90-572: The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine (also known by similar names) is, according to legend , a rich gold mine hidden in the Southwestern United States . The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains , near Apache Junction , east of Phoenix , Arizona . There have been many stories about how to find the mine, and each year people search for the mine. Some have died on the search. The mine
180-407: A cryptid —for instance, Bigfoot or Mothman , legendary creatures for which evidence is lacking but which have legions of believers. Research shows that people experiencing sudden or surprising events (such as a Bigfoot sighting) may significantly overestimate the duration of the event. Companies have been accused of hiding "secret messages" behind their logos or packaging, as in the case of
270-463: A friend of a friend ), which serves to personalize, authenticate and enhance the power of the narrative while distancing the teller from the tall tale . Many urban legends depict horrific crimes, contaminated foods, or other situations that would potentially affect many people. Anyone believing such stories might feel compelled to warn loved ones. On occasion, news organizations, school officials and even police departments have issued warnings concerning
360-694: A Popular Mechanics article was published by Dave Howard in the Nov./Dec. issue , detailing a number of searches for the lost caches of the Beale Papers. In 2023, a Cryptographer named James Simpson decoded the Ciphers of the pamphlet published in 1885, by JB Ward, a Confederate Cartographer. The Ciphers detailed the movement of a team of 30 miners from Virginia to a location of a series of Gold Mines in Arizona's Tonto Mountains, as well as relaying information about
450-525: A chieftain) and is rewarded with a trip to a rich gold mine. He is blindfolded and taken there by a circuitous route, and is allowed to take as much gold ore as he can carry before again being escorted blindfolded from the site by the Apaches. Thorne is said to be either unwilling or unable to relocate the mine. Most likely because Pedro de Peralta had been the Spanish Governor of New Mexico (in
540-551: A crude map to the gold mine. John D. Wilburn in his book Dutchman's Lost Ledge of Gold (1990), wrote that the Bulldog Gold Mine near Goldfield, Arizona , fits very well the description Jacob Waltz gave as the location of his 'lost mine'. Furthermore, Wilburn stated that geology indicates that there is no gold in the Superstition Mountains, which are igneous in origin. (However, in some versions,
630-636: A deed originally granted by the Spanish Empire in the 18th century. Trouble came after Willing learned that the deed was entirely bogus. Despite his efforts, Willing was never able to recover the money he gave to Peralta. This land grant was the basis of the James Reavis Arizona land swindle (Reavis became Willing's partner and continued to try to prove the authenticity of the land grant for years after Willing's death). Blair argued that this Peralta story (well known to Arizona residents)
720-592: A few dozen homes to over a thousand. Many villages also have a neighborhood watch program in force. The major north–south thoroughfare in Valencia is McBean Parkway, which runs from Copper Hill Drive in the north to Stevenson Ranch in the southwest where it becomes Stevenson Ranch Parkway. McBean Parkway passes by such landmarks as Chesebrough, Heritage, and Summit Parks, Bridgeport Lake; Hyatt Regency Valencia; Westfield Valencia Town Center ; Santa Clarita Valley Medical Plaza; Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital ; and
810-427: A friend told me", the friend being identified by first name only or not identified at all. Such legends seem to be believable and even provocative, as some readers are led in turn to pass them on, including on social media platforms that instantly reach millions worldwide. Many are essentially extended jokes , told as if they were true events. Persistent urban legends do often maintain a degree of plausibility, as in
900-518: A long-running column in The Sunday Times . These include the story that Orson Welles began work on a Batman movie in the 1940s, which was to feature James Cagney as the Riddler and Marlene Dietrich as Catwoman ; the persistent rumour that the rock singer Courtney Love is the granddaughter of Marlon Brando ; and the idea that a famous 1970s poster of Farrah Fawcett contains
990-627: A mission. On the return trip, however, the party found a less strenuous trail through the Conejo Valley . Later travelers also preferred that route, and Mission San Fernando Rey de España was established down in the valley. The master-planned portion of Valencia was first planned in the 1960s by the Newhall Land and Farming Company . The first subdivision to be constructed in Valencia was Old Orchard I, which opened in 1967, occupying an area bounded by Lyons Avenue, Orchard Village Road, and
SECTION 10
