The lost padre gold mine of Arizona. Jesse Capen was obsessed with the legend of the lost gold, despite the lack of hard historical evidence. Recommended Reading Get counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. For the last 150 years, people have risked their lives to go in search of Arizonas lost gold, silver and other buried treasures. Two of their horses dropped of fatigue and thirst and their provisions ran out. Tiffany Owens is a freelance travel writer and the Phoenix/Scottsdale City Expert for HomeandAbroad.com. Click here to view the video Riding on Gold - Pegleg Smith. None of these maps featured any real location of the mine. Later, Pimas and "Apaches" (some of whom may have been Yavapais) occupied parts of the region. 2023 Warner Bros. It is said that Pegleg got drunk while in Los Angeles, started a brawl in the local saloon and was quickly kicked out of town by the authorities. Old time miners would sample gold bearing rivers following the wa. (It's Free. Granger distinguished three main elements to the story, with the most complete version of the story incorporating all three legends. James C. Bell, later of Globe, with two companions joined this party near Prescott and were made members, while four more joined at Fort Verde. What i, Magic hour castle walks. This event led to the California Gold Rush, a time when gold fever plagued even the most innocent and content of men. The legend continues to evolve: recent additions are versions in which the gold is really a secret treasure trove of the Knights of the. A man named Ross Browne, in 1863, said that at the store of Hooper & Hunter in Arizona City he saw masses of pure gold as large as the palm of the hand, brought in by adventurers who stated that certain Indians had assured them that they knew places in the mountains where the surface of the ground was covered by the same kind of yellow stones. Jakob Waltz was nicknamed Dutch (i.e. Mining towns such as Tumco, Bodie, Oatman and Randsberg were once booming with growth due to the mining operations which provided jobs and drew gold seekers from all over the country. Below, in the sand of the wash, was almost a pavement of gold nuggets. What really matters, though, is that Waltz the namesake Dutchman, or "Deutsch" (German) man wouldn't reveal the mine's location. The desire for gold can be so great that it motivates men to endure unbelievable hardships including starvation, dehydration and death. He and his son had searched California's Borrego Desert for gold, but they found none. In those days, mining exploration often went hand in hand with slavery. Arizona is known for several mineral types in addition to the elements Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), and Copper (Cu). Flannigan made several unsuccessful attempts to return to the find, but he dreaded the desert and never went very far from the river. Ruth". Returning down Cherry Creek, prospecting continued up the Pinto Creek and Pinal Creek Valleys. Superstition Mountains, are able to present some of it to a third party but afterwards are killed or vanish. Most of the stories of lost mines had to them an Indian annex. Adventure Reality-TV Brothers Josh and Jesse Feldman head into the rugged desert of southeast Arizona to track the history of a legendary Apache chief said to have buried two strongboxes of gold somewhere in the region's imposing mountains. When he reached the top of the butte, he discovered free particles of gold scattered about. Take a private tour of NYCs American Museum of Natural History from home! Golden Circle, a Confederate secret society active during the American Civil War (1861-1864). The district into which the party penetrated has been thoroughly prospected during the past twenty years and contains many mines of demonstrated richness. All he could be induced to do was to toss his arms and say, Plenty gold here; go hunt. Ben did hunt for years and was outfitted several times by A.H. Peeples, who believed that he finally died of thirst on the desert. Arizona Lost Mines By James Harvey McClintock in 1913 Arizona Prospector Almost every prospector, whether professional or tenderfoot, had his own pet "lost mine" that he looked for. Of course, most of these tales were merely inventions or distorted dreams. The legend continues to evolve: recent additions are versions in which the gold is really a secret treasure trove of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a Confederate secret society active during the American Civil War (1861-1864). December 09, 2019 It wasn't until after the 1849 Gold Rush that Pegleg returned to California to organize a prospecting party to search for the butte where he found the black gold nuggets. The Cerro Colorado Mine, which sits a little less than 20 miles from the Arizona-Mexico border, produced mostly silver but also small amounts of gold, lead, and copper. One searcher claimed to have found veins of gold in a narrow canyon just south of the Mazatal Mountains (near Four Peaks on Maricopa/Gila County borders). He later earned a teaching certificate, served asTheodore Roosevelts right-hand-man in the Rough Riders, and become an Arizona State Representative. In the morning they found the spring fairly paved with gold nuggets. of gold. Until its closure in 1998, the Gold Road mine in Oatman was Arizonas last operating gold mine. Goldfield Ghost Town, Goldfield: Stop in at the Prospectors Palace to learn the art of panning from a gold historian. There are multiple versions of the Pegleg legend as well as other stories of black nuggets that seem to correlate with some of the facts stated in Pegleg lore. The worlds longest cave system is a gargantuan labyrinth of 420 miles of twists and turns and nooks and crannies, with limestone travertine stalactites dripping from the ceilings. The ore was not the same as that at the Vulture Mine. He supposedly described the mine's location to Julia Thomas, a neighbor who took care of him prior to his death. After about a decade, the story sank into obscurity, regaining notoriety when it had acquired more spectacular aspects, in a fashion not dissimilar to