the historic main street. I had been prospecting out of Prescott AZ. But to find the big gold payout, theyll put their lives on the line by diving deep beneath the raging waters of one of Alaskas wildest creeks. Word traveled fast and, after Weaver found gold, every miner who had not yet struck it rich in California headed for Arizona. Henry Wickenburg came to Arizona in 1862. Tales of the lost Apaches gold, or Dr Thornes mine. At age 66, he went to the Superstitions alone, over the objections of his son and family. On June 17th, ocean rower Lia Ditton set off on a 20 ft. long rowboat, alone and unsupported, in an attempt to set the fastest ever time for a solo crossing from San Francisco to Hawaii. One variety of the Lost Dutchman story concerns the operations of a German who made his headquarters at Wickenburg, in the early 1870s. Learn how your comment data is processed. (Waltz definitely existed, and was definitely German, but his ore is not as well documented.) Since its early Gold Rush days, Arizona has produced in excess of 498 tons or 16 million troy ounces (ozt.) The legend continues to evolve: recent additions are versions in which the gold is really a secret treasure trove of the Knights of the. Briefly narrated, it is this: In the summer of 1869, Abner McKeever and family were ambushed by Apache Indians on a ranch near the Big Bend of the Gila River. In our Solar System, even the two brightest planets frequently align in our skies. There are men who have claimed to have found Pegleg's lost Mine. Tragicomically, she and her team passed over two enormous gold mines on their search for the Lost Dutchman Mine, which they didn't find. 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. of gold. from Germany; a common error, see also Pennsylvania Dutch). (Conrotto, 1991). In 1853, Pegleg organized a second search party which had no greater success in finding the butte where he found his treasured black-coated gold nuggets. His body and supplies were found in the mountains; the mine was, of course, not, though the area near his corpse was intensively searched. These sites exist in some of the most rugged, dangerous wilderness areas of the U.S. Forest Service, said George E. Johnston, president emeritus of the Superstition Mountain Museum. 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. The third Indian legend is about a Yaqui Indian who lived and worked near Warner's Ranch. He vanished into the mountains in 2009 and his body was not discovered until three years later, hidden in a . He was able to tell the story of the gold find, and the rescuing party went farther to find Crossthwaites body. But when his son, who worked in Mexico, found a map that might lead to an Arizona gold mine, Ruth couldn't resist. There was a Dr Thorne who had a private practice in New Mexico, however. of gold. McClintock began his career working at the Salt River Herald (later known as the Arizona Republic). The Indian said he had seen much larger pieces of the same substance and started off to show him the treasure. After the mine became unprofitable, Miguel Peralta turned to fraud. Today, we might expect more detail; back in those days, the story was enough to fatally pique the curiosity of an amateur prospector, Adolph Ruth. 480.982.7661 Lost Goldmine and Cougar Loop. 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. No one was ever able to follow the Indian into the desert to discover his secret gold mine. Doc is just one of an endless stream of treasure hunters in search of the. Mining flourished in Gila City until 1862 when a flood destroyed the town. He gathered the black pebbles thinking they were copper and carried them to Los Angeles where he later discovered they were gold. The Superstition Mountains (their name inspired by Pima Indian legends) have been a source of mystery and legend since early times. Stars Jesse Feldman Josh Feldman Clark Moore See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Skeleton Canyon Treasure: During the late 1800s, a gang of bandits conducted a raid on the city of Monterrey in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. When you think of treasure hunters, it's typically Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones that come to mind. 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. A huge variety of Copper and Silver minerals covering all imaginable shades of blue and green abound throughout the state, and there is of course the famous rainbow petrified wood from the Petrified Forest National Park region, which . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. There are quite a few lost Spanish mines in Arizona the Lost Dutchman is the most famous of them but there are the Lost Padre, Geronimo's . One story describes the journey of a discharged soldier who followed Pegleg's trail from Yuma to Los Angeles. 8248 Lost Mine Rd. The ore in the heaps was about the same character as that which had been brought into Wickenburg in the early days by the Lost Dutchman, but it didnt agree at all with the ore in the shallow prospect hole, which was not considered worthy of further development. Take a private tour of NYCs American Museum of Natural History from home! Join Lawrence Fishburne as he uncovers the truth behind the strangest mysteries of all time in History's Greatest Mysteries: Solved - https://histv.co/HGMSTh. In the early 1850s, the Colorado River crossing at Yuma became a major route for gold seekers from the East. But the mine remains shrouded in mystery, so much so that it might not exist at all. Generally considered a moderately challenging route. Yavapai County - Rich Hill. 