lost dutchman mine

The mine is said to have been mined by a German immigrant, Jacob Waltz, who died before he could reveal its location. Almost immediately, men began to mysteriously vanish, to the point that warnings were given to never stray more than a few feet away from the rest of the group. According to Blair, the story may have its roots in the efforts of three U.S. soldiers to locate gold in an area of New Mexico, based on an allegedly true story related to them by Dr. Thorne of New Mexico; see above. There have been many stories about how to find the mine, and each year people search for the mine. In the Spring of 1891, Waltzs homestead was caught in a flood and he was saved from certain death by two brothers named Herman and Reinhardt Petrasch. This tale involves two German men, Jacob Waltz and Jacob Weiser. In fear, the conquistadors finally fled, refusing to return to the mountain, which they dubbed Monte Superstition. His bullet-ridden body was removed to the coroners, who ruled it a suicide. [27], Throughout the 20th century, various expeditions and individuals continued to search the Superstitions for the Lost Dutchman Mine. 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. But the mine remains shrouded in mystery, so much so that it might not exist at all. After the land was ceded to the United States, the Peralta party was trespassing on U.S. soil. To these, Waltz would give contradictory statements and directions. The lost mine is thought to be located somewhere near Weavers Needle, the main landmark of the Superstition Mountains, even though the area has been diligently searched by hundreds of people. The story of the missing mine started when the Peralta family moved to the area in the early 19th century to try their luck at mining. His skeleton was discovered near Weavers Needle two years later. WebLost Dutchman Mine is a non-linear adventure game which puts the player in the role of a gold miner, circa 1860. One man found it in the Four Peaks and extracted several thousand dollars of ore back when gold was $20 an ounce. There is little evidence that he had any success. WebBackground: The Lost Dutchman Mine was founded by a German prospector named Jacob "The Dutchman" Waltz in 1876. Whether out of greed or, some kind of dispute over how they would handle their new-found wealth, Hernandez killed his friend Ferreira. Blair suggested that "fragments of this legend have perhaps become attached to the mythical mine of Jacob Waltz".[6]. 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. Led by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, the conquistadors cared little about the Apache customs or beliefs, wanting only to find the legendary Seven Golden Cities of Cibola., Learning from the Apache, that the range did, in fact, hold gold, the Spaniards were intent upon exploring the area. For the next century, the Peralta family and their laborers would make infrequent forays into Arizona bringing out loads of ore. While there, he met an Apache girl named Ken-tee, who despite the fact that Waltz was almost 60 years old, became his mistress. WebThe Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine is a fabled gold mine located in the Southwest, though it's exact whereabouts are unknown. People want to think the Lost Dutchman mine has gold hanging off the walls. Julia Thomas became the first searcher for the lost mine. The next year, a prospector by the name of Joe Dearing, who was working as a part-time bartender in Pinal, heard the stories of the two dead soldiers and began to look for the lost mine. Erwin passed the information to his father Adolph, who had a long-standing interest in lost mines and amateur exploration. Upon arriving at Ruths camp, the rancher could tell that no one had been there for at least a day and reported Ruth missing. That same year, Robert St. Marie, who was attempting to drill a hole all the way through Weavers Needle, was killed by prospector Edward Piper. The next year, with the Mexican-American War in full swing, Pedro was the only one willing to return to Arizona, determined to extract as much gold as possible before their holdings became part of the United States. Here amongst this vast maize of volcanic interior, fixed and clinging to the mountain side, flanked on one side by a very small almost invisible ledge is the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, like a small birds nest perched in the middle of a forest of giant oaks, concealed by the natural elements it obscures itself from all beasts of prey, especially The following year, brothers, Richard and Robert Kremis, were found dead at the bottom of a high cliff. One of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is the Lost Dutchman Mine. The soldiers are alleged to have presented some of the gold, but to have been killed or to have vanished soon after. A month later, the missing mans body was found with a bullet hole above his right temple. The earliest documentation of him in the U.S. is an 1848 affidavit in which Waltz declared himself to be "about 38 years old". The following year another man named Dennis Brown, was also found dead of a gunshot wound. In the Fall of 1961, police began searching for a prospector by the name of Jay Clapp, who had been working on Superstition Mountain on and off for a decade and a half. 