On July 11, 2010, Utah hikers Curtis Merworth, Ardean Charles, and Malcolm Meeks went missing in the Superstition Mountains while looking for the mine. The headline that entangles those mountains in macabre tales and sinister ghost fantasies is the legend of the Lost Dutchmans Gold Mine. Other storytellers claim that the Peralta Family escaped with gold, but another family died in the massacre. Blair had little doubt that Waltz related to Thomas the location of an alleged gold mine. Lost Dutchman State Park - Check out the Superstition Mountain and Museum plus the Lost Dutchman State Park.Goldfield Mine Legend tells of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine hidden somewhere. Because of what we have discovered at the site, Arcana Exploration believes we have proof for the first time that there is a common link between Waltz and the Peraltas. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. TheSuperstition Mountains, furthermore, are the abode of the Thunder God, and he causes the frequent regional thunderstorms. Within the refuge are 14 trail heads that cover 190 miles. We arrived at Shaun's house at 7:30 am in St. George Utah. Eight months later their camera and cell phones were recovered along the western edge of LaBarge Canyon. The Peralta Stones are a set of engraved stone tableted works that are approximately 18 inches long and weigh about 25 lbs. The elder Ruth had fallen and badly broken several bones while seeking the lost Pegleg mine in California. In June 1931, Ruth set out to find the lost Peralta mine. Mysteries Of The Superstition Mountains - Grunge.com The Hermit of the Superstition Mountains - YouTube Many people took the landmark to be the Weavers Needle but had no luck finding any gold nuggets in its vicinity. Please note that admission prices for Special Events are subject to change. There have been tales ofU.S. Armysoldiers that are said to have stumbled onto a river of almost pure gold in or near the Superstition Mountains. Beautiful gift shop with tons of great things to buy. The gift shop also has an indoor museum. A group of modern day treasure hunters search for the Lost Dutchman mine in the Superstition mountain range of Arizona. Biology, nature, and cryptozoology still remain Brent Swancers first intellectual loves. Arcana Exploration has been there on four separate trips the first in October of 2015. , Barry Storm declared to have nearly escaped from a mysterious sniper he later called Mr. Skeptoid Podcast. Ruths response? In fact, after five years including thousands of hours of research and then four expeditions starting in 2015, The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine has been found by Arcana Exploration and Discovery. [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. Two prominent landmarks here are the Weavers Needle and the Miners Needle. The lost stash of gold, which has gone on to be rather oddly known as the Lost Dutchmans Mine, has catapulted itself into one of the most intriguing unsolved modern mysteries there is, and the allure of its undiscovered riches has led many people to their deaths, with some estimates saying that over 600 people have mysteriously died or vanished during attempts to try and pry it from its ancient resting place. I feel the information on the Peralta stones is most likely from a very old map of Jesuit origin. Others, sure that more vile deadly creatures guard the mines. Lights, screams, and shadows of Apache armies have been reported. The Superstition Mountains Superstition Mountain has an elevation of 5,024 feet. We will share as much as we can for now, but as I stated earlier we are preparing for a return trip, and the location has to remain secret. Tack a map onto a wall, toss a dart and chances are youd hit an outskirt of nowhere with a small Fort Knox in its hills. You came here for the nasty bits that are constantly swept under the rug. Hes led back to town and the tale spreads like wildfire. Superstition Mountain (Yavapai: Wi:kchsawa, O'odham: Gakok) is a prominent mountain and regional landmark located in the Phoenix metropolitan area of Arizona, immediately east of Apache Junction and north of Gold Canyon.It anchors the west end of the federally designated Superstition Wilderness Area and is a popular outdoor recreation destination, home to numerous trails for hiking and . Treasure hunting at Superstition Mountains Arizona - The Lost Dutchman's Mine. All Rights Reserved. We are a non-profit corporation under Section 501 (c) 3, organized to collect and preserve the history and legends of Arizonas Superstition Mountains, and to support research, education and publications involving the region. The Lost Dutchman State Park, which opened in 1977 and has the Peralta Trail, is also a nod at the legend. Keep in mind for security reasons for now I have to be selective on what we divulge. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. [17] Note that tombstone pictured shows birth year as 1808. Lights, screams, and shadows of Apache armies have been reported. Animals like deer coyotes, pumas and bobcats live here, existing alongside birds, rodents, snakes, and other reptiles. Blair cited evidence of the historical Jacob Waltz and suggested that additional evidence supports the core elements of the story that Waltz claimed to have discovered (or at least heard the story of) a rich gold vein or cache. Producers included Tamara Blaich, Jennifer Harrington, and Megan Peterson with cinematography by Pyongson Yim and editing by Jennifer Harrington. Over the next few weeks we will provide some images and photos taken at or very near the site. 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.For more than a century, adventurous souls have sought the Lost Dutchman Mine, and since 1891 . 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. Want to reenact that James Franco film with the rusted and dull pocket knife? Reports of inexplicable sounds, sightings, and events have led to claims of supernatural beings and even aliens. The Lost Gold Mine At Superstition Mountain. The Pima Indians famously feared the mountain that they knew as Ain-we-gophon (Superstition Mountain). Next week I will list some clues that are absolutely relevant to what we have physically on site. Later, he remarked that he had noticed a towering rock formation nearby, but otherwise remained clueless about the whereabouts of the place. Are you ready to relive the last few moments of the lives of a group of people who were poking around where they shouldnt have been? Tantalizingly, Ruth's checkbook was also recovered, and proved to contain a note written by Ruth wherein he claimed to have discovered the mine and gave detailed directions. [27], Throughout the 20th century, various expeditions and individuals continued to search the Superstitions for the Lost Dutchman Mine. Thorne is said to be either unwilling or unable to relocate the mine. [9] As of 1975, ruins of the Peralta mine were standing.[9]. The family is later attacked and butchered in the so-calledPeralta massacre. Fact Analysis: Awesome place to visit. Brent Swancer is an author and crypto expert living in Japan. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchmans Mine. Despite his efforts, Willing was never able to recover the money he gave to Peralta. Anyway, the great west after Grant decided to Manifest Destiny and promote those great plains maybe theyll forget all that Civil War squabble if they start to settle into lands without so much emotional baggage tended to promote El Dorado like tales. The story differs but heres the most common take, mind you there are over 100 different versions of the Story. In March of 2011 three filmmakers set out to find the mine and document their entire process. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. They removed his blindfold and let him take away as much as he could carry. TheLost Dutchmans Gold Mineis, according to folktales, a magnificent, rich, Scrooge McDuck like repository of gold hidden somewhere in southwestern United States. 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day and Easter. Ruth ignored Barkelys help and set out for a two-week stint into cliffs. Supposedly one of their 18 mines was very rich and they considered it their alfa mine. Intrigue Journal. DARK MOUNTAIN (2013) "In March of 2011, three filmmakers disappeared in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona while documenting their search for the Lost Dutchman mine. There are numerous hiking trails that hikers can access from multiple points, one of the more well-known ones being the Peralta Trailhead. Be sure to have a hat and water because it gets hot when youre walking around the grounds. The Superstition Mountain Museum collects, preserves and displays the artifacts, history and folklore of the Superstition Mountain region and the Apache Junction area. [29][clarification needed]. 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.. I really enjoyed it here. But, loyal reader, you came here for the things the tourist board fails to mention. Legend of the Superstition Mountains: With Keenan Johnston, Mark Dodson, Frank Augustine, Wayne Tuttle. Waltz would claim to have been out prospecting when he had come across an unimaginably vast vein of gold out in the mountains, curiously supposedly near Weavers Needle. Legend of the Superstition Mountains - The HISTORY Channel There have been other mysterious and ominous disappearances as well, including an abandoned campsite found in the mountains in 1958 complete with blood-soaked blankets, but no bodies and no suspect. According to these legends, this