The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine: Found?
One John V. Kemm states he has found the legendary Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, using Google Earth. According to some versions of the tale, the most famous lost mine in American history is either cursed, or protected by mysterious guardians. The Lost Dutchman is the stuff that true treasure hunts are made of…
One John V. Kemm states he has found the legendary Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, using Google Earth. According to some versions of the tale, the most famous lost mine in American history is either cursed, or protected by mysterious guardians. The Lost Dutchman is the stuff where true treasure hunts are made of…Thousands of treasure hunters still try to locate the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, hidden somewhere in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, in Arizona. The mine is named after Jacob Waltz, a German immigrant (“Dutchman” was slang for “German”, derived from the German word “Deutsch”, meaning: “German”). There are at least four Lost Dutchmans to be found in the American West – one in Colorado, one in California and the other two in Arizona. The earliest Lost Dutchman Gold Mine in Arizona was said to be near Wickenburg, where in the 1870’s a Dutchman was found dead in the desert, together with some saddlebags filled with gold.
Image via Wikipedia
A brief history
Fact and fiction blend in these tales, becoming “faction”, but key elements are “lost Apache gold”, “a Dutchman”, “a lost gold vein, found by US soldiers”, a doctor and – of course – treasure maps. In “The Story of Doctor Thorne”, some Apaches are said to have found a very rich gold mine in the Superstition Mountains; one of them is, in some versions of the story, the famous chief Geronimo. The family of one Miguel Peralta was said to have discovered the mine around 1850, but was attacked by the Apaches and slaughtered in the “Peralta Massacre”. Years later, Dr Thorne treated a wounded Apache and was rewarded with a trip to the mine – blindfolded. He was allowed to take as much gold ore as he could carry before, again blindfolded, being escorted from the site.
The “mainstream” tale of The Lost Dutchman involves two Germans, Jacob Waltz and Jacob Weiser – but it is possible that there was only one single “Dutchman” named Waltz, Weitz, Weitzer… or something like that. In some versions the Germans are said to behave violently, in others they are peaceful fellows. Waltz and/or Weiser seem to have located a rich gold mine in the Superstition Mountains, maybe with some help from a member of the Peralta family. Weiser is attacked by Apaches or by his greedy friend Waltz, but survives long enough to tell a doctor Walker about the mine. He is also said to have made a deathbed confession to Julia Thomas, and to have drawn some sort of treasure map.
The Lost Dutchman Tale would probably only have been a footnote in Arizona’s history, if it was not for the death of treasure hunter Adolph Ruth. Ruth’s son Erwin seems to have learned of the Peralta Mine from a descendant of the Peralta’s, who gave him some antique maps of the site. In the summer of 1931, while searching for the Lost Dutchman, Adolph Ruth suddenly disappeared. About a half year later, his skull was recovered – with two bullet holes in it. Tantalizingly, his checkbook was also recovered, with a note in it claming that he had discovered the mine. Ruth gave detailed directions and ended his note with the motto of Julius Ceasar: “Veni, vidi, vici!” (“I came, I saw, I conquered!”)
Since the death of Adolph Ruth, there have been several other reports of mysterious deaths in the Superstition Mountains, so here are the origins to be found of another legendary tale: “The Curse of the Superstition Mountains”. I have written a series of articles on the mystery of The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, raising the question if these tales could have been connected with a Lost Aztec Treasure, where the stories about a Curse of the Superstition Mountains originated, and telling the legend of The Very Rich Mine of Juan Mondragon (New-Mexico). It was on these articles, published on the HubPages, that John V. Kemm commented.
Image via Wikipedia
The Lost Dutchman, Found with Google Earth?
John V. Kemm, age 43, from Albuquerque New Mexico, states that he has found the legendary Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, using Google Earth. On his very chaotic MySpace page and on the HubPage Account he opened (check out the address!) John V. Kemm asks everyone who surfs by to help him get his story out: the Lost Dutchman is found, the Peralta Maps are solved and he has located the gold. “Not allowing free speech”, Photobucket and Jim Hatt of the Desert USA Message Board keep deleting his posts, so most of the links don’t work – but this one still does:
The key to the mystery seems to be one of the so-called Peralta Stone Maps: “the Latin heart”. According to John V. Kemm the Peralta Map is “close to dead on till you reach the heart”. Then you have to reverse the heart, or spin it to the right and a bit to the north too. From Weaver’s Needle, and from a specific angle, you can see now the heart’s center. “The upper left side is where the gold is,” says Kemm. “This can be verified on Google Earth.” – The exact coordinates are:
33°26′46.06″N 111°21′44.38″W – 1847 m.
