The Lost Dutchmans Gold! Virtual Cache
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During the 1840's the Peralta family of northern Mexico supposedly developed rich gold mine(s) in the Superstitions Mountains. Their last expedition to carry gold back to Mexico occured in 1848. According to legend, the large party was ambushed by Apaches, and all were killed except for one or two Peralta family members who escaped into Mexico. This area is known today as the Massacre Grounds.
A number of other people were supposed to have known the mine's location or even to have worked it. Numerous maps have surfaced over the years, only to become lost or misplaced when interested parties pressed for facts. Men who claimed to have found the Peralta mine were unable to return to it or some disaster occurred before they could file a claim, all adding to the lore of a "lost mine."
In the 1870's Jacob Waltz, "the Dutchman" (actually a native of Germany) was said to have located the mine through the aid of a Peralta descendant. Waltz and his partner, Jacob Weiser worked the mine and allegedly hid one or more caches of gold in the Superstitions. Most stories place the gold in the vicinity of Weaver's Needle, a well known landmark. Weiser was killed by Apaches, or according to some, by Waltz himself.
In failing health, Jacob Waltz moved to Phoenix and died some twenty years later in 1891. He supposedly described the mine's location to Julia Thomas, a neighbor who took care of him prior to his death. Neither she nor dozens of other seekers in the years that followed were able to find the "Lost Dutchman's Mine." Subsequent searchers have sometimes met with foul play or even death, contributing to the superstition and legend that surround these mountains.
To receive credit for this cache you must visit Jacob Waltz and see if he will reveal the secret location of his treasure. To prove that you have visited the Dutchman you must e-mail me the name of the person who died on June 13th, 1885. Jacob is buried in the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park, which is open by appointment only. Luckily, Jacob Waltz is very near the edge of the cemetery and he can be visited without having to make an appointment or entering the cemetery grounds.
The 2nd requirement of this cache is after visiting the Dutchman you MUST reveal the secret location of his Gold. You will have to post a picture and the GPS coordinates of a sign, building, or landmark that you have visited that contains the word “GOLD”. This must be a permanent location that can be found by driving to the coordinates that you post.
Feel free to be creative on finding his GOLD, but don’t post duplicate locations. For those of you without digital cameras you may immediately post a description of the location of where you found the GOLD and will be allowed 1 week to develop your film, scan it and post the photo to the web.
DUE TO THE AREA, I RECOMMEND YOU VISIT THE DUTCHMAN ONLY IN THE DAY!!!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)