The legends had begun.Ī century and a half later, having heard of the rich gold to be found in the Superstitions, Jesuit priest Eusebio Francisco Kino, whose objective was to establish missions and Christianize the Indians, was lured by the tales. In fear, the conquistadors finally fled, refusing to return to the mountain, which they dubbed Monte Superstition. Still, more men disappeared only to be found dead later, their bodies mutilated and their heads cut off. Almost immediately, men began to mysteriously vanish, to the point that warnings were given to never stray more than a few feet away from the rest of the group. The Indians called Superstition Mountain the “Devil’s Playground.”īut the Spaniards were determined and began to explore. The Apache however, refused to help them, telling them that if they dared to trespass on the sacred ground, the Thunder God would take revenge upon them, causing tremendous suffering and horrible deaths. Learning from the Apache, that the range did, in fact, hold gold, the Spaniards were intent upon exploring the area.

Led by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, the conquistadors cared little about the Apache customs or beliefs, wanting only to find the legendary “ Seven Golden Cities of Cibola.” When the Spanish arrived in 1540, the region was inhabited by the Apache Indians, who considered Superstition Mountain to be sacred ground, as it was home to their Thunder God. Long before gold was found in these rugged cliffs and mesas, the area has been cloaked in mystery. “Real” or not, the haunting tales endure, continuing to draw prospectors to the Superstition Mountains today, and making the story one of the most famous lost treasure tales of all time.Įast of Phoenix, Arizona is the Superstition Mountain range, more commonly referred to by locals, as the “Superstitions.” Standing majestically at the forefront of this rough terrain is Superstition Mountain, a 3,000-foot high monolith, which seemingly stands guard over the rest of its territory. But for thousands of others, the mine and its legends are extremely real, hidden in the forbidding peaks of the Superstition Mountains. Shrouded in mystery, the mine is not only allegedly rich in gold but is also said to have a curse upon it, leading to a number of strange deaths, as well as people who mysteriously go “missing” when they attempt to locate the old mine.įor more than 120 years, the legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine has been told over and over, growing in proportions to such an extent that some claim the entire legend is nothing but a myth. One of the best treasure tales in the history of the American West is the Lost Dutchman Mine. Superstition Mountain, Arizona by Kathy Weiser-Alexander

Tales of escape mine