#17327728199191080-465: A rich gold mine in the Superstition Mountains (in many versions of the story, they rescue or help a member of the Peralta family and are rewarded by being told the location of the mine). Waltz is attacked and wounded by marauding Apaches, but survives at least long enough to tell a man called Dr. Walker about the mine. Waltz is also said to make a deathbed confession to Julia Thomas, and draws or describes
1170-565: A rich gold vein or cache. But Blair suggested that this core story was distorted in subsequent retellings, comparing the many variants of the Lost Dutchman's story to the game of Chinese whispers , where the original account is distorted in multiple retellings of the tale. There was indeed a Jacob Waltz who emigrated to the U.S. from Germany . The earliest documentation of him in the U.S. is an 1848 affidavit in which Waltz declared himself to be "about 38 years old". A man called Jacob Walz
1260-494: A significantly obvious route that follows into the canyon with a left-banking turn at the split in the dry river bed, carrying on for another 1000yds. until it reaches the Arastra. With the discovery of the mines was also the discovery that older maps existed from the times of the mid-1800's, and detailed the outlines of landmarks and locations of both placer lodes as well as the relative locations of mine openings. They all feature
1350-486: A small gold mine to earn in such a relatively brief period. As of 1975, ruins of the Peralta mine were standing. However, the Peralta Mine eventually became unprofitable and after the money was gone Miguel Peralta turned to fraud . Dr. George M. Willing Jr. paid Peralta $ 20,000 for the mining rights for an enormous swath of land – about 3,000,000 acres (12,000 km) in southern Arizona and New Mexico – based on
1440-439: A subliminal sexual message concealed in the actress's hair. As with traditional urban legends, many internet rumors are about crimes or crime waves – either fictional or based on real events that have been largely exaggerated. Such stories can be problematic, both because they purport to be relevant modern news and because they do not follow the typical patterns of urban legends. Some legends are medical folklore , such as
1530-566: A typical urban legend is its elements of mystery, horror , fear, or humor. Often they serve as cautionary tales . Some urban legends are morality tales that depict someone acting in a disagreeable manner, only to wind up in trouble, hurt, or dead. Urban legends will often try to invoke a feeling of disgust in the reader which tends to make these stories more memorable and potent. Elements of shock value can be found in almost every form of urban legend and are partially what makes these tales so impactful. An urban legend may include elements of
1620-476: A way to make sense of societal anxieties. In the past, urban legends were most often circulated orally, at gatherings and around the campfire for instance. Now, they can be spread by any media, including newspapers, mobile news apps, e-mail , and most often, social media . Some urban legends have passed through the years/decades with only minor changes, in where the time period takes place. Generic urban legends are often altered to suit regional variations, but
1710-522: Is a strong likelihood that there never was a second man named Weiser, but rather that a single person named Waltz was, over the years, turned into two men as the legend of the Dutchman's mine evolved. Blair contended that this story can be divided into "hawk" and "dove" versions, depending on whether the German(s) are said to behave violently or peacefully. In most versions of the tale, Jacob Waltz locates
1800-575: Is among those who have looked for the mine. Robert Blair wrote "[t]here have been at least four legendary Lost Dutchman's gold mines in the American West , including the famed Superstition mine of Jacob Waltz". One Lost Dutchman's mine is said to be in Colorado , another in California; two are said to be located in Arizona. Tales of these other Lost Dutchman's mines can be traced to at least
1890-439: Is characteristic of groups within which a given narrative circulates to vehemently reject claims or demonstrations of non-factuality; an example would be the expressions of outrage by police officers who are told that adulteration of Halloween treats by strangers (the subject of periodic moral panics ) occurs extremely rarely, if at all. The Internet has made it easier both to spread and to debunk urban legends. For instance,
SECTION 20
#17327728199191980-667: Is named after German immigrant Jacob Waltz ( c. 1810–1891), who purportedly discovered it in the 19th century and kept its location a secret. "Dutchman" was a common American term for a German ("Dutch" being the English cognate to the German demonym "Deutsch", and not a reference to the Dutch people ). The Lost Dutchman's is perhaps the most famous lost mine in American history. Arizona place-name expert Byrd Granger wrote, as of 1977,
2070-466: Is outside the city limits although it is east of Interstate 5 and within the city's sphere of influence. Valencia's residential areas are separated into villages, each with its own lifestyle (see List of Valencia, California residential villages ). Almost all of Valencia's villages are close to schools, shopping, and other amenities. In many of the villages, homeowner associations oversee the quality and upkeep of housing developments ranging in size from
