Humankind has been enthralled by lost treasure legends for ages. Among those hunters was Ted Cox, who had lived with several ranchers in the region who personally knew Waltz. That, in and of itself, is a separate legend. Blair suggested that "fragments of this legend have perhaps become attached to the mythical mine of Jacob Waltz".[6]. Join Lawrence Fishburne as he uncovers the truth behind the strangest mysteries of all time in Historys Greatest Mysteries: Solved - https://histv.co/HGMSThe Lost Dutchman Gold Mine is the most famous lost mine in American history. What is important is the informational content recorded on the stones. 372 23K views 2 years ago Justin and Emiliano investigate the Lost Dutchman Goldmine, a legendary lost mine in the mountains of Arizona, which is said to contain over 200 million dollars. So far, they've filmed at locations that include the Treasure Hunter of the Year Awards, held at Apache Junction's Mammoth Saloon in March, and at Goldfield Ghost Town, an attraction that features a zip line and live staged gunfights. Despite his efforts, Willing was never able to recover the money he gave to Peralta. (Right) Bob Schoose (owner of Goldfield, Arizona) designed this headframe, which the team hand carried from the base camp to the site for construction. Gina Dimuro is a New York-based writer and translator. Either way, she went to the mountains for a while to search. This late 1800s ore chute is proof of mining activity in the Superstition Wilderness. Regardless, Dr. Thorne helped the man and he recovered, according to Legends of America. The permit allows Feldmans group to re-excavate the main shaft and drifts under strict controls and government supervision. Come on. Reading age. 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. It wasnt until the late 1870s that the man who would give the mine its legendary name was able to lock down the location with the help of one of the Peraltas descendants. 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. They found what they were looking for and then some, according to Lost Dutchman State Park. Waltz found it in the mountains and came to grab gold out of it as needed. have experience in the Superstition Mountains, actually looked for the mine themselves, found evidence to support the mines existence . 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. The story continues that the Peralta family found and mined gold in the Superstition Mountains. Take, for example, the story of Adolph Ruth, an experienced treasure hunter who typically worked with his son, Erwin. Stories vary on how Waltz found this hidden treasure. 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. As the story goes, Waltz had some minor success drawing gold out of the mountains, and eventually, he started coming back to town with huge loads of high-grade gold ore. Josh Feldman of the HEAT team assists in excavating the main shaft by pulling up debris, loaded one bucket at a time. Fact and fiction blend in these tales, becoming "faction", but key elements are "lost Apache gold", "a Dutchman", "a lost gold vein, found by . 54. It's an entire genre all its own, from pirate maps to all the stuff Nicolas Cage got up to in the National Treasure movies. I've, Was the Lost Dutchman Mine real? Arizona's most notorious lost treasure story for both believers and otherwise takes place in the mysterious Superstition Mountains. His naturalization papers are listed in the Los Angeles county archives and his name appears in an Arizona territorial census from 1864; other government documents confirm he did, indeed, live in Arizona territory from 1863-1891. There are several paths that go through the brush and cacti. Still, this doesn't dissuade treasure hunters. After the conquistadors and priests are purported to have come and gone from the Superstition Mountains, legend tells of another group who arrived sometime in the earlier half of the 1800s. (Above) In early October, before digging, the crew monitored the surface irregularities with a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). Three Aitons, father and two sons, are reported to have found what was known the past fifty years as the "Lost Dutchman" mine in the Bradshaw mountains. It appears no one ever bothered to just ask the Native Americans in the area if the mountains were sacred. 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. Arcana Exploration. After a five-year wait, HEAT obtained a Treasure Trove Permit for the purpose of re-excavating a mine in the Superstition Wilderness. The Lost Dutchman mine is far from the beginning of the legends of gold hidden in the Superstition Mountains. Unfortunately, when a group followed the clues given in Ruth's letter, they found nothing. Allegedly, Dr. Thorne tried to find the cave again but was unsuccessful, or found it and was killed. Peralta's Family. Now, he may be on the edge of finding it. As early as Sept 1, 1892, a local newspaper relates . This is very important! "Tex" Bradford of Globe Arizona went in search of the "Lost Dutchman Mine"; by October 1933 he had been missing for nine months. The Supers are east northeast of Phoenix. Lastly, the alleged mine directions Ruth had were from an 1895 newspaper account. I feel the information on the Peralta stones is most likely from a very old map of Jesuit origin. So who killed the Spanish treasure hunters that came to the land? The Lost Dutchman story actually begins in the 1800s when the wealthy, Mexican Peralta family came to the region to work mines under a Spanish land grant. 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 But the map to the Peralta mine was said to be missing. HISTORY 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. So what about Jacob Waltz? He was one of the few who were well-prepared to prospect in unpromising locations. In March of 2011, three filmmakers disappeared in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona while documenting their search for the Lost Dutchman mine. each. Web. 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. The Weavers Needle rock column of Arizonas Superstition Mountains is often said to mark the location of the Lost Dutchman Mine. Apparently, he was rewarded. Admission: $7 . setTimeout(function(){var t=document.createElement("script");t.setAttribute("src","https://sample.dragonforms.com/getEmbeddedClientScript.do?embeddedsite=TW_dispatch_nl"),t.setAttribute("type","text/javascript"),document.body.appendChild(t)},5); Become a subscriber today and youll recieve a new issue every month plus unlimited access to our full archive of backlogged issues. 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. [12] Thorne related his claims to three U.S. soldiers in about 1858. Is it any wonder then, that I prize it? "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. Documentation suggests that only two young boys survived and made it to Mexico. April Warnecke 4/11/2022. And now we get to the real problem with these legends there's basically zero evidence any of them ever happened. In fact, Julia Thomas was the very first so-called "dutch hunter," combing through the mountains and seeking the lost gold. 