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. Lastly, the alleged mine directions Ruth had were from an 1895 newspaper account. December 09, 2019 WebThe Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Found! Although there has been no proof that the mine exists many people have joined the search for the hidden gold. When they showed a bag of gold ore to the Silver King Manager, Aaron Mason, the manager was stunned to see how rich the ore was and immediately began to ask where they had found it. He was a student of mining and was knowledgeable in geology. Improve this listing Tours & experiences Explore different ways to experience this place. [21], Were it not for the death of amateur explorer and treasure hunter Adolph Ruth, the story of the Lost Dutchman's mine would probably have been little more than a footnote in Arizona history as one of hundreds of "lost mines" rumored to be in the American West. One man found it in the Four Peaks and extracted several thousand dollars of ore back when gold was $20 an ounce. WebThe Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine (also known by similar names) is, according to legend, a rich gold mine hidden in the southwestern United States. But, his condition was worsening as he suffered a stroke and was paralyzed to the point that he could barely speak. There are literally dozens of different variations of the lost mine tale, and almost as many reports of people actually having found the mine, leading to it being the most found and lost again mine ever. Searchers should never enter the wilderness area by themselves, should take plenty of water, and pack lightly in order not to overexert themselves. "Dutchman's Gold" was a chart hit in 1960 for, "When the Man Comes, Follow Him" episode of the, "The Peralta Map" episode of the CBS Radio series, The Lost Dutchman Mine ride was a popular attraction at, The Lost Dutchman's Mine features prominently in the, The Lost Dutchmans Mine is the subject of Season 6, Episode 10 of podcast Unexplained. WebLost Dutchman Mine is a non-linear adventure game which puts the player in the role of a gold miner, circa 1860. In 1970, a seasoned prospector named Al Morrow was killed by a boulder that fell into a tunnel that he was digging. Though the remains had been scattered by scavengers, they were undoubtedly Ruth's. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. WebThe Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Found! WebLost Dutchman State Park About Lost Dutchman State Park Named after the fabled lost gold mine, Lost Dutchman State Park is located in the Sonoran Desert, at the base of the Superstition Mountains, only 40 miles east of Phoenix. In June 1931, Ruth set out to locate the lost Peralta mine. Said to be the most famous lost mine of all time, it continues to draw prospectors to the Superstition Mountains of Arizona in Having taken on a terrible chill, he was attended to by a woman named Julia Thomas, who tried to nurse him back to health, but Jacob had contracted pneumonia. During this time, the Apache had turned their wrath against the Arizona settlers and the U.S. Army. Ruths treasure map was found at his original campsite. However, Blair argued that there is a strong likelihood that there never was a second man named Weiser, but rather that a single person named Waltz was, over the years, turned into two men as the legend of the Dutchman's mine evolved. But, Adophs son, Erwin, was convinced his father had been killed. The game was the biggest success for its publisher, Magnetic Images. Separately, however, they both spent much of the rest of their lives looking for the lost mine. Aware of the Apache displeasure, they kept these mining trips at a minimum, not wanting to risk the ferocious Apaches ire. Location: Apache Junction, AZ. Famed Apache Geronimo is sometimes mentioned in relation to this story. filed a transfer of claim to the Turkey Creek Mining District. [3] Former Arizona Attorney General Robert K. Corbin is among those who have looked for the mine. 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. $89+ per night for cabins. No trace of the camps occupant was ever found. Arcadia Publishing. People often asked of him the obvious questions Where was the gold coming from? To make even more money, he then went to work at the Silver King Mine. The nearly 70-year-old man was found dead about four miles south of his home on a trail near Rogers Canyon. The story of the Lost Dutchman Mine might have become just another obscure legend had it not been for an easterner named Dr. Adolph Ruth, an amateur treasure-seeker who ambled into the Superstitions in the summer of 1931. One man found it in the Four Peaks and extracted several thousand dollars of ore back when gold was $20 an ounce. Legend tells that they were attacked while on a mining expedition in 1848, and only a few survived to tell the tale. Quick Facts: Lost Dutchman State Park Camping. The story of the missing mine started when the Peralta family moved to the area in the early 19th century to try their luck at mining. Ongoing discoveries of the Lost Dutchman Mine have continued for well over a hundred years. Legends, Ghosts, Myths and Mysteries Main Page, 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. The coroner ruled it an accidental death resulting from a ricochet. 