silver chief mine superstition mountains

Yet, legend insists that it does. A map is available in the gift shop and signage along the path explains the stages. Just to connect some dots, Mason was the fellow who staked the two soldiers who turned up dead while seeking their lost bonanza. He said the bars were all stamped with what appeared to be a crown. Admission Nobody has been able to interpret them correctly. There are many stories about hidden gold in the Superstition Mountains, and these usually mention the Peralta Family. The newcomers, thus, became the Pennsylvania Dutch. And importantly I have hard facts that the Stones are linked to other historical information. Fact Analysis: They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination for residents of the Phoenix, Arizona, area. Combine these with the legends of the indigenous Pima Indians and the mountains live up to their name. One day he travelled to the fabled site of the mother lode, Superstition Mountains near Phoenix, Arizona, and never came back. However, things can go wrong. The closest approximate was a German miner of the PennsylvaniaGerman community. Everyone loves a good treasure hunting story. Next week I will list some clues that are absolutely relevant to what we have physically on site. So where did all these rumors of lost gold in the Superstition Mountains originate? To begin with, there was never any real Dutchman involved with the lost gold mine. I feel the information on the Peralta stones is most likely from a very old map of Jesuit origin. The Superstition Mountain Historical Society was formed on December 27, 1979. Intrigue Journal. Keep in mind for security reasons for now I have to be selective on what we divulge. [9] As of 1975, ruins of the Peralta mine were standing.[9]. Considering that any mining activity in the area would be a federal crime, you can understand why folks might not be so forthcoming with information. In researching this, I have had the fortune of speaking with some of the most knowledgeable historians and experts on the subject, which has only deepened my love for the Superstitions. Mike . This website uses cookies to improve your experience. For the first time ever, Arcana Exploration has undeniable physical proof that the mine exists, proof that is to say, photographic physical documentation that many of the generally excepted clues, are in fact real and do exist and are physically present in one location. The legend then states that, sometime later, the last Peralta survivor(s) were helped out of some kind of bind by Jacob Waltz, and in his debt, they gave him the only thing they had of value: a map to the Peralta family mine in the Superstition Mountains, according to Cowboys and Indiansmagazine. Perhaps this is why many of the legends involve people bringing gold to the mountain and leaving it hidden there. People have been seeking the Lost Dutchman's mine since at least 1892,[2] while according to one estimate, 9,000 people annually made some effort to locate the Lost Dutchman's mine. Adults $7.00 Pingback: Legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Parts 2 & 3: Finally Found! "[24], Authorities in Arizona did not convene a criminal inquest regarding Ruth's death. He further stated, after examining the two holes [in the skull], that it appeared that a shotgun or high-powered rifle had been fired through the head at almost point-blank range, making the small hole when the bullet entered and the large hole when it exited".[23]. Rogers was partnered with Aaron Mason, foreman of the Silver King mine. 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. None of the tribes in the area ever considered the mountains to be sacred, and while the Apache tribe does have a thunder deity in their religious beliefs, they don't claim he lives in the Superstitions. Forums. These trails traverse from the desert floor up into the edges of the mountains. The 500-year-old mines of Bolivia's Cerro Rico mountain produced the silver that once made the Spanish empire rich. In January 1932, human remains were discovered about three-quarters of a mile (1.21km) from where the skull had been found. 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. If you get it hurt you better have your own team. Frank Jacobs. The old Silver Chief mine, Ted Cox's Ridge Pit Mine is documented by Dept. (However, in some versions,[14] the 'mine' is actually a cache put there by the Peraltas.). The Peralta Stones are a set of engraved stone tableted works that are approximately 18 inches long and weigh about 25 lbs. The story sometimes claims there were arrows all around, and so thus it must have been the Apache protecting their sacred mountains. [2] [3] Museum Members are FREE. Eventually, the conquistador ordered his men to flee and he never returned to the mountains, which they called Monte Supersticin, thus giving the mountains the name of Superstition. While he allegedly worked as a miner at numerous mines earlier in his life, eventually Waltz decided he wanted to prospect on his own. The map is supposedly filled with clues, and there are many others purportedly given by Waltz at various points in his life according to legends, but it's hard to prove he actually ever said any of those things. Cravey said he would walk out of the mountains on June 28, 1947. The Jesuit Treasure of the Superstition Mountains. In the first, a doctor (sometimes said to be an Army doctor) called Dr. Thorne was said to have had a Native American man who needed medical assistance brought to him. He turned out to be the surviving Peralta, and, to express his gratitude, he gave them directions to his familys gold mine in the Superstition Mountains. In any case, the event led to the naming of the Massacre Falls after it. While this is true, it is also true that gold pockets can exist alongside of silver veins. If these conditions do not exist, gold will not exist. This beautiful program is designed to start with a famous Arizona sunset draping gracefully over the Superstition Mountains, and end under the light of the full moon. Over the next few weeks we will provide some images and photos taken at or very near the site. There's no evidence they ever came to Arizona at all. Another well-known Dutch Hunter, Jack San Felice, boldly made the case for the Pit Mine in his book. 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. For over a century, treasure hunters have sought the treasures supposedly lost in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona, but what do we really know about the events surrounding this tale? What really matters, though, is that Waltz the namesake Dutchman, or "Deutsch" (German) man wouldn't reveal the mine's location. "Jesse James Feldman has uncovered compelling new evidence of a chain of events that link pre-Anglo mining in Arizona's famed Superstition Mountains with Jacob Waltz and the Peralta miners. 