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. The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine - Found! RaksyBH/Shutterstock However, despite several men claiming to have found the mine, no one ever came forward with the gold. While we are rather skeptical of the finding of the Lost Dutchman claim, if the new find is rich in gold it will do until the old discovery is really brought to light. There have been many stories about how to find the mine, and each year people search for the mine. 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. As predicted by Waltz none are miners, they are in fact like most folks that are reading this post, just regular hard-working everyday folks with normal jobs, going to their kids ball games, playing a round of golf, and in the fall deer hunting and going to Blue Jackets NHL games. The story of the Peralta Stones is that they lead you to a small almost invisible ledge, 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 man. His head had been severed from his body and was lying several feet away. This account is usually dated to about 1870. That ore was recently analyzed by spectrographic analysis, and the results indicate that his ore does not match the ore from any known source. The conquistador and his men arrived and made their way deep into the mountains, despite the warnings of danger from the local Apache. According to Thomas, it was on his deathbed that Jacob Waltz shared the story of his secret mine, and even provided a map to it filled with clues. Skeptoid Podcast. It seems likeliest one of two things happened. It's not even out of the question the expedition was a misdirect to make it seem like she and her cohorts were looking for something to bolster the legend. Dr. George M. Willing Jr. paid Peralta $20,000 for the mining rights for an enormous swath of land about 3,000,000 acres (12,000km2) in southern Arizona and New Mexico based on a deed originally granted by the Spanish Empire in the 18th century. Thomas admitted she drew the map herself but claimed she based it on descriptions given by the Dutchman, according to Skeptoid. Mules and horses carried raw ore to the chute; the dumped ore tumbled out the front into wagons that carried it away. In some versions of this story, Waltz was actually plundering these shrines for his own gold. When he was young he found the famous Lost Dutchman mine, but due to an accident shortly after he has no memory of the mines location. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchman's mine. Since federal regulations restrict the use of power equipment, the headframe operates much like it would have in the 19th century. Since fortune has thought fit to bestow it upon me, I have only to use it properly and I shall arrive at the gold.. Its said they saved his life, and in gratitude, the man (one of the two who had escaped the Apache massacre) took his new friends to several Spanish gold mines. Richman, Irwin. Tales of these other Lost Dutchman's mines can be traced to at least the 1870s. 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? From this base he easily could have worked a gold mine in the Superstition Mountains. Arcadia Publishing. They found gold in the 1840s but were ambushed by a local tribe of Apaches. You can Google the story of how I solved the Peralta stones and the Peralta deerskin map in LOST TREASURE MAGAZINE JUNE ISSUE COVER STORY LOST DUTCHMAN GOLD MINE. 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. 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. The stories of conquistadors and Jesuits bearing gold are completely unverifiable without documentation or archaeological evidence. 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. These trails traverse from the desert floor up into the edges of the mountains. The network's all-original programming slate features a roster of hit series, premium documentaries, and scripted event programming. What really happened to Ruth? The name comes from a prominent local legend of the enigmatic . I've never done a forum before, so I am new to this. The story goes that in the mid-1700s, the Superstition Mountains were visited by a group of priests of the Jesuit Order, and they came with over 240 mules loaded down with gold, according to the Denver Post. The early Spanish the Peraltas the Jesuits and many others all came to the Superstition Mountains looking for legendary gold. 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. 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. Afterwards, Waltz fell ill (he was rumored to have contracted pneumonia during the flooding). Feldman absorbed every bit of information he could find on the history of mining in the region. 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. You need at a bare minimum, at least a three- man team. Intrigue Journal. Around 1860 a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz moved into the Wickenburg Arizona area about 80 miles from Phoenix. LOST DUTCHMAN MINE FOUND - FINALLY! Dozens of prospectors in the Superstitions attempted to follow him to his secret mine. What happens if they discover the Spanish bullion? per adult. but their camera was. When he is down to $300 he returns. Chances you could find the Lost Dutchman's Mine: It's probably not real, but don't let that stop you . While the Jesuits were eventually allowed to return to the area, it seems they either forgot the treasure or couldn't find it, and so it was still in the mountains when it was perhaps discovered by none other than the Dutchman himself, Jacob Waltz. However, Ruth ignored Barkely's advice, and set out for a two-week stint in the mountains. There, his blindfold was removed and he saw a cave full of gold. Under his bed was a candle box containing some extraordinary rich gold ore. The man said Dr. Thorne could take as much as he could carry, at which point he was blindfolded again and led out. Not only that, but some legends claim there were a number of shrines in the mountains filled with gold meant to be an offering to the Thunder God. "Dutchman" was a common American term for a German ("Dutch" being the English cognate to the German demonym "Deutsch", and not a reference to the Dutch people). The Lost Dutchmans Mine is featured in Season 1, Episode 21 of the television series Unsolved Mysteries. The episode first aired on April 12, 1989. In an addition to this legend, it's claimed two soldiers came to the Superstitions after hearing of Dr. Thorne's story to see if they could locate the cache. 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. 9 May 2022. There's the thrill of the hunt, solving the clues, and what could be a better payoff than a big cache of riches? Cox concentrated his search on the eastern end of what is now the Superstition Wilderness. 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. Least the 1870s these other Lost Dutchman State Park hunter who typically worked with his son, Erwin soldiers about. 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