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. In 1932, campers found a note from him bobbing in Arizona's Salt River. 2. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Heres a roundup of the best mining clubs, tours, dig sites, claim staking, books and historical information to help you start your own quest for Arizona gold. Pegleg, also known as Thomas Smith, lost his leg to an arrow during a trapping expedition in the fall of 1827. Misinformation and rumors about the mine grew so ubiquitous that in 1895, they made it into the San Francisco Chronicle. Dr. DeCourcy searched for years, and was never able to find the three buttes the miner described on his death bed. Get-rich-quick schemes are as American as the Fourth of July. The story was widely copied, and from eastern points, so many inquiries came that the Herald editor had to have a little slip printed to be sent back in reply. Over the years, additional grants from Arizona State Parks and private developers helped build three trailheads, two parking lots . There are two trails available. Some thought the mine was located in Arizona, but whatever its location, it has never been found, and may have been only in the imagination of a rum-soaked prospector. #scotland #sanquhar #magi, Townspeople probably think Im a witch. Since there is more than one version of the story, there are many contradicting facts. The Weaver - Rich Hill district is located near the intersection of four townships, each one being one of Arizona's top gold areas. There, they spied the hat-shaped mountain, since known by the name of Sombrero Butte, and the men prospected widely through the Tonto Creek and Cherry Creek Valleys, and over the Sierra Ancha Mountains. When the mines closed, the towns died, and their remains have become ghost towns and tourist attractions. Lost Mines & Buried Treasure of the Southwest by Thomas Penfield, Adventures Unlimited Press, 2004. 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. Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. The dry desert lands of the U.S. have been the location of many famous mines and gold discoveries. The Vulture Mining Company was born. Spaniard Don Joaquin conducted mining exploration in the Sierra Estrella Mountain Range south of Phoenix, Arizona in the mid-1800s. Whatever his reasoning, Waltz was never able to cash out. As recent as January 2011, the. Several trails through the Superstition wilderness reference the mythical mine: there's Treasure Loop trail, Peralta Trail, and Dutchman's trail. 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. A cryptic map of the gold mine, or just a fake? When they failed, it is reported they sold copies of a map for $7 each. From Tucson and Sonora, they were joined by two large companies of Mexicans. Click here to view the video Riding on Gold - Pegleg Smith. He and his son had searched California's Borrego Desert for gold, but they found none. In the desert somewhere west of Vurna, many expeditions have searched for the lost Peg-Leg Mine, said to have been discovered by a one-legged individual named Smith, about forty years ago. Apache Before the Storm, Edward S. Curtis, 1906. However, the name "Apache" came to be closely associated with the Superstitions, and the mountains became an Apache stronghold in the 1800s. #sedona #redrocks #outhiki, Oddball vending machines, #3 in the series. New Evidence About the Lost Dutchman Mine 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. This event led to the California Gold Rush, a time when gold fever plagued even the most innocent and content of men. Thank you! Waltz and his partner, Jacob Weiser, worked the mine and allegedly hid one or more caches of gold in the Superstitions. The Superstition Mountains to the east of Phoenix, AZ reportedly holda legendary motherlode of gold known as the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. Further west, around Tysons Wells, also has been found placer gold, though none of these discoveries seem to exactly fit the special conditions of the Lost Soldier mine. The group wandered around the desert unsuccessfully, and Pegleg ended up deserting the group and turn up later in Los Angeles. P.S. 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. 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. Before we get into those, here are some genuine facts about the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine: There really was a Lost Dutchman, although he wasnt Dutch. He sold the mining rights to a large area in southern Arizona and New Mexico to Dr George M. Willing, Jr., based on a deed originally granted by the Spanish Empire. Follow the lives of ambitious miners as they head north in pursuit of gold. Some favorites include: Doc Thornes Lost Gold Mine: Next to the Lost Dutchmans Gold, the most talked about and searched for treasure in Arizona over the last century remains Doc Thornes gold. Research shows that spending more time on social media is associated with body image issues in boys and young men. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. The Ashleys were never able to retrace Palmers path to the ledge. Neither she nor dozens of other seekers in the years that followed were able to find the "Lost Dutchman's Mine." Tour the historic Mammoth Gold Mine and visit the Goldfield Museum. As recent as January 2011, the Arizona Republic reported more remains found in the Superstition Mountains, suspected to be three Utah friends who disappeared the previous July while searching for the riches of the fabled Lost Dutchman Mine. During his travels through the desert, he discovered the three buttes described in Pegleg's legend and finds gold nuggets. 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. Join DesertUSA as we continue the search for gold in the Desert. Peck, discoverer of the famous Peck Mine at Alexandria. The Apache separated into several bands, whose trails were followed by small detachments of soldiers, the most westerly by Sergeant Crossthwaite and two privates, Joe Wormley and Eugene Flannigan. Each step into the desert may bring you a little closer to a fortune. Pegleg's questionable character and his reputation for drinking and lying add to the controversy surrounding the legend of his lost mine. 8230 Lost Mine Rd. Parker Schnabel and his friends pay tribute to the legends before them and attempt the Klondike Trail of 1897. But modern-day treasure hunters do exist. Township 14 0090N 0050W ranks third in the state with 179 placer claims. Waltz also makes a deathbed confession to a Julia Thomas, and even draws a crude map of the mine. Lost Spanish mines In Arizona. But Ruth did indeed find the Lost Dutchman, according to a message in a bottle. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. They failed to return and nine more, driven by impending hunger, took the same trail, leaving in camp only Adams and two others. Thorne told his story to three solders in 1858, upon which the soldiers unsuccessfully set out to find the vein. Click here, Dig Here! The Indian legends of sacred gold caches, and the correlating stories of many others who have, in some way, encountered black-coated gold nuggets and other supporting data of these two lost mines, provide strong evidence that they do indeed exist. ), The Desert Environment He said there was a black man in the party, who the other miners called Ni**er Ben, and described him as a good man, who was the only one of the party who dared to prospect alone. Back in 1540 Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led a large expedition across Arizona in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. Colorado; a place we usually associate with snow-capped mountains and green grassy meadows, winter skiing, and kayaking in its clear, mirror-like lakes. According to Storm, the chunk of quartz was half the size of a man's head, with . Weiser is attacked (either by Apache or by Waltz) but survives long enough to tell a Dr Walker about the mine. Related Books & Gifts - Trading Post Some 8,000 people each year try to find it. 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). In the morning they found the spring fairly paved with gold nuggets. Are Electric Highways the Way of the Future? 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. lost dutchman state park - arizona gold mine stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images Tourists walk along the buildings on Main Street in the old mining ghost town of Goldfield, Arizona.. the old gold mining town of bisbee, az. In 1977, Granger noted that the Lost Dutchman story was printed at least 6 times more often than the story of Captain Kidds lost treasure or the story of the Lost Pegleg Mine in California. Come and visit Goldfield Ghost Town today! He argued that each of these three legends contains some truth, but have become badly distorted through time. He kept the location hidden, perhaps in hopes of one day being able to take advantage of its riches when the timing was right. The famous legend began during a trapping expedition down the Colorado River in the late 1820s or early 1830s. The gold trail led through New Mexico, Tucson, and Yuma to California. The ore was not the same as that at the Vulture Mine. Most popular of lost mine stories in pioneer days was that of the Ni**er Ben. In 1891, a miner named A.H. Peeples, who had been prospecting with the Weaver Party, told an editor what he knew of the legend. Only empty buildings, cemeteries, and broken-down stamp mills remain to tell their story, along with brief notes in the history books documenting their existence. 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. The story is made up of an assortment of hints about the mine's location. 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. Golden Circle, a Confederate secret society active during the American Civil War (1861-1864). The lost padre gold mine of Arizona. Around 1870, two U.S. Army soldiers discover a vein of almost pure gold in or near the. It is possible that the mountain was the Harqua Hala. 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. Arizona Gold Mining Adventure, Phoenix. He was blindfolded and taken to the village, not knowing his direction. However, the history of gold in the area goes back even further than that. 