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. Once again, only rumors kept the legend alive, and these events drove even more Dutch hunters to the dangerous mountains. Another detail which casts doubt on the story is the fact that, according to Blair, there was never any Dr. Thorne in the employ of the Army or indeed of the Federal Government in the 1860s. There are many variations of this story, including that the mine is cursed, killing anyone who . Unfortunately, when a group followed the clues given in Ruth's letter, they found nothing. [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". Hiking and camping are popular activities. The Pit Mine is located close to the Randolph Mining District, which is historically well known and produced vast amounts of silver. 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. Many people took the landmark to be the Weavers Needle but had no luck finding any gold nuggets in its vicinity. 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. But Blair suggested that this core story was distorted in subsequent retellings, comparing the many variants of the Lost Dutchman's story to the game of Chinese whispers, where the original account is distorted in multiple retellings of the tale.[15]. [42] The park was expanded to 320 acres (130ha) in 1983. He is blindfolded and taken there by a circuitous route, and is allowed to take as much gold ore as he can carry before again being escorted blindfolded from the site by the Apaches. Gary also spoke to the Feldman family, who have been searching for the mine since the 1960s, under patriarch Ron's tutelage. Through the years, truth and fiction about . Director: Earl Bellamy | Stars: Dale Robertson, John Litel, Myron Healey, John Dennis. The man said Dr. Thorne could take as much as he could carry, at which point he was blindfolded again and led out. 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). This is considered to be the starting and gathering point for most Dutch Hunters. Except perhaps not. It is a prominent landmark located generally south and east of the Salt River, rising approximately 3,000 feet (910 m) above the Salt River Valley. (2004). Legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Parts 2 & 3: Finally Found! Previously, comparative tests which could prove that the matchbox and the Pit Mine samples were related were destructive in nature. In fact, Julia Thomas was the very first so-called "dutch hunter," combing through the mountains and seeking the lost gold. Now riddled with tunnels, the mountain is a death trap for the . As a reward, Dr. Thorne was blindfolded and led to a cave in the mountains. He had acquired maps that he was sure would lead him straight to the gold. The Superstition Mountain Mining Company (SMMC) No, we're not really a mining company. According to Legends of America, the Native Americans in the area believed the Thunder God of their religion lived in the Superstition Mountains, and thus they were required to protect it with lethal force, killing any who might set foot on the mountain and disturb their deity. Great discoveries have been made in the name of hunting for hidden wealth, but much blood has been shed in those same pursuits, too. The case for the Pit Mine is not new, in fact it has been an open secret for quite some time. 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. The Superstition Mountain Historical Society Inc is a non-profit corporation organized to collect and preserve the history, legends, and lore of Arizonas Superstition Mountain, to support research, education, and publications involving the region, and to maintain a historical museum devoted to these endeavors. No, were not really a mining company. [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). VISIT One of the worst kept secrets of the Superstition Mountains. The conquistador and his men arrived and made their way deep into the mountains, despite the warnings of danger from the local Apache. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. According to their folklore, the mountain guards an ancient storehouse of precious metals and treasures, and anyone who ventures forth to get the treasure is likely to die. In this story (actually two interconnected stories), members of the Apache tribe are said to have a very rich gold mine located in the Superstition Mountains. They removed his blindfold and let him take away as much as he could carry. In some versions of this story, Waltz was actually plundering these shrines for his own gold. In it, he puts together the clues and evidence and makes a convincing case for the Pit Mine. of Mines and Mineral Resources Bureau of Mines and Mining Field Engineers Report Silver Chief 1979, 1980 as being among the mines to have been revisited during that 1979 silver boom. This account is usually dated to about 1870. 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. First, let's talk about the geology of the mountains. Additionally, there is a partial tunnel, or drift, in the canyon below that moves in the direction of the main shaft and was crudely walled up. Not much silver was recovered in the 1979 time period and there was no mention of gold having been taken. The clues themselves do not prove that it is the Dutchman. January 1933 a Mining electrican named J.A. These are tall, volcanic formations in the wilderness and are popular as hiking destinations. There have been many books, films, and cartoons about the Lost Gold of the Superstition Mountains. There was a catastrophic flood in Phoenix in 1891, and Waltz's farm was one of many that was devastated. On 8 June 2019, a fire broke out in the Superstitions Wilderness area and soon spread across 26,000 acres. So let me say it again, the documentation found ON the stones is the most important thing not so much who carved them. 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. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. At the low elevations, you will encounter tall saguaro cactusand Ponderosa pines at higher levels, and these are generally near the streams. It is a ranger-guided hike focusing on the aesthetic . 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. The search, nevertheless, still continues. Arcana Exploration has been there on four separate trips the first in October of 2015. 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".