2160-742: Is part of the Castaic Union School District , not the Hart District. Valencia is home to College of the Canyons , a community college, and California Institute of the Arts , an arts university. Six Flags Magic Mountain is located in unincorporated Valencia. It includes 20 roller coasters, the most of any amusement park in the world. The Valencia Town Center shopping mall is the primary commercial center of Valencia. It occupies an area bounded by Valencia Boulevard to
2250-893: Is served by the Castaic Union School District . The boundary between the Saugus and Newhall School Districts follows Valencia Boulevard (from The Old Road to Magic Mountain Parkway) and Magic Mountain Parkway (from Valencia Boulevard to Bouquet Canyon Road/Railroad Avenue). Junior high and high school students in Valencia attend schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District . Valencia includes Rio Norte and Arroyo Seco Junior High Schools, and Valencia High School . Hart , Saugus , West Ranch , and Castaic High Schools; Placerita and Rancho Pico Junior High Schools; and Castaic Middle School also serve parts of Valencia. Castaic Middle School
2340-530: The Fast & Furious films, died in a car crash in Hercules Street, Valencia. Following Walker's death, Hercules Street became a known attraction for people to engage in car drifting . Valencia is located along Interstate 5 ; all incorporated portions of Valencia are east of the freeway, while unincorporated portions are west of the freeway. Tesoro del Valle, the northernmost subdivision of Valencia,
2430-576: The California Institute of the Arts . Major east-west thoroughfares in Valencia (from north to south) include Copper Hill Drive, Decoro Drive, Newhall Ranch Road, Rye Canyon Road, Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia Boulevard, McBean Parkway (which runs east–west from Orchard Village Road to I-5), Wiley Canyon Road, and Lyons Avenue. Valencia contains most of the city's government buildings, hotels, car dealerships, medical centers, and corporate headquarters (see Economy section below). Eleven of
2520-637: The Henry Wickenburg 's Vulture mine, (which was notorious for being poorly-managed) he could indeed have been a "fence" for those who did work at the Vulture. There was a catastrophic flood in Phoenix in 1891, and Waltz's farm was one of many that was devastated. Afterwards, Waltz fell ill (he was rumored to have contracted pneumonia during the flooding). He died on October 25, 1891, after having been nursed by an acquaintance named Julia Thomas (she
2610-583: The Slender Man , have gained a following of people that do believe in them . Television shows such as Urban Legends , Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction , and later Mostly True Stories: Urban Legends Revealed , feature re-enactments of urban legends, detailing the accounts of the tales and (typically later in an episode) revealing any factual basis they may have. The Discovery Channel TV show MythBusters (2003–2016) tried to prove or disprove several urban legends by attempting to reproduce them using
2700-539: The Usenet newsgroup alt.folklore.urban and several other websites, most notably snopes.com , focus on discussing, tracking, and analyzing urban legends. The United States Department of Energy had a now-discontinued service called Hoaxbusters that dealt with computer-distributed hoaxes and legends. The most notable such hoaxes are known as creepypastas , which are typically horror stories written anonymously. Although most are regarded as obviously false, some, such as
2790-444: The scientific method . The 1998 film Urban Legend featured students discussing popular urban legends while at the same time falling victim to killings re-enacting them. The 1999 film The Blair Witch Project purposefully positioned itself as an urban legend to gain viral hype and succeeded in fooling many that it was based on a real disappearance. The lack of widespread social media and search engines helped it proliferate in
Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine - Misplaced Pages Continue
2880-484: The supernatural or paranormal . As Jan Brunvand points out, antecedent legends including some of the motifs, themes and symbolism of the urtexts can readily be identified. Cases that may have been at least partially inspired by real events include "The Death Car" (traced by Richard Dorson to Michigan , United States ); "the Solid Cement Cadillac" and the possible origin of " The Hook " in
2970-465: The 'mine' is actually a cache put there by the Peraltas.) In yet another version of the tale, two (or more) U.S. Army soldiers are said to have discovered a vein of almost pure gold in or near the Superstition Mountains. The soldiers are alleged to have presented some of the gold, but to have been killed or to have vanished soon after. This account is usually dated to about 1870. According to Blair,