This could be a hoax, a nutcase or an alternate reality game… On his MySpace blog, Jim V. Kemm states that a long time ago the family name wasn’t Kemm, but Quinto… and that Charles V, or Carlos Quinto, was his great-grandfather. This seemed to be the start of the fight between Kemm and Jim Hatt of the Desert USA Forum – with Jim Hatt pointing out that Charles V/Carlos Quinto was born in the 1500’s and politely asking if John V. Kemm is not missing some generations. But okay, you can check this out for yourself, I don’t want to spoil the fun.
But then, there is this intriguing YouTube Video:
More Historical Mysteries here!
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User Comments
Joe Dorish
On September 5, 2009 at 9:27 am
If the guy found the mine using Google Earth why would he publish the fact? LOL The whole Lost Dutchman Mine stuff is really fascinating and the area in Arizona runs a marathon in the area and there is a waterfall along the Massacre Grounds Trail in Lost Dutchman State Park.
Auron Renius
On September 5, 2009 at 9:32 am
Interesting article
mystery61
On September 5, 2009 at 9:39 am
A very interesting article, I liked it!
Chris Stonecipher
On September 5, 2009 at 10:53 am
Very interesting article. Maybe part of the mystery/tale is partiallly true.
cutedrishti8
On September 5, 2009 at 11:28 am
Nice one to share…Great work..
Lauren Axelrod
On September 5, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I don’t know if I would share this info if I had it.
thestickman
On September 5, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Intriguingly story!! Wow1
-I wish however that Triond would do something about these HORRID ads and video-boxes!! Cripes!!
-I am using Seakmonkey browser tonight and can see ALL the ads, which is severally stalling my system (nearly T-1 connect speed w/ 2.4Ghz processor… wth!?)
richard wing
On September 5, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Pretty intriguing again Patrick. What ever happened to the lost “Bill Keisar Gold”….that’s stiil a mystery.
Lost in Arizona
On September 6, 2009 at 12:06 am
I can still remember as a kid camping out and about near the Superstition Mountains. One of my friend’s father used to talk about how the Apache used to hang above in the cliffs and wait for people to pass through before ambushing them. Then they’d hide the spoils in a cave that could only be located by them. The dead of the Apache still roam the hills, and slaughter all those who would claim their gold. This is the kind of stuff he’d tell a scared 12 year old before lights out. I remember one night screaming in fright when a tree branch started rubbing against the tent after hearing these stories, and barreling out of the tent into my mom and dad’s. Even if there was gold out there, you couldn’t get me to go back 20 years later..lol! Brings back a lot from my childhood.
ken bultman
On September 6, 2009 at 6:26 am
I love a mystery, especially one that may be factual. This one keeps popping up keeping hopes alive.
Nelson Doyle
On September 6, 2009 at 8:08 am
Loved the article and the mystery. Maybe, the US government can discover the gold soon to pay our National Debt off. You do know that whoever is lucky enough to find it, that Uncle Sam will be there first to collect all of the taxes that they can.
God Bless,
Nelson Doyle
Louie Jerome
On September 6, 2009 at 8:37 am
Maybe I should give up writing and go in search of treasure! A very informative piece. It just goes to show that lost treasure legends might just be real possibilities!
C. Jordan
On September 6, 2009 at 8:53 am
A fascinating article Patrick.
Uma Shankari
On September 6, 2009 at 9:13 am
A wonderful write, gripped my attention right from the start. Thank you so much.
Harvster
On September 6, 2009 at 12:45 pm
That whole area is designated as a wilderness area and no mining or prospecting is allowed. Based on what little I read in this article, I’ll bet that this guy is like about one hundred other kooks who believe they have found the mine (or are just pulling peoples’ chains for the entertainment value).
sammysam2k
On September 6, 2009 at 12:54 pm
amazing! i never new about it and i never new you can find stuff on google earth so easily
thnx
understood
On September 6, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Nice one to share…Great work.. Resveratrol
asok
On September 6, 2009 at 3:17 pm
if you belive the whole article why not go shovel in hand and get some gold.
thestickman
On September 6, 2009 at 7:18 pm
I worked with a fella that told me that when he was a child living in Arizona I think he said, used to play in this cave that they discovered. It had several old, broken-down Conestoga wagons and of busted wooden barrels and such in. They thought nothing of it, -just ‘junk’ in the cave.
