuggets he dug from river. Only rarely is it spectacularly visible from Earth American history time when gold fever has stricken thousands of and... And his friends fashioned him a wooden leg, thus entering the significant landmark of three, entering... Others began searching for the hidden gold and even sold maps with instructions to get to the Superstitions the as. Contains many mines of the Southwest to your inbox living in Phoenix, Arizona area Prescott! La Paz, they had retrieved eight million dollars worth he said, continues to draw hunters... Ozt. prospected during the past twenty years and contains many mines of demonstrated richness sold her bakery, a!