The story goes that in the fifteen hundreds professional gold miners (Peralta family) came to America from Spain. The Spanish conquistadores (conquerors) were documented throughout history as being experts in locating, mining and smelting gold and silver deposits which indicates that they were probably well educated in geology as well as metallurgy since various treasure legends often speak of lost or hidden mines wherein the Spanish prospected during the fifteen to seventeen hundreds and processed the ore smelting it into coins as well as bars usually made of either gold or silver. So during those times native American Indians such as the Apache and other tribes inhabited the land. When the Spaniards came upon the Arizona desert they recognized the volcano as being a mineral deposit and headed straight for those rock peaks which they later named the superstition mountains.  Old Snowbeard’s Gold
They began to create maps as well as landmarks on the local terrain which could be recorded in the land surveys. These symbols were said to be such things as arrows, triangles, hearts and a particular peak called weavers needle. These conquistadores of course would have had military or combat training and reportedly created under ground strong holds along their trails in the superstition mountain range which were believed to be stocked with racks of weapons as well as supplies. They were said to have located an enormous gold vein on the north side of the mountain at a height of approximately 1500 to 2000 feet. The purpose of their underground bunkers was that it gave them strongholds to quickly duck into in case of Indian attack while they were travelling to and from the mine. These underground houses were easily hidden and well defensible with primitive firearms since they had narrow concealable openings which served as the entrances. Some people believe that the mine was so rich that the Peralta’s had more gold than they could actually pack out even at their peak with 150 miners so they smelted gold bars and supposedly buried as many as 15000 of the gold bullion bars somewhere near weaver’s needle which was recorded as a landmark on their lost Dutchman gold mine treasure maps. Another interesting rumor is that at times miners would disguise the entrance of the mine when not in use (perhaps for the frozen winter seasons) with such things as rocks, wooden logs, or even brush. The story continues that the directions to the lost Dutchman gold mine by carving hearts into rocks and cactuses as well as leaving small hand carved rock hearts on the ground which most people walk over without ever even noticing. In this way the were able to mark the location of the lost Dutchman gold mine even when the entrance was concealed. Later in the 1800’s Jacob Waltz was said to have headed towards the superstition mountains as a prospector. After being attacked and fleeing on foot from the Apache Indian warriors he ended up finding himself in an empty encampment wherein he promptly helped himself to the food and provisions before falling asleep. The miners (descendants of the Peralta family) soon returned and woke him up to ask as to why he had been eating their food. After explaining the situation they befriended him and confided the story of their lost Dutchman gold mine, their various strong holds stocked with weapons hidden along the trail to the lost Dutchman gold mine, and the story of the 15000 gold bars which the Peralta family had buried somewhere near weavers needle. Reportedly being an opportunist, high grader, thief and murder, Jacob Waltz was said to have immediately drawn his gun and shot them dead thus taking over the mine as well as the gold and weapons cache. The high grader was said to have guarded the location of the lost Dutchman gold mine by literally shooting anyone that he encountered anywhere in or near the mountains, including on the trail which led back to town. The land is said to be a sacred Apache burial ground and many people do not enter out of respect for that while others traipse across the landscape picking up trinkets as souvenirs from the Indian burial grounds. The cliffs and mountain sides are said to be dotted with ancient cave dwellings from some primitive and long forgotten people of another time. Some people believe that the gold vein runs all the way through the volcanic mountain and that Jacob Waltz had found both ends of it which he concealed. The winters in the superstition mountains are said to be very cold and below freezing at times with ice and snow while the dry heat of summer reaches soaring temperatures with minimal or nonexistent supply of drinkable water. Legend has it that many people have died in the superstition mountains while looking for lost Apache gold mines from dehydration, accidents, and even foul play. Droppings in the desert indicate the presence of wild animals which may be predators. Rattle snakes are said to inhabit the area as well so caution and a good pair of boots might be wise. excavations can be frowned upon however picture taking is said to be ok. Rumor through the grape vine indicate that some who have approached to closely to the mine entrance have encountered militarized agents and even helicopters who remotely surveil the terrain. Their have been stories of old Spanish saddle bags full of gold being found laying around on the desert floor as remnants from miners who did not survive the encounters which the Apache Indians who had no use for gold and so left it where it fell after their massacres which may have been fueled by a need to survive in the rugged terrain by taking food, water, clothing, horses, mules, and weapons from those whom they had scalped. Gold is said to be formed in volcanic lava flows when sulfur and iron are present in the mineral matrix along with other elements however ancient alchemists believed that it also grows within the caverns of the earth as a metallic crystal through the action of natures rain cycle being water coupled with the four seasons.
Article written by Steven School. Author of The Philosopher’s Stone Book.
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