The Lost Dutchman Mine, Arizona
About less than an hour's drive east of Phoenix Arizona lies the Superstition Mountains which is the alleged location of the lost Dutchman mine. The story starts with a man named Jacob Waltz who come out these mountains with gold he said he got from a mine he found but died not long afterwards taking the secret of it's location to his grave. One must remember that less than ten miles away the town of Goldfield had an operating goldmine that extracted enough gold to be worth hundreds of millions in todays dollars. So that there was another nearby motherload of gold was nearby was quite believable. Some men over years have come out with some gold claiming they found the lost mine but these turned out not to be true. With gold now worth $1300 an ounce today the allure of lost treasure will still excite people today. The legend of the mine faded from public view until 1931 when the amateur explorer and treasure hunter Adolph Ruth disappeared until months later a skull was found with two bullet holes in it and dental records provided a positive match. You would think someone getting murdered would deter people instead it had the opposite effect with area being flooded with wannabe treasure hunters and less than savory types heavily armed going into the mountains reported. The state designated the area a state park with anyone caught trying prospecting subject to swift arrest. Considering Arizona's penal system known for it's alleged inhumane prison system where many inmates live in unairconditioned cells or tents in the brutal summer heat which is a long discussion in itself is enough to discourage 99% would be treasure hunters.
The Lost Dutchman Mine, Arizona
About less than an hour's drive east of Phoenix Arizona lies the Superstition Mountains which is the alleged location of the lost Dutchman mine. The story starts with a man named Jacob Waltz who come out these mountains with gold he said he got from a mine he found but died not long afterwards taking the secret of it's location to his grave. One must remember that less than ten miles away the town of Goldfield had an operating goldmine that extracted enough gold to be worth hundreds of millions in todays dollars. So that there was another nearby motherload of gold was nearby was quite believable. Some men over years have come out with some gold claiming they found the lost mine but these turned out not to be true. With gold now worth $1300 an ounce today the allure of lost treasure will still excite people today. The legend of the mine faded from public view until 1931 when the amateur explorer and treasure hunter Adolph Ruth disappeared until months later a skull was found with two bullet holes in it and dental records provided a positive match. You would think someone getting murdered would deter people instead it had the opposite effect with area being flooded with wannabe treasure hunters and less than savory types heavily armed going into the mountains reported. The state designated the area a state park with anyone caught trying prospecting subject to swift arrest. Considering Arizona's penal system known for it's alleged inhumane prison system where many inmates live in unairconditioned cells or tents in the brutal summer heat which is a long discussion in itself is enough to discourage 99% would be treasure hunters.