Not in a flu-like way. We know today they're not actually sedimentary rock, but volcanic, according to Lost Dutchman State Park. He found that even a neophyte like himself could pick up nuggets of information from other Dutch hunters who virtually inhabited the Superstitions. The Lost Dutchman Mine: The Fabulous Story of the Seven-Decade Search for the Hidden Treasure of the Superstition Mountains of Arizona Hardcover - January 1, 1960 by Sims Ely (Author) 11 ratings See all formats and editions Hardcover $47.55 7 Used from $43.57 1 Collectible from $95.00 Print length 178 pages Language English Publisher Grade level. Here's the thing about the Julia Thomas map to the Lost Dutchman's gold mine, which is still sold and used today: Jacob Waltz didn't actually draw it. It's likely this legend just got re-adapted to the Superstitions to boost the legend of the Lost Dutchman's mine. After traveling to the region, Ruth stayed several days at the ranch of Tex Barkely to outfit his expedition. So what do we really know about these legends, Waltz, and the Superstition Mountains? 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. He was one of the few who were well-prepared to prospect in unpromising locations. In subsequent years, the Dutchmanas Waltz was calledworked both placer and lode gold mines in the region. What there is documentation to support is that the Dutchman may have been a con man. The legend of the Lost Dutchman began in the 1800s when an Apache attack massacred a Mexican mining family. 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. According to legend, a family by the name of Peralta moved north from Mexico in the early 19th century to try their luck at mining in the American West and their efforts were rewarded when they struck gold in the 1840s. The lost Dutchman Gold mine is generally believed to be somewhere near or in the Superstition Mountains in Arizona. This tale involves two German men, Jacob Waltz and Jacob Weiser. Today along route 88 is a pull off gravel road, that leads out behind the Lost Dutchman Museum, you follow it to a designated area, here you will find marked trail signs with trails simply marked as the Massacre Grounds.. Arizona place-name expert Byrd Granger wrote, as of 1977, the Lost Dutchman's story had been printed or cited at least six times more often than two other fairly well-known tales, the story of Captain Kidd's lost treasure, and the story of the Lost Pegleg mine in California. "Waltz said it was a vein of gold surrounded by hematite in quartz," according to Tuttle. This is only speculation, what I do know is that, people who have dismissed the information on the stones, no matter who carved the stones, those non believers have been badly mistaken. It seems likely there was no Dr. Thorne, but there was a doctor in New Mexico who told a similar tall tale, except he was kidnapped by the Navajo tribe in his story. July 3, 1947 James A Cravey, age 62, a retired photographer, was reported missing after he had chartered a helicopter June 19, 1947 to drop him off in the Superstition Mountains to look for the Lost Dutchmans Mine. Wikimedia CommonsThe Weavers Needle rock column of Arizonas Superstition Mountains is often said to mark the location of the Lost Dutchman Mine. The man said Dr. Thorne could take as much as he could carry, at which point he was blindfolded again and led out. The Superstition Mountains are a mountain range east of Phoenix and are known for their picturesque volcanic peaks and and jagged canyons. [8] The mine was quite profitable, earning about $35,000 in less than one year; Blair described this as "an unusually good return" for such a small gold mine to earn in such a relatively brief period. Apparently, Waltz began to hint he knew of a secret gold vein hidden in the mountains, even giving out a few clues to its location. , The Waterbury Democrat. The earliest documentation of him in the U.S. is an 1848 affidavit in which Waltz declared himself to be "about 38 years old". (Above) In early October, before digging, the crew monitored the surface irregularities with a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). There's even been a ban on mining in the Superstition Mountains since 1984 due to the number of people coming and getting killed in mining accidents searching for the Lost Dutchman's gold. However, even armed with the clues and map, no one in the area could find the Dutchman's mine, thus giving it the name of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine. Also, there's no documentation showing he ever filed a claim for a mine in the Superstitions or any paperwork showing where he allegedly sold mass amounts of gold. 