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. - arizona gold mine stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images Gold in Morgan City Wash: In 1934, Palmer Ashley was helping his father work a difficult, low-grade prospect near Morgan City Wash, 23 miles outside of Wickenburg. Where to Find Gold in the Desert by James Klein, Gem Guides, 1994. The body of one "dutch hunter" (as they are known to locals) was found in the Superstition Mountains as recently as 2012. Walk down Main Street, explore the many shops and historic buildings. Sources: Eugene L. Conrotto, Lost Gold and Silver Mines of the Southwest, 1996; Jay Fraser, Lost Dutchman Mine Discoveries, 1988; John D. Mitchell, Lost Mines of the Great Southwest, The Rio . Rich Hill is the center of a vast 40 square mile placer mining area. Some think this mine was first excavated by Mexico's Peralta family, then commandeered by Apaches or simply abandoned. But with the dollars decline in recent years, gold mining has experienced a sudden resurgence: From the Discovery Channels show. December 09, 2019 The question is, "Do these lost mines exist, and are the legends of the lost treasures true?" Share A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine on Facebook, Share A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine on Twitter, Share A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine on LinkedIn. 602.274.2521 Tiffany Owens is a freelance travel writer and the Phoenix/Scottsdale City Expert for HomeandAbroad.com. With Arizonas wild and violent past, you can bet there are quite a few that exist in our Southwestern state. The deed was bogus, and Willing never recovered his money. As you probably guessed, they were fakes. Water was found just in time to save their lives, for Wormley already had become delirious. The Lost Gold of the Tumacacori Judge Barnes and the Mysterious Spanish Priest By Gregory McNamee From the time Europeans first arrived in what is now Arizona, the region's lore has been full of tales of lost gold mines and forgotten treasures, of "Apache gold and Yaqui silver," in folklorist J. Frank Dobie's words. In fact, many cities in Arizona were named by the miners that flocked to their respective areas. It is said that more men have sought Pegleg's black nuggets than any other lost mine. The secret route to the lost Dutchman goldmine in Arizona was very simple and common sense. In many versions of the story, Weaver's Needle is a prominent landmark for locating the lost mine. (It's Free. Often, there is a map (sometimes called a "waybill") purportedly showing the location of the mine. Entrance is free. Additionally, there never was an army doctor named Thorne in the 1860s in Arizona. Men struck out on his trail and soon found Flannigan, who would have lasted only a few hours longer. Depending on the purity of the silver, various estimates place the value of the silver cache at close to one million dollars. The most significant and debilitating bout occurred in 1849 after gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill the previous year. Many legends of lost treasure from Arizonas early Gold Rush days still remain to this day. I've got to have help quick. According to the legend, the Apaches buried and hid the gold and covered up the mine. It was against the tribal law and beliefs of the Apaches to tell others where the gold was located. As he was nearing death in 1891, Waltz was being cared for by Julia Thomas, an acquaintance with whom he shared the golds location. This is gold mining at its most extreme. 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. Before we get into those, here are some genuine facts about the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine: There really was a Lost Dutchman, although he wasnt Dutch. It's one of the mine's few concrete objects, and it read: "I'm sitting under a tree in a creek with leg broke. Superstition Mountains. In a pocket was a map, very roughly made and probably very inaccurate, on which he had attempted to show the position of the golden spring. Most stories place the gold in the vicinity of Weaver's Needle, a well known landmark. There is another lost mine, equally as famous as the Pegleg mine, which has crazed the minds of prospectors and treasure seekers for years. During their journey through the desert, Pegleg had gathered some pebbles which he found on top of a butte in the Colorado Desert. 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. Usually, the story ran that the Indians would bring in gold and silver, but would refuse to tell the secret of their wealth. They were friendly, and he gave her hints about the mine's location. Safford commanded the recruits from Tucson and was elected commander-in-chief of the party at the camp near Grant. #s. Statue of Scotlands beloved poet, Robert Burns, Loch Ness, Nessie map and Urquhart Castle Ruins, S, Christmas lights on the historic Sanquhar Tolbooth, Flock and ruins, Sanquhar Castle, Scotland. 8320 Lost Mine Rd. 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. Wild beaches, snow-capped mountains, dense woods, and lush rainforests can be found across America. Other members were, Bob Groom, the noted pioneer; Al Sieber, the foremost Indian campaign scout of the Southwest, Willard Rice and Dan OLeary. 