He said that the entrance was small and easily missed. The kids and to slide under this large rock lying in the ground, and would come up inside of a larger antechamber which has enough sunlight from cracks in the roof to allow them to see in the twilight.
I often wondered if this was some important cave find, if it was maybe exactly what he (as a pre-teen) thought (just junk in the cave) or if he and pals were actually inside of a secret cache that the indians used to hide confiscated westwarders…
Mr Ghaz
On September 6, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Excellent!..a highly informative and well presented article..this was wonderful and fascinating places..I LOVED IT!..Nice pics too..Thanks so much for sharing.
Ruby Hawk
On September 6, 2009 at 10:55 pm
This would be and amazing thing if true. Loved the pictures too.
Debra.
On September 7, 2009 at 5:37 am
Another fascinating read from you Patrick!
Yovita Siswati
On September 7, 2009 at 7:36 am
An interesting read!
Dreyan
On September 7, 2009 at 8:55 am
They totally ripped this story off in National Treasure 2.
Anyways, I’m sure there’s no gold there. However long that guy’s had his story up has probably been enough for a small army and a Uhaul truck to raid the place.
historigal
On September 7, 2009 at 11:36 am
Captivating story! Interesting facts.
Momof4
On September 7, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Great reading! Thanks for sharing. I liked it.
gourab
On September 7, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Wow. That was an awesome article. I have heard of the Dutchman’s treasure before, but I never knew of all this controversy. Anyways, this article left me speechless.
gary smith
On September 7, 2009 at 2:41 pm
very interesting
Sterling Christianson
On September 7, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Dreyan, How can you be completely sure?
jessica
On September 21, 2009 at 6:57 am
I have actually spoken to john kemm and I truly believe he has found it
Michael Woods
On September 30, 2009 at 2:10 am
NAH! He hasnt located diddoly! You can’t ‘locate’ anything unless you’ve ‘located’ it in person. Believe me, I have actually stood on that spot, along with many other (hunters) people, all theu the last century. Lets see, if you look into past accounts of ‘findings’ of it, it was reported found there by a guy in the 1950’s (?), I’d have to look in my books to be sure, but it was nothing also. The entire region around Weavers Needle, including too, if not entirely, Bluff Springs Mountian. I hiked the entire area for 25 years, and approx. 5000 miles, all documented with photos. There’s nothing theres, but solid, big, dacite rocks! Now there’s area where it could be, but it isnt around Weaer’s Needle. You could just ’see’ Weaver’s Needle from the area.
James Burke
On October 1, 2009 at 6:57 pm
http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1241305#Post1241305 It’s been verified by Google Earth Team and the White House the peralta maps have been solved. The gold or lack of gold has nothing to do with it at this point in time………………… This is A Major Discovery
James Burke
On October 1, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Michael Woods :: THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, WILL BE COMING TO EXAMINE THE AREA, SINCE THE COORDINATES HAVE BEEN POSTED SINCE JULY. THIS WILL GENERATE ALOT OF REVENUE FOR ARIZONAS TOURISM AND LOST DUTCHMAN TREASURE HUNTING. THIS WILL PROOVE TO BE THE MOST FAMOUS AND PROFITABLE DISCOVERY IN HISTORY, AND MR. KEMM IS GENERATING A (SERIOUS AMOUNT OF FAME) FROM THIS AMAZING DISCOVERY, AND THERES NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO TO STOP IT. SO WHY EVEN TRY??? UNLESS (YOU STAND TO LOSE SOMETHING) THEN BY ALL MEANS TRY TRY TRY IN VAIN.
James Burke
On October 1, 2009 at 7:26 pm
ALL THE MURDERS BEHEADINGS SHOOTINGS DEATHS AND VANISHINGS, PURELY COINCIDENCE AND MAPS THAT LEAD TO THE SPOT “but it was nothing also. Believe me, I have actually stood on that spot.” “Michael Woods”
James Burke
On October 1, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Michael Woods: We are not buying your bull, If I decide to buy the bull, I’ll contact you to drive out after me and haul it home.
James Burke
On October 1, 2009 at 7:48 pm
33°26′46.06″N 111°21′44.38″W – 1847 m.
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