a game of Chinese whispers. The deed was bogus, and Willing never recovered his money. One story describes the journey of a discharged soldier who followed Pegleg's trail from Yuma to Los Angeles. In one story, a miner is crossing the desert between Yuma and Warner's Ranch, when he climbs up one of three buttes to get a better sense of his location. However, the name "Apache" came to be closely associated with the Superstitions, and the mountains became an Apache stronghold in the 1800s. Years later, an army doctor by the name of Thorne treats an ailing Apache (possibly a chief) who as a reward takes him to the mine blindfolded, of course where he can take as much gold as he can carry. With Arizonas wild and violent past, you can bet there are quite a few that exist in our Southwestern state. While at the camp, she told the workers about the gold nuggets she found and left them with one of the nuggets before she continued on her way. Since its early Gold Rush days, Arizona has produced in excess of 498 tons or 16 million troy ounces (ozt.) Better evidence was secured a few days later in the discovery of the dead horse, with the gold ore strapped to his back. Mining flourished in Gila City until 1862 when a flood destroyed the town. Less than a days journey from the river, the three men separated, after the horse had dropped dead. The trails are well marked. Coastal redwoods are a type of evergreen tree that can live to be more than 2,000 years old. Six Planets are Retrograde, What Does that Mean for You? Related Books & Gifts - Trading Post The find might have been the later famous Bonanza, in a western extension of the mountain, from which several millions of dollars in free gold were extracted. One searcher claimed to have found veins of gold in a narrow canyon just south of the Mazatal Mountains (near Four Peaks on Maricopa/Gila County borders). Finder of this note please give to Howard Peterson. In 1848, during a routine expedition to carry gold back to Mexico, the large party was ambushed by Apaches, and all were killed except for a few Peralta family members who escaped. While the story remains essentially the same as originally published, heavy editing has occurred for spelling and grammar corrections, revisions for the modern reader, and updates to this historic tale. He was believed to be part of Pauline Weavers original exploration party that traveled along the Hassayampa River. As you probably guessed, they were fakes. A Detailed History of Mining in Arizona from Arizona Mining Association Jacob Snively hit the first major gold strike around 1857 with sizeable nuggets found in the Gila River near Gila City, Arizonas first boom town. This is a popular trail for hiking and mountain biking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. There have been 428,000 ounces of gold mined here, the vast majority of which comes from the Vulture Mine near Wickenburg. The individuals who truly believe in a particular legend, spend the greater portion of their lives collecting data and facts about the lost mine they so eagerly seek. Most stories place the gold in the vicinity of Weaver's Needle, a well known landmark. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. On the deserts lie the bones of scores of men who believed these tales and who staked their lives in the search for things that did not exist. If I do believe, how can I find gold in the desert and where do I begin searching? Lost Mines & Buried Treasure of the Southwest by Thomas Penfield, Adventures Unlimited Press, 2004. Dig Here! Wormley reached the river, almost demented from his sufferings, and was unable to guide a party back into the desert. Other members were, Bob Groom, the noted pioneer; Al Sieber, the foremost Indian campaign scout of the Southwest, Willard Rice and Dan OLeary. The country for miles around was searched carefully to find the source of his wealth, which could not have been very far distant. The third Indian legend is about a Yaqui Indian who lived and worked near Warner's Ranch. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. The Weaver - Rich Hill district is located near the intersection of four townships, each one being one of Arizona's top gold areas. This is gold mining at its most extreme. Efforts at tracking him failed. Prospectors often recite stories that support the fabled legend of Pegleg's lost mine. Redwoods provide habitats for many forest creatures and pull more carbon out of the air than any other tree species. The country has been thoroughly prospected since that time and mines of importance have been worked in that vicinity, but the nearest approach to the discovery of the old-time bonanza has been in the finding of placer gold in several of the gulches. Arizona Mineral Rights & Mining Claims Desert Geological Terms, Home | About | Contact Us | Feedback | Privacy | Site Outline | Advertising on DesertUSA | Hotels, New Evidence About the Lost Dutchman Mine, 7 Smartphone Apps to Improve Your Camping Experience. The tests revealed the gold to be rich, but the man was never able to find the original dig site again. Lost mines are a popular form of lost treasure legend. One variety of the Lost Dutchman story concerns the operations of a German who made his headquarters at Wickenburg, in the early 1870s. Dr. DeCourcy searched for years, and was never able to find the three buttes the miner described on his death bed. It's near a cabin in a cave! Required fields are marked *. His discovery was of quartz speckled with free gold. Up to8,000 people each year go hunting for a legendary gold mine, guided by cryptic maps like these. Around 1870, two U.S. Army soldiers discover a vein of almost pure gold in or near the. Doc is just one of an endless stream of treasure hunters in search of the. (Jameson, 2009). Lonely humans will become infatuated with AI-fabricated personas. How? The butte was one of three, thus entering the significant landmark of three buttes in most versions of his story. Rich Hill was the single richest discovery of gold in one place. On one occasion, Alchisay, a Chiricahua Apache scout, is known to have pawned a nugget worth $500 for $10 worth of supplies, and later to have redeemed the gold, of which he seemed to know the full value. To keep up with the pace of change, organizations that havent already can benefit greatly from exploring skills-based training. In May 1871 he was in Prescott, coming with several companions from Nevada, and in that month reached Phoenix from the North with about thirty men. Pegleg, also known as Thomas Smith, lost his leg to an arrow during a trapping expedition in the fall of 1827. The trailhead has a Port-a-Potty for your convenience. Tales of the lost Apaches gold, or Dr Thornes mine. In the distance, he saw a high mountain, crowned with a peculiar rocky formation like a gigantic thumb turned backward (a description that might be Sombrero Butte) to the east of Cherry Creek Valley. Henry Wickenburg came to Arizona in 1862. The lapse of time had made Adams very uncertain in his location, but he remembered that it was in a deep canyon running in an easterly direction, at a point where a gold ledge was sharply defined on the sides of the gulch, and near two black buttes. Tragicomically, she and her team passed over two enormous gold mines on their search for the Lost Dutchman Mine, which they didn't find. True or not, the legend of the Lost Dutchmans Gold Mine continues to fascinate the public. This might be the way the Peralta story became incorporated into the Lost Dutchman legend. A third party was organized to search for another lost mine near the Virgin River, were Dutch George Yount, a trapper, claimed he discovered a ledge full of gold, which of course he was never able to relocate. The expedition never returned, and the members of the party were later found dead at the foot of the San Ysidro Mountains. - arizona gold mine stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images In the coastal town of Lincoln City, Oregon, beachcombers flock to the sand in hopes of finding one very specific treasure: glass fishing floats. Ruth injured his leg so severely in the process that he developed a lifelong limp. But, the two prospectors had discovered some wonderful gold diggings, from which an almost impossible quantity of dust had been accumulated by a couple of days work. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Superstition Mountains. It's near a 1,000-foot-tall rock tower! There are three Indian legends of black-coated gold in the desert that support Pegleg's legend. As was common in the West, the first discoveries of gold were placer deposits, followed by lode deposits found near Apache Junction, Big Bug, Bullhead City, Chloride, Globe, Oatman, Pearce, Quartzsite, Salome and Tombstone, which yielded the lions share of the states early gold supply. They are the tallest trees on Earth, with some reaching more than 250 feet tall. When you think of treasure hunters, it's typically Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones that come to mind. Got a strange map? Some of the stories have many versions, each containing a few facts that differ from each other. A number of other people, in addition to the Peralta family, had knowledge of the mine's location. 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. Scientists in China Discover Rare Moon Crystal that Could Power Earth, When Well Know if NASAs Asteroid Impact Test was a Success, What Screaming Black Holes are Telling Us, The First Native American Woman Travels into Space with NASA's Crew-5 Mission. Asteroid Ryugu Has Dust Grains Older Than the Sun. Notes and Author: This article is primarily a tale told by James Harvey McClintock between the years of 1913 and 1916 when he published a three-volume history of Arizona called Arizona: The Youngest State. The records do not account for any gold that was sold locally or given to family or friends. february 2004 arizona highways magazine eternal search for lost gold mines discover our newest desert preserve first peek at kartchner caverns big room the lure of wild orchids gold , gold ev. What will happen to society when AI lovers fool millions of people? Updated June 25, 2020 He died in California on May 10, 1934, at the age of 70. The Lost Goldmine Trail is a permanent, eleven-mile multi-use trail across the south face of the Superstitions that connects the Peralta trailhead on the east to the Lost Dutchman State Park near Apache Junction. The explanation then was given that the Indians were afraid that the white men would come in such numbers that the Indian preponderance of population would be lost. Arizona Association of Gold Prospectors (AAGP), Phoenix. Pegleg and his party had acquired a large number of pelts during their trip and selected Pegleg and another member of the trapping party to take the supply of pelts across the desert to Los Angeles for sale. Its location is not exactly known but it is rumored to be somewhere within either the Superstition Mountains which is near the Apache Junction on the eastern side of Phoenix, Arizona. Most Arizonians are familiar with the Lost Dutchman, but there is a whole host of other tales of lost gold and loot (some with crude maps) still buried in the desert. In Colorado, Exploring the Worlds Longest Cave System, Washingtons Olympic Peninsula is a Natural Wonderland, UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED: Investigating the Legend of California's Gold-Laden Ghost Ship, The Bermuda Triangle Isn't Actually a Mystery, The House on the Rock Is the Tourist Trap to End All Tourist Traps, Every Year, Thousands of Glass Orbs Are Hidden on This Oregon Beach, Female Ocean Rower Attempts Record-Breaking Solo Crossing, The Explorers Club Discovery Expedition Grantees, she and her team passed over two enormous gold mines, they made it into the San Francisco Chronicle. Soldier who followed Pegleg 's legend to view the video Riding on gold - Pegleg Smith who made his at. Described the mine, are able to find the source of his story known! Of an endless stream of treasure hunters in search of the wash, was almost a of! Even the most innocent and content of men has Dust Grains Older than the Sun course most... 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