"Most. In gratitude, Gonzales told Erwin about the Peralta mine in the Superstition Mountains, and gave him some antique maps of the site (Gonzales claimed to be descended from the Peralta family on his mother's side). Near Apache Junction, Arizona there is a place called the Supersition Mountains where legends and superstitions come alive to tell their ghostly tales. Randomly stopped by on my way home from Lost Dutchman State Park and I was super happy I did! A note in a bottle found floating down the Salt River said that he needed help on account of his leg and that he had found the Lost Dutchmans gold mine. 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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. X while searching for the mines. Mysterious bodies turned up in the Superstition Mountains all through the 1960s and 70s, with at least five people found dead with bullet holes to the skulls, and with other bodies found minus the heads, which were never found. According to the Apaches (North American Indians), the entryway to hell is in the Superstition Mountains. It is rumoured that if the stones are put together in the right way, they are a map to the Peralta Familys gold deposits. Supposedly a mine with fabulously rich gold deposits. TheLost Dutchmans Gold Mineis, according to folktales, a magnificent, rich, Scrooge McDuck like repository of gold hidden somewhere in southwestern United States. Arcana Exploration is made up of a group of five friends and supporters, from central Ohio, who until five years ago knew very little if anything about the LDM. Awesome place to visit. There have been tales of, soldiers that are said to have stumbled onto a river of almost pure gold in or near the Superstition Mountains. 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. Excellent place to learn a lot about the local history of the Superstition Mountains. People from the town below certain that only death and demons travel across Superstition Mountain at night. Wednesday Sunday In March of 2011, three filmmakers disappeared in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona while documenting their search for the Lost Dutchman mine. 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day and Easter. Is this all just a spooky legend or id there something more to it? He's written articles for MU and Daily Grail and has been a guest on Coast to Coast AM and Binnal of America. 3: Gift Shop and Event Manager Dave McElligott The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. Instead, he went missing and his skull was found 6 months later with two large circular holes. Children 10 and under After he had spent many years in their midst, the Apache Elders decided to reward his selfless service with gold. Magill's adventures were chronicled in the book The Killer Mountains, by Curt Gentry. The promise of a $200 million mother . The Peralta family would go on to be suspected of having left some evidence behind of their discovery in the form of a series of odd stones mysteriously etched with codes, pictograms, and cryptic messages written out in imperfect Latin, which are said to hold the key to finding the treasure and which have been dubbed the Peralta Stones. These stones were allegedly written up by the family shortly before their massacre and left behind by Apaches who did not know their true meaning and so left them to rot away in the sun. Many people have dismissed them as a hoax. And is that information relevant? Cute fun stop for anyone visiting the area to learn more about the history of the area. The roofs of the cave are blackened from centuries of Native Ameri Go Wildcats! Yet it is also a place of fabled mysteries, talk of dark curses, strange disappearances and deaths, high strangeness, and a secret treasure that it allegedly holds close to it, reluctant to ever give it up. Famed Apache Geronimo is sometimes mentioned in relation to this story. The Superstitions are one of four mountains which mark the ancestral territory of the Apache People. There was a catastrophic flood in Phoenix in 1891, and Waltz's farm was one of many that was devastated. Director Tara Anase Writers Tara Anase (story) Tamara Blaich (story) Stars Ron Eagle D'Andre II Adam Haley Sage Howard 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. From the Press Release The gift shop also has an indoor museum. Director Earl Bellamy Writer Sam Peckinpah (teleplay and story) Stars Dale Robertson John Litel Myron Healey The blindfold is taken off, the shine of the yellow stuff rattles Thornes mind, the chieftain speaks, Take as much gold ore as you can carry.. , The Waterbury Democrat. Intrigue Journal. October through April Bands of roaming cannibals are said to hunt the area and the curse of the Lost Mine to many isnt a tall tale but a stark reality. The rest of his remains were found a month later about a mile away. 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. She was oblivious, baffled, and would apparently later sell the map of the now dead treasure hunter to parties unknown. Most stories go like this, the family of a man called Miguel Peralta struck gold by accident they were just passing by and started drilling the mine. His body would later be found with a bullet hole to the head. Who killed him and then separated his head from his body remains unknown. Thorne sold the ore for $6000 and became a wealthy man. In 1870, Waltz had a homestead of about 160 acres (0.65km2) near Phoenix where he operated a farm.[18]. Some have died on the search. [25] Blair noted that the conclusion of the Arizona authorities was rejected by many, including Ruth's family, and "those who held onto the more romantic murdered-for-the-map story". In a story that echoes some of the earlier tales, Ruth's son Erwin C. Ruth was said to have learned of the Peralta mine from a man called Pedro Gonzales (or Gonzalez). Superstition Mountain Museum is located in an area full of legend, history and intrigue. Out in the remote badlands of the U.S. state of Arizona, just to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area lies a sun scorched, dried up, arid moonscape of twisted peaks and sprawling expanse of badlands called the Superstition Mountains, at one time called the Sierra de la Espuma by Spanish settlers. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchmans Mine. See production, box office & company info. The Superstition Mountains, with a name like that you might as well give away fancy proton-backs, of the Ghostbuster variety, at the visitors center, is a series of jagger tooth mountains in Arizona just the east of Phoenix. Adults $7.00 Waltz relocated to Arizona in the 1860s, and stayed in the territory for most of the rest of his life. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. Cravey said he would walk out of the mountains on June 28, 1947. Jacob, meanwhile, the lone survivor, is near catatonic. As the mountains have a desert climate and few water resources, there is not much vegetation here. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. [17] Note that tombstone pictured shows birth year as 1808. In June 1931, Ruth set out to locate the lost Peralta mine. Hiking and camping are popular activities. The story differs but heres the most common take, mind you there are over 100 different versions of the Story. The closest approximate was a German miner of the PennsylvaniaGerman community. The Top Ten Most Haunted Places in Arizona. The area is filled with ghost tales, monster encounters, and, yes you cant have spooky mountains without an alien highway UFOs. [28], One fact against the existence of "Lost Dutchman Mine" is that Waltz was a "placer miner"; while the gold pieces he had were in quartz, the Superstition Mountains are in fact volcanic. Since the turn of the twentieth century, thousands of people have scoured the mountains in search of it, hundreds have lost their lives in the process, but not one has returned with an ounce of gold. Since Ruth's death, there have been several other deaths or disappearances in the Superstition Mountains. On July 11, 2010, Utah hikers Curtis Merworth, Ardean Charles, and Malcolm Meeks went missing in the Superstition Mountains while looking for the mine. Hanna-Barbara, Jean Giraud, and Don Rosa have incorporated the story in their cartoons. A doctor from Illinois, Doctor Abraham Thorne, provided his service to treat the indigenous people of the Southwest. Combine these with the legends of the indigenous Pima Indians and the mountains live up to their name. We have imaging taken, with Go-pros, Sony 7000s; Osmo stabilized film cameras and Dji Phantom and Bee-bop drones. Animals like deer coyotes, pumas and bobcats live here, existing alongside birds, rodents, snakes, and other reptiles. They either mined or found enormous gold deposits in the Superstition Mountains. 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. These cookies do not store any personal information. The Apache warriors who had massacred them are then said to have reburied the entrance to this enormous trove of gold, and to this day the area where this is believed to have happened has been labeled the Massacre Grounds, and there are other places names that denote this grim history such as Massacre Falls and others. The area is basically a free-for-all for wilderness lovers. Some places have long been thought to be simply no good. Superstition Mountain hasan elevation of 5,024 feet. Members of the Apache tribe were said to have a truly valuable gold mine located in the Superstition Mountains. The average high temperature in June, July and August, is 104 degrees. Museum Members are FREE. each. However, Ruth ignored Barkely's advice, and set out for a two-week stint in the mountains. Join MU Plus+ and get exclusive shows and extensions & much more! 1: Recorded description of the museum. Within the refuge are 14 trail heads that cover 190 miles. Walking along tyre tracks saying they are in the middle of nowhere at a treasure location. They even had the old rock crusher up and working. Most recently, in 2009 there was a would-be treasure hunter by the name of Jesse Capen, a 35-year old bellhop from Denver who was in his free time by all accounts fascinated and obsessed with the legend of the Lost Dutchmans mine. 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'. Waltz was buried in Phoenix at what is now called the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park. [32] There are numerous hiking trails that hikers can access from multiple points, one of the more well-known ones being the Peralta Trailhead. That was circa 1850. Legend of the Superstition Mountains: With Keenan Johnston, Mark Dodson, Frank Augustine, Wayne Tuttle. Fact Analysis: The only thing slightly off the cuff, is that three of them do ride their Harleys from central Ohio to Sturgis and back on a regular basis, but more about them later. Yes, the deserts of Arizona carry a spooky secret. It is believed that all were killed except for two Peralta family members who were severely wounded but managed to escape. A beautiful site just below the western edge of the Superstition Mountains was found and obtained. He had metal pins in his leg, and used a cane to help him walk. 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. The Lost Gold Mine At Superstition Mountain. I feel the information on the Peralta stones is most likely from a very old map of Jesuit origin. All rights reserved. Keep in mind for security reasons for now I have to be selective on what we divulge. Some certain that the natives killed the party. The Peralta Massacre is a legend that Apaches supposedly ambushed a mining expedition the Peralta family sent into the mountains. In December, 1931, The Arizona Republic reported on the recent discovery of a human skull in the Superstition Mountains. Blair had little doubt that Waltz related to Thomas the location of an alleged gold mine. 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.. In March of 2011, three filmmakers disappeared in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona while documenting their search for the Lost Dutchman Mine. DARK MOUNTAIN is the chilling reconstruction from their footage of their last days. Around 1860 a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz moved into the Wickenburg Arizona area about 80 miles from Phoenix. 