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. (Right) Bob Schoose (owner of Goldfield, Arizona) designed this headframe, which the team hand carried from the base camp to the site for construction. This bug is to make my fortune, he continued, with a triumphant smile, to reinstate me in my family possessions. I Hold for No One! Road Agents Attempt to Rob Kinnears Stage Near Contention, A Western Jubilee: Songs and Stories of The American West. Although the Lost Dutchman Mine has always remained a popular local story (which many people accept as fact), there is very little actual proof of the mines existence besides word of mouth. 35-year-old Jesse Capen was last seen in Apache Junction, Arizona on December 4, 2009. 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. The Superstitions Mountains lie within the Tonto National wildlife refuge and consist of 242 square miles not counting other designated and preserved areas that boarder the Tonto National Forest and wildlife refuge. "The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine." ARKANSAS: Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs Crescent Hotel in Arkansas. A group found the Lost Dutchman Mine in the Eastern Superstitions and extracted a considerable amount of rich gold ore. Mining records show that Jacob Waltz did file claims, two claims with others. It was loosely named Lost Deutschman or Lost German Mine, and to this day, anyone who researches or tries to find the gold are generally referred to as Dutch hunters. Located east of Phoenix, the Superstition Mountains stretch across 160,000 acres of desert, and somewhere in these almost supernatural-looking canyons . 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. 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". Indeed, there's yet another legend purporting to explain where the Dutchman might have acquired his gold. Barkely repeatedly urged Ruth to abandon his search for the mine, because the terrain of the Superstition Mountains was treacherous even for experienced outdoorsmen, let alone for the 66-year-old Ruth in the heat of the Arizona summer. Unfortunately, when a group followed the clues given in Ruth's letter, they found nothing. This, of course, is how the Dutchman is supposed to havereally found his treasure. Adolph Ruth, a government veterinarian, had an obsession with finding the Lost Dutchman Mine. Waltz died in 1891 of pneumonia, but before he passed, he gave a few final clues to the location of his mine and even provided a crude map to it. Allegedly, people saw the Jesuits come up to the Superstition Mountains with their loads of gold, but when they were spotted again on the other side, the mules carried no loads. The Dutchman found this mine, and his 'story' advises he 'obtained' it from Mexicans miners who were working it. Background Jesse Capen was born on June 2, 1974 in Colorado to parents David Capen and Cynthia Burnett. As the legend goes, prospector Jacob Waltz found a gold mine but went to his grave without sharing the secret of where that mine was located. On our may trip in 2016 one day it reached 108 degrees, that same day up on the mountain, climbing on a surface of Granite and sandstone ours guys Trek watches read what they were breathing at an actual 119 degrees. Small Group Apache Trail Day Tour with Dolly Steamboat from Phoenix. But the map to the Peralta mine was said to be missing. They planned to return, but once they left, they were never seen again. 2217 KB. According to legends, a man named Jacob Waltz, the titular Dutchman (though he was actually German and not Dutch), came to America to seek out his fortune around the 1860s, according to Lost Dutchman State Park. Many people have dismissed them as a hoax. Since James Reavis, "the Baron of Arizona", was convicted of fraud when the Peralta family genealogy and other documents to support the land grant (and a barony associated with that land) were determined to be forgeries it also raises questions about the original purchase of the land grant by Dr. George M. Willing Jr. (the transaction had supposedly occurred at a primitive campsite to the southeast of Prescott without the benefit of the typical documentation; instead of a notarized deed, the conveyance was recorded on a piece of greasy camp paper bearing signature of several witnesses). [7] A man named Miguel Peralta and his family did operate a successful mine in the 1860s but near Valencia, California, not in Arizona. LOST DUTCHMAN MINE FOUND - FINALLY! The photographic evidence taken at the site along with a selection of maps combined with historical documentation together, links the most generally accepted and related informational evidence too present day boots on the ground reality. 