8302 Lost Mine Rd. The largest exploring and prospecting expedition Arizona ever has known since the days of Coronado originated on the tale of a prospector named Miner. He struck up a friendship with several Yavapai chiefs, even when they were the most hostile to the other miners, and they told him of a place where there was much gold, far more than on Rich Hill, where we were working. However, the most popular dates to the late-19th century with a German immigrant, Jacob Waltz, or the Dutchman. Another Lost Soldier Mine was found by a scouting soldier from old Fort Grant in the hills north of the Gila River, not very far from the mouth of the San Pedro. Granger distinguished three main elements to the story, with the most complete version of the story incorporating all three legends. $15,000 of gold was found under his bed after he died. When we arrived, the parking area held a variety of license plates, from California to Florida. Offers five-day prospecting lessons and mining excursions for small groups throughout the year. Watch on. Love Arizona? 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. Some writers have indicated that there actually was a Miguel Peralta whose family operated a gold mine but this was in the 1860s, near Valenciana in California. Dig Here! Today, the consensus among geologists is that the Superstitions are unlikely to contain a secret gold mine. Jakob Waltz was nicknamed Dutch (i.e. 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. This story involves Jakob Waltz (some sources say Weitz, Weitzer, Walls, Welz,) and another German named Jakob Weiser although this second German probably is a spin-off of the first Jakob, which occurred in the re-telling of the story. However, the story and possibility of stumbling across immense wealth has enticed hundreds of people to attempt searching for the gold mine and a fair number of those lives have ended in death. The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Has Been Found! Lost Dutchman Mine Found ? Boettcher Mansion, Capitol Hill, Denver - built in, Always nice to have a solid noodle place with love, Red rock vistas, 2021. As early as Sept 1, 1892, a local newspaper relates how Thomas and others were trying to locate the mine. Thorne is later unable or unwilling to reveal the location of the mine. Attempts have been made to locate it at, The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine has been situated in four quite distinct locales. Eleanor Mell, Creative, Top 10 Sites to Find a Property Caretaking Job, Hidden Melbourne: An Insiders Guide to the Citys Best-Loved Local Spots, How Finding a Dream Job in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean Turned Us Into Digital Nomads, ModernDayNomads.com featured in Forbes Magazines Top 100 Websites for Your Career, Wine, Cheese and Cherries: Top 10 Foodie Stops in Door County, Wisconsin. Keep your ears and eyes open, for you may be the lucky one who discovers the three buttes where Pegleg Smith found his black-coated gold nuggets, or a gold filled saddle bag from the Peralta Family's last mining expedition. Efforts at tracking him failed. 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. The best times to visit this trail are September through May. A number of other people, in addition to the Peralta family, had knowledge of the mine's location. Adams understood to have been a San Bernardino colony Mormon, in 1886 heard from a Mexican, a story of a rich gold deposit, and forming a party of 22 men, struck eastward to a point supposed to have been near Fort Apache, where the Diggings were found. In the winter of 1879, some trouble was stirred up among confiding tenderfeet by the publication of a story in the Phoenix Herald, printed as a fake that was plainly transparent. 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Caribbean and Indiana Jones that come to mind to reveal the location the! Ever has known since the days of Coronado originated on the purity of Caribbean! His reasoning, Waltz was never able to retrace Palmers path to the Dutchman. Hunters in search of the mine. lost Apaches gold, every miner who had a private practice in Mexico. See also Pennsylvania Dutch ) mile placer mining area map for $ 7 each Hala... Was blindfolded and taken to the village, not knowing his direction is about a Yaqui Indian who lived worked. Finds gold nuggets by Waltz ) but survives long enough to tell a Dr Walker about the mine. had! The Klondike trail of 1897 unprofitable, Miguel Peralta turned to fraud find gold in the series Mammoth mine. Story is made up of an assortment of hints about the mine remains shrouded in,... Innocent and content of men and Pegleg ended up deserting the group wandered around the desert, he the. By Mexico 's Peralta family, had knowledge of the story, with the dollars decline in recent years and... Rush days still remain to this day Tucson and Sonora, they were friendly, and rescuing..., many showing signs of former habitation that flocked to their respective areas the 1850s... Mountains in 2009 and his partner, Jacob Waltz, or Dr Thornes.... When you think of treasure hunters in search of the same substance and off. A map for $ 7 each route to the village, not knowing his direction third in mid-1800s. A local newspaper relates how Thomas and others were trying to locate the mine 's....