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". But in the 1990s, roughly 100 years after the Dutchmans death, Feldman believes he found it. [volume], October 11, 1933, Page NINE, Image 9, "Arizona desert searched for missing Denver man seeking gold mine", "Mother of missing treasure hunter holds onto hope", "Body of man who hunted legendary 'Lost Dutchman's' gold mine believed found in Arizona mountains", "3 Utah men still missing on Arizona treasure hunt", "3 Search for men looking for Lost Dutchman's gold suspended", "More remains found in Superstitions; may be hiker's", "Escape - When The Man Comes, Follow Him", "The Lost Dutchman's Mine History and Bibliography", Arizona Mining Scams and Unassayable Ore Projects of the Late 20th Century, "Skeptoid #347: The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lost_Dutchman%27s_Gold_Mine&oldid=1137505190. It would be his last. Waltz was buried in Phoenix at what is now called the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park. Granger wrote that "fact and fiction blend in the tales",[3] but that there are three main elements to the story: In 1977, Granger identified 62 variants of the Lost Dutchman's story some of the variations are minor, but others are substantial, casting the story in a very different light from the other versions. The earliest Lost Dutchman's mine in Arizona was said to have been near Wickenburg, about 180km (110mi) north-west of the Superstition Mountains: a "Dutchman" was allegedly discovered dead in the desert near Wickenburg in the 1870s alongside saddlebags filled with gold. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchman's mine. 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 Furthermore, Wilburn stated that geology indicates that there is no gold in the Superstition Mountains, which are igneous in origin. The story of the Lost Dutchman Mine might have become just another obscure legend had it not been for an easterner named Dr. Adolph Ruth, an amateur treasure-seeker who ambled into the Superstitions in the summer of 1931. John D. Wilburn in his book Dutchman's Lost Ledge of Gold (1990), wrote that the Bulldog Gold Mine near Goldfield, Arizona, fits very well the description Jacob Waltz gave as the location of his 'lost mine'. The legend of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine is a quintessential version of just such a story. Storm speculated that Adolph Ruth might have been a victim of the same sniper. In the summer of 1880, two recently discharged soldiers from Fort McDowell, showed up in Pinal, Arizona looking for work at the Silver King Mine. In the Spring of 1896 when Reavis hadnt been seen for some time, one of his few friends went to check on him. Real or not, the haunting tales endure, continuing to draw prospectors to the Superstition Mountains today, and making the story one of the most famous lost treasure tales of all time. Five days later, another skeleton was found, which was identified the next month to be that of William Richard Harvey, a painter from San Francisco, California. The cause of death was undetermined. In most variants of the story, the family of a man called Miguel Peralta discovered the mine and began mining the gold there, only to be attacked or massacred by Apaches in about 1850 in the supposed Peralta massacre. [12] The three soldiers set out to find the gold, but without success. If he had, we still wouldnt know where the mine is, but we would know where it isnt a useful piece of information, since the mine has been found multiple times in at least five counties. 2, or via email at archivesrequest@sharlothallmuseum.org for information or assistance with photo requests. WebThe Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine (also known by similar names) is, according to legend, a rich gold mine hidden in the southwestern United States. Undaunted; however, Julia and the Petrasches made an expedition into the Superstitions that summer, trying to find the mine. A few years later Weiser disappeared without a trace. Now all we had to do was dig, and we would surely find one of the richest and most hunted treasures in the worldthe Lost Dutchmans Gold Mine, secreted in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, Arizona. 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. The role of a gold miner, circa 1860 [ 27 ] Throughout! When gold was $ 20 an ounce exact whereabouts are unknown friend Ferreira each. 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