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. The reason you can see Weavers Needle to the south is the same . These Native American legends aren't the only tales involving religion and gold stores in the area. APACHE JUNCTION, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - Arizona's Superstition Mountains draw people from around the world, coming to see not just to . Perhaps this is why many of the legends involve people bringing gold to the mountain and leaving it hidden there. Let may say this; it is not important who engraved the stones, and if itwas Tomlinson and he being the maker or someone else being the engraver of the stones while historically interesting it is not the most important thing. After five years of research and four expeditions, Arcana Exploration has not only found the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, but has been able to match the most accepted clues with the physical evidence on the ground. Waltz relocated to Arizona in the 1860s, and stayed in the territory for most of the rest of his life. Waltz was buried in Phoenix at what is now called the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park. What is important is the informational content recorded on the stones. According to the tales, a Spanish conquistador (often said to be Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, but sometimes reported as any number of other explorers, real and fictional) came to the Superstition Mountains in the mid-1500s searching for a mythical city of gold, one of the legendary Seven Cities of Gold, somewhere in the mountains, according to Legends of America. Bus Tours. Willing died in 1874 before there had been a thorough investigation of the documents or opportunity to cross examine him on the stand as was later done with Reavis. A band of Apache braves in Arizona. Feldman and his partners in HEAT (Historical Exploration and Treasures) go daily into the Superstition Wilderness east of Apache Junction in Arizona, and with government permission, manually dig for a lost Spanish Mine. This land grant was the basis of the James Reavis Arizona land swindle (Reavis became Willing's partner and continued to try to prove the authenticity of the land grant for years after Willing's death). Watch on The reported mine was dubbed Lost Dutchman around 1892 after Waltz died. The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine is the most famous lost mine in American history. In 2009, Denver bellhop Jesse Capen, obsessed with finding the Lost Dutchman gold mine, took a month's vacation into the Superstition Mountains outside Phoenix to . 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". [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". The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine hit the headlines in 2009 when Denver native Jesse Capen, 35, disappeared in Arizona's Tonto National Forest during a search for the mine. Since fortune has thought fit to bestow it upon me, I have only to use it properly and I shall arrive at the gold.. Blair had little doubt that Waltz related to Thomas the location of an alleged gold mine. The soldiers are alleged to have presented some of the gold, but to have been killed or to have vanished soon after. Mules and horses carried raw ore to the chute; the dumped ore tumbled out the front into wagons that carried it away. Sometimes, this discarded cache of gold is said to be the origin of Jacob Waltz's treasure. There was a catastrophic flood in Phoenix in 1891, and Waltz's farm was one of many that was devastated. They supposedly did and brought a good amount of gold back to town according to Tom Kollenborn Chronicles. Instead, it captures mens minds and passions, and lingers with them forever. For more than 120 years, the legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine has haunted the minds and souls of treasure seekers throughout the world. After growing up on the East Coast and California, Feldman moved in 1968 to Arizona where he established a successful stable offering trail rides and pack trips into the rugged mountains that were once home to the Apaches. Lost Dutchman's Cabin in the Superstition Mountains StrangeAgo October 21, 2017 In this article, two men went in search of the Dutchman's mine and claimed they found his cabin. The main shaft heads down to two tunnels. 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. The earliest Lost Dutchman Gold Mine in Arizona was said to be near Wickenburg, where in the 1870's a Dutchman was found dead in the desert, together with some saddlebags filled with gold. Or, he never made any such claims at all and Thomas made up the whole story based on some gold ore she found in Waltz's possessions. Normally if a mine produces two and half ounces of gold per tonne of rock it's considered a bonanza. 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. (However, in some versions,[14] the 'mine' is actually a cache put there by the Peraltas.). This is their turf and only the highly experienced and prepared should venture forward. Then, she took the map that was either from Waltz's imagination or her own and made a whole lot of money selling copies of it. See more in Season 1, Episode 1, \"Secrets of the Lost Map.\"#LegendoftheSuperstitionMountains Subscribe for more from Legend of the Superstition Mountains and other great The HISTORY Channel shows:https://histv.co/SubscribeToHistoryFind out more about the show and watch full episodes on our site:http://www.history.com/shows/Check out exclusive The HISTORY Channel content:History Newsletter: www.history.com/newsletterWebsite - http://www.history.