treasure was almost never seen by mortal eyes, at least not by anyone who lived to tell about it, but there are some tales of outsiders stumbling across it. Youll find us in the rugged 160,000 acre Superstition Mountain range in the Tonto National Forest in Central Arizona. Want to climb a perilous cliff? The mine is named after German immigrant Jakob Waltz (c. 18101891), who purportedly discovered it in the 19th century and kept its location a secret. Producers included Tamara Blaich, Jennifer Harrington, and Megan Peterson with cinematography by Pyongson Yim and editing by Jennifer Harrington. Apache Junction, AZ 85119-8409, Phone options: Students 11-17 $4.00 These steep, jagged volcanic mountains were formed over 29 million years ago and they cover an area of 160,000 acres. [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. The mans campsite would be found to hold many books on the lost mine, and this would join a further three more mysterious deaths in 2010 and 2011 in the same area, all of whom had been seeking the legendary Dutchmans Mine. 4: Volunteer Coordinator Up until Ruths disastrous expedition, the mines were little more than a footnote in the history of Arizona; one of a thousand so-called. In January 2011, three sets of remains assumed to be those of the lost men were retrieved. Dark Mountain (2013) - IMDb It is rumoured that if the stones are put together in the right way, they are a map to the Peralta Familys gold deposits. The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine (also known by similar names) is, according to legend, a rich gold mine hidden in the southwestern United States. Though the remains had been scattered by scavengers, they were undoubtedly Ruth's. The soldiers have stalked back to town, fistfuls of gold but their sanity shot, only to die a day later or in one case, murdered while rambling on and on about the, Adolph Ruth is really the amateur explorer and treasure hunter that made the mines into a national phenomenon. In 1870, Waltz had a homestead of about 160 acres (0.65km2) near Phoenix where he operated a farm.[18]. [13] In most versions of the tale, Jacob Waltz locates a rich gold mine in the Superstition Mountains (in many versions of the story, they rescue or help a member of the Peralta family and are rewarded by being told the location of the mine). This would become a common theme in the Superstition Mountains, the presence of decapitated corpses, and indeed this has happened to quite a few people who have dared look for the Lost Dutchmans mine throughout the decades. Don Miguel Peralta was the head of a powerful and wealthy Mexican family from Sonora, and they were either ranchers or operated mines or did both. The museum with its indoor and outdoor exhibits is a pleasant surprise and definitely worth your time if youre going on the Apache Trail or to the nearby Lost Dutchman State Park. As the mountains have a desert climate and few water resources, there is not much vegetation here. However, Ruth ignored Barkely's advice, and set out for a two-week stint in the mountains. It is believed that all were killed except for two Peralta family members who were severely wounded but managed to escape. The lost Dutchman Gold mine is generally believed to be somewhere near or in the Superstition Mountains in Arizona. Jacob Waltz, the Dutchman, a mischievous canard if ever there was one, becomes obsessed with the mine. The multi-acre museum site soon saw the addition of a historic Cossack 20-Stamp . Later on came a long list of early and newly appointed Dons of Spain who also made forays into the Prima Alta looking for riches. The Lost Dutchman Mine, Arizona - Legends of America His campsite and vehicle were recovered shortly afterward. Others that it was the ghost of the Peraltas. Youve come to the ideal place. That was circa 1850. We are currently in the process of planning for a return trip to further document our findings. In this case the body was found first, with the rest of the body following a full 6 months later. About this campaign You may also be interested in Gogopicks Funding The MOST PROFESSIONAL Smart Toothpaste Dispenser Want to feel like youre in a horror movie and quite possibly high on Peyote? Wasnt it Dutch? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. [7] A man named Miguel Peralta and his family did operate a successful mine in the 1860s but near Valencia, California, not in Arizona. 4087 East Apache Trail Some people believe they indicate the location of the famed Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine, in Arizona, United States. The Superstition Mountains - YouTube The curse of the treasure would continue in the 1940s, when a 62-year-old treasure hunter by the name of James A. Carvey journeyed into the Superstition Mountains and also ended up dead and with his head separated from his shoulders. Superstition Mountain hasan elevation of 5,024 feet. Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine - Wikipedia The museum does not disappoint! The Supers are east - northeast of Phoenix. Dark Mountain is beautifully directed and filmed, it really took me by surprise. is, according to folktales, a magnificent, rich, Scrooge McDuck like repository of gold hidden somewhere in southwestern United States. Lost Dutchman's Mine - Superstition Mountains - Treasures in America The large wooden structure overlooking the museum is a 100-year-old Cossak 20-stamp ore mill, a state-of-the-art piece of mining equipment that was used around the turn of the century in the West. Many people have died trying to find it over the years, and, even with all the modern technology at our disposal today, the exact location of the mine in the vast wilderness still remains an enigma. There is a Superstition Mountain Museum at 4087 N. Apache Trail, Highway 88 in Apache Junction. Kino is believed to have had a rich goldmine somewhere in the Superstition Mountains. They are mysterious, they are cool as ice, and for all those Dark Tourism enthusiasts, they are full of legends and weird happenings. Join MU Plus+ and get exclusive shows and extensions & much more! A must see if you are by the Superstition Mountains. All rights reserved. The Dutchman " was a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz. The rest of his remains were found a month later about a mile away. 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. These steep, jagged volcanic mountains were formed over 29 million years ago and they cover an area of 160,000 acres. Barkely urged Ruth to abandon his search for the mine: The headless remains of prospector James A. Cravey were discovered in the mid-1940s. The neighboursJulia Thomas, Rhinehart Petrasch, and Hermann Petraschspent weeks looking for the gold, but failed to find it. The two Jacobs found the gold but refused to tell anyone else where it was. Starring Sage Howard, Andrew Simpson, and Shelby Stehlin. The man is barely alive. He was remembered as having been obsessed with finding the mine for several years. What is important is the informational content recorded on the stones. We miss it. In 2012 his vehicle, wallet, cellphone, and backpack were located but there had been no sign of the missing man. Come on down! Choice of of building material I like Ironwood +, There is a typo that should be alpha mine not alfa mine. Take a cinematic tour to the Superstition Mountains, home of the Lost Dutchman Mine. For a small fee you can see items owned by locals and learn all about the local history. Due to the out-of-control fire, the Arizona authorities were forced to close the State Route 88, and, along with it, public access to the Canyon, Apache Lake, Apache Campground, picnic sites, and trailheads. Everyplace had a lost mine. For instance, about six of the maps are relevant, others may be relevant, but for now do not appear to be. In later years, in 1945, a would-be treasure hunter named Barry Storm would claim that as he had been out looking for the treasure he had been fired upon by a mysterious sniper who he called Mr. As with most of the terrain encompassing the Phoenix metropolitan area, and the Superstition Mountains, have a desert environment, with scorching summer temperatures and sparse sources of water. In the weeks and months to come we will use much of the historical information, and show how it ties directly to what we have found. Superstition Mountain Museum is located in an area full of legend, history and intrigue. Barkely urged Ruth to abandon his search for the mine: the area and the mines cursed and full of devils.. Their bodies were never found but their camera was. George Johnston, who first tried to find the treasure in the 1950s, was still working for the Superstition Mountain Lost Dutchman Museum up until his August 30, 2017, death at age 97. The haunted state? If you loved watching old westerns you will love this place. OH, I almost forgot there is no cell phone service absolutely none. 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. X., who seemed to be guarding the area. Finally did a little digging and it sounded interesting. SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS GHOST, LOST MINES, MURDER AND MAYHEM, Geronimo was oftentimes sometimes discussed in the story. To begin with, there was never any real Dutchman involved with the lost gold mine. Waltz forms an expedition party; two Peralta descendants, an archaeologist, and Jacob Weiser. Indeed, in the decades since Waltz made his mysterious proclamation of the mine public, there have been numerous earnest attempts to try and track it down, and these have the sinister habit of meeting rather gruesome ends.