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 find the lost Peralta mine. Somewhere deep within Arizonas Superstition Mountains lies the most famous lost gold mine in the worldthe Lost Dutchman Mine. 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 glitches that periodically disrupt the footage are also particularly effective. Dr. Thorne starts to investigate. One of the most professional and serious-minded efforts was led by Oklahoma City private detective Glen Magill, who organized multiple expeditions in the late 1960s and early '70s, and claimed on at least two occasions to have identified the location of the mine, later to concede he was either mistaken or the locations were "played out," or bereft of gold. The multi-acre museum site soon saw the addition of a historic Cossack 20-Stamp . In-Season 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. Among the many legends to have emerged from the area, one of the most enduring ones is that of The LostDutchmansGold Mine. The park offers 134 campsites, each with a picnic table, barbeque grill, and fire pit, and 68 equipped with electric hook-ups and water. These are tall, volcanic formations in the wilderness and are popular as hiking destinations. And, where praytell do most folks believe said El Dorado is safely hidden Why, in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction. 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. 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. The breathable air on some surfaces actually gets even hotter; this is the biggest killer in the Superstition Mountains and dont forget the rattle snakes, scorpions, tarantula spiders, Gila monsters plus huge mountain lions and dozens of other things that will take your life. 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 albinos in their hospital room. 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. Is someone or something trying to keep this treasure hidden? Want to feel like youre in a horror movie and quite possibly high on Peyote? At the time he had ventured out into the Tonto National Forest in search of the legendary treasure, having looked for it on several occasions in the past and accumulating hundreds of books and hundreds of pages of research on the matter. If you need rescued, they will land two miles away and hike in to get you. Lights, screams, and shadows of Apache armies have been reported. The museum does not disappoint! SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS GHOST, LOST MINES, MURDER AND MAYHEM, Geronimo was oftentimes sometimes discussed in the story. Theyre filled to the brim with ghosts and spirits. , Barry Storm declared to have nearly escaped from a mysterious sniper he later called Mr. People from the town below certain that only death and demons travel acrossSuperstition Mountain at night. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. Adolph Ruth is really the amateur explorer and treasure hunter that made the mines into a national phenomenon. 2: Cashiers for questions about whats happening at the museum and local area 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. To this end he lived for years among their ranks, learning their ways and tending to their sick and wounded. The scenery is stunningly beautiful and never gets old. Very sweet museum with great views of the Superstition Mountains. The Superstition Mountains Superstition Mountain has an elevation of 5,024 feet. As Curt Gentry wrote, "Dr. Hrdlicka positively identified the skull as that of Adolph Ruth. Ruth ignored Barkelys help and set out for a two-week stint into cliffs. Lastly, the alleged mine directions Ruth had were from an 1895 newspaper account. Erwin gave the data to his father Adolph. The elder Ruth had fallen and badly broken several bones while seeking the lost Pegleg mine in California. They are bound on three sides by U.S. Route 60, Arizona State Route 88, and Arizona State Route 188, and are visible from miles away. [12] Thorne related his claims to three U.S. soldiers in about 1858. He pursued mining and prospecting, but seems to have had little luck with either. It was speculated that he had fallen or even jumped, but it is still a mystery, just another casualty of the futile search for the lost treasure. In January 2011, three sets of remains assumed to be those of the lost men were retrieved. Mysteries of the Superstition Mountains 30.3K subscribers 251K views 2 years ago Ever heard of the Hermit of the Superstition Mountains or wondered what the legend was behind calling Elisha. This account is usually dated to about 1870. Hes led back to town and the tale spreads like wildfire. 6 episodes that go absolutely nowhere. It is easily accessible about 40 miles east of Phoenix via U.S. Highway 60, the Superstition Freeway. Erwin passed the information to his father Adolph, who had a long-standing interest in lost mines and amateur exploration. The Grand Canyon State. On Valentines Day Elvis was available at the church for weddings. As early as September 1, 1892, The Arizona Enterprise was reporting on the efforts of Thomas and several others to locate the lost mine whose location was told to her by Waltz. According to the story, the Apaches quickly descended upon the family to ruthlessly slaughter all of them but one, left alive solely to tell the tale not to mess with the lost mine to anyone who would listen. Waltzs caregiver, a Julia Thomas, apparently listened to all of this but had no idea what to think of any of it. Others, sure that more vile deadly creatures guard the mines. The Peralta Stones are a set of engraved stone tableted works that are approximately 18 inches long and weigh about 25 lbs. Then later the Mexicans including the powerful Peralta family made forays to the area from Sonora and are believed to have had 18 gold mines in the Supers. First you drive to the outskirts of Phoenix and find Apache Junction, then pick up the old Apache Trail (route88) and go about 35 miles to Tortilla Flat, site of the old stage coach Pony express stop, along the Apache Trail. In March of 2011, three filmmakers disappeared in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona while documenting their search for the Lost Dutchman mine.