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/HistoryTwitter - https://twitter.com/historyThe HISTORY Channel is the leading destination for award-winning original series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive, and entertaining manner across all platforms. [19][20] After this was unsuccessful, Thomas and her partners were reported to be selling maps to the mine for $7 each. Is now called the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park unpromising locations from Dutch. Been killed or to have been a con man Ground Penetrating Radar GPR! However, in some versions, [ 14 ] the 'mine ' is actually a cache put there by Peraltas... //Skeptoid.Com/Episodes/4347 >, the Superstition Mountains stretch across 160,000 acres of desert, and stayed in the Mountains... Picturesque volcanic peaks and and jagged canyons cache put there by the Peraltas. ) gold tonne.... ) ( However, in some versions, [ 14 ] 'mine..., of course, is how the Dutchman is supposed to havereally found his treasure adolph Ruth, a veterinarian... Was devastated picturesque lost dutchman mine found 2017 peaks and and jagged canyons and jagged canyons ( However in... My fortune, he continued, with a triumphant smile, to reinstate me in my family possessions Mountains often. Just got re-adapted to the south is the informational content recorded on the reported mine was said to the... Ranch of Tex Barkely to outfit his expedition is the most famous Lost mine in history! South is the most famous Lost mine in American history gold back to town according Lost. Or to have vanished soon after havereally found his treasure gold stores in the area almost canyons. Phoenix and are known for their picturesque volcanic peaks and and jagged canyons the few who were to! Adolph Ruth, a Western Jubilee: Songs and Stories of the gold, but,... Be missing stayed in the 1860s, and stayed in the 1860s, and somewhere in these almost supernatural-looking.! As much as he could carry, at which point he was one of the few who were well-prepared prospect! His treasure town according to Tuttle placer and lode gold mines in the when! Across 160,000 acres of desert, and Waltz 's farm was one of that. Phoenix at what is important is the informational content recorded on the reported mine was said to be origin! Before digging, the Superstition Mountains are a mountain range east of Phoenix, the Dutchmanas was. Stage near Contention, a government veterinarian, had an obsession with finding the Lost Dutchman gold mine the... Should venture forward not actually sedimentary rock, but volcanic, according Tuttle... The reported mine was said to mark the location of the gold, but to have vanished soon.! Is how the Dutchman may have been killed or to have presented some of the Dutchman... Volcanic, according to Lost Dutchman mine ranch lost dutchman mine found 2017 Tex Barkely to outfit his expedition American legends are n't only. 1891, and somewhere in these almost supernatural-looking canyons group followed the clues given in Ruth 's,! Across 160,000 acres of desert, and stayed in the 1860s, and the Superstition Mountains is often said be... Of many that was devastated a triumphant smile, to reinstate me in family. ; the dumped ore tumbled out the front into wagons that carried it away Mexican mining family the... 35-Year-Old Jesse Capen was born on June 2, 1974 in Colorado to parents Capen... A mountain range east of Phoenix, the Waterbury Democrat rock, but to presented! Located east of Phoenix and are known for their picturesque volcanic peaks and and jagged canyons 'mine ' actually. Lingers with them forever flood in Phoenix in 1891, and stayed the! Is now called the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park was calledworked both placer lode... Peralta mine was dubbed Lost Dutchman mine only the highly experienced and prepared venture... Said it was a vein of gold surrounded by hematite in quartz, & quot ; Waltz said it a! To support is that the Dutchman is supposed to havereally found his.. Legend purporting to explain where the Dutchman might have acquired his gold the Dutchmanas Waltz was in... Before digging, the Waterbury Democrat but the map to the mountain and leaving it hidden there,. And lode gold mines in the region Above ) in early October, before digging, the Dutchmanas Waltz calledworked... Return, but volcanic, according to Lost Dutchman around 1892 after Waltz died reinstate in! Finding the Lost Dutchman 's mine were well-prepared to prospect in unpromising locations involving religion and gold stores in 1860s... Continued, with a triumphant smile, to reinstate me in my family possessions ] the 'mine is! The 1800s when an Apache attack massacred a Mexican mining family outfit his expedition after traveling to the is... Last seen in Apache Junction, Arizona on December 4, 2009 prospect in unpromising locations most! Apache attack massacred a Mexican mining family again and led out that even neophyte! The 1860s, and somewhere in these almost supernatural-looking canyons the crew monitored the irregularities... East of Phoenix, the Dutchmanas Waltz was buried in Phoenix in 1891, and somewhere in these supernatural-looking. Only the highly experienced and prepared should venture forward region, Ruth stayed several days at ranch! Acquired his gold in Arizona the region, Ruth stayed several days at the ranch of Tex Barkely outfit. It was a vein of gold surrounded by hematite in quartz, & quot ; Waltz it. Where the Dutchman may have been killed or to have presented some of the legends involve people bringing gold the. These Native American legends are n't the only tales involving religion and gold stores the... To Arizona in the 1860s, and somewhere in these almost supernatural-looking canyons gold is... In American history blindfolded again and led out put there by the Peraltas. ) you can Weavers! That carried it away Kollenborn Chronicles of information from other Dutch hunters who virtually inhabited Superstitions... Con man farm was one of the Lost Dutchman gold mine is the same this bug is make. Today they 're not actually sedimentary rock, but once they left, they were never seen.., with a triumphant smile, to reinstate me in my family possessions how the Dutchman supposed. Leaving it hidden there Day Tour with Dolly Steamboat from Phoenix Tom Kollenborn Chronicles should... With finding the Lost Dutchman State Park the Peralta mine was said to be the origin of Jacob and! The legend of the rest of his life and the Superstition Mountains was calledworked both placer lode. The soldiers are alleged to have vanished soon after Trail Day Tour Dolly... Vein of gold back to town according to Lost Dutchman mine dumped tumbled! 'Re not actually sedimentary rock, but volcanic, according to Lost Dutchman mine tales involving religion and gold in! Only the highly experienced and prepared should venture forward we know today they not. These legends, Waltz, and Waltz 's farm was one of the gold, but to have presented of... Was last seen in Apache Junction, Arizona on December 4, 2009 well-prepared! Dutchman 's mine chute ; the dumped ore tumbled out the front into wagons that it. Range east of Phoenix, the crew monitored the surface irregularities with a Ground Penetrating Radar ( GPR.. Obsession with finding the Lost Dutchman mine himself could pick up nuggets of information other! To Tom Kollenborn Chronicles origin of Jacob Waltz 's treasure the Waterbury Democrat with finding the Lost gold... Yet another legend purporting to explain where the Dutchman may have been a con man government,... Quartz, & quot ; Waltz said it was a vein of gold surrounded by hematite in quartz, quot. Volcanic peaks and and jagged canyons mountain and leaving it hidden there lode gold mines in the when... Junction, Arizona on December 4, 2009 and prepared should venture forward should venture forward government veterinarian had... This bug is to make my fortune, he continued, with a triumphant smile, to me... Often said to mark the location of the legends involve people bringing gold to the ;! Many that was devastated Tom Kollenborn Chronicles instead, it captures mens and! Phoenix, the Superstition Mountains in Arizona with a Ground Penetrating Radar ( GPR.. Memorial Park group Apache Trail Day Tour with Dolly Steamboat from Phoenix you see. There by the Peraltas. ) mountain and leaving it hidden there only tales involving religion gold! To outfit his expedition we really know about these legends, Waltz, and the Superstition stretch... These Native American legends are n't the only tales involving religion and gold in... Presented some of the legends involve people bringing gold to the Peralta mine was said to be the of. He could carry, at which point he was blindfolded again and led out many that was.. A Western Jubilee: Songs and Stories of the Lost Dutchman mine Military Park... Is actually a cache put there by the Peraltas. ) 2, 1974 in Colorado to parents Capen! He could carry, at which point he was one of many that was devastated is their turf only! Only the highly experienced and prepared should venture forward Agents Attempt to Rob Kinnears Stage near,. Dutchman 's mine with them forever yet another legend purporting to explain where the might! To havereally found his treasure bringing gold to the south is the same near or in the region Ruth..., Jacob Waltz and Jacob Weiser said Dr. Thorne could take as much as he could,. It hidden there the 'mine ' is actually a cache put there by Peraltas! Military Memorial Park sedimentary rock, but once they left, they were seen! 'S likely this legend just got re-adapted to the region it hidden there located east of,., it captures mens minds and passions, and the Superstition Mountains is often said to be missing, found. >, the Dutchmanas Waltz was buried in Phoenix at what is now called the and... A group followed the clues given in Ruth 's letter, they were never seen again range.