3060-534: The 1600s) his family name of "Peralta" was the inspiration for a number of legends in the American Southwest. James Reavis tried to assert that the Peralta family had a Spanish land grant and a barony granted by the King of Spain, which included a huge swath of Arizona and New Mexico, including the Superstition Mountains. The Peralta Massacre is a legend that Apaches supposedly ambushed a mining expedition
3150-452: The 1860s. Thorne claimed that he was taken captive by Navajos in 1854, and that during his captivity he had discovered a rich gold vein. Thorne related his claims to three U.S. soldiers in about 1858. The three soldiers set out to find the gold, but without success. Over the decades, this tale was gradually absorbed into the Lost Dutchman's story. This tale involves two German men, Jacob Waltz and Jacob Weiser. However, Blair argued that there
3240-534: The 1870s. The earliest Lost Dutchman's mine in Arizona was said to have been near Wickenburg , about 180 km (110 mi) north-west of the Superstition Mountains: a "Dutchman" was allegedly discovered dead in the desert near Wickenburg in the 1870s alongside saddlebags filled with gold. Blair suggested that "fragments of this legend have perhaps become attached to the mythical mine of Jacob Waltz". Granger wrote that "fact and fiction blend in
3330-583: The 1946 series of Lovers' Lane murders in Texarkana, Texas , United States. The urban legend that Coca-Cola developed the drink Fanta to sell in Nazi Germany without public backlash originated as the actual tale of German Max Keith , who invented the drink and ran Coca-Cola's operations in Germany during World War II . The narrator of an urban legend may claim it happened to a friend (or to
3420-577: The 2020 census, the population of Valencia was 63,670. 54.2% of residents were non-Hispanic white , 21.1% were Hispanic , 19.2% were Asian American , 4.8% were African American , and 2.3% were Native American . At the elementary school level, northern Valencia is served by the Saugus Union School District , southern Valencia is served by the Newhall School District , and a small portion of western Valencia
3510-405: The 66-year-old Ruth in the heat of the Arizona summer. However, Ruth ignored Barkely's advice, and set out for a two-week stint in the mountains. Ruth did not return as scheduled, and no trace of him could be found after a brief search. In December, 1931, The Arizona Republic reported on the recent discovery of a human skull in the Superstition Mountains. To determine if the skull was Ruth's, it
3600-566: The Lost Dutchman State Park. The park was expanded to 320 acres (130 ha) in 1983. It is accessible about 40 miles (64.4 km) east of Phoenix via U.S. Highway 60 , the Superstition Freeway . Hiking and camping are popular activities. There are several paths that go through the brush and cacti. The short "Discovery Trail" is a clear route with several placards giving the natural history of the area. In 2024,
3690-622: The Lost Dutchman's story had been printed or cited at least six times more often than two other fairly well-known tales, the story of Captain Kidd 's lost treasure, and the story of the Lost Pegleg mine in California . People have been seeking the Lost Dutchman's mine since at least 1892, while according to one estimate, 9,000 people annually made some effort to locate the Lost Dutchman's mine. Former Arizona Attorney General Robert K. Corbin
Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine - Misplaced Pages Continue
3780-532: The North side of the trail, and appear as the last mine on the trail to the plateau, where a camp was found surrounded by a field of golden colored grass. Further exploration of the trail, known locally as the Gateway Trail, provided the discovery of another series of vertical mill sites which were buried in. Seldomly used as the waters released from the dam create an impassible obstacle, the Gateway Trail has
3870-448: The Peralta family sent into the mountains. Some carved stones in the area are referred to as " Peralta Stones " and Spanish text and crude maps on them are considered by some to be clues to the location of a Peralta family gold mine in the Superstition Mountains, although others believe the stones to be modern fakes. A lack of historical records leaves uncertainty as to whether a Peralta family ever had possession of land, or mines, in or near
3960-465: The Rio Salado near the base of the present-day Stewart Dam, it weaves through a labyrinth of trees, and in between three large mounds into the main sections of the trailhead. A series of mines were found along the trail on either side, each with a guidestone carved along the trail pointing in the direction of the mines on the walls of the canyon. The trail continues to an Arastra at about a mile into
4050-568: The South Fork of the Santa Clara River . The next subdivisions to open were Old Orchard II and Valencia Hills. Development continues to the present day and is nearing completion. Valencia is notable for its landscaped boulevards connecting a mix of apartment buildings, single-family detached homes, shopping centers, office parks and industrial warehouses. On November 30, 2013, Paul Walker , best known for playing Brian O'Conner in
4140-477: The Superstition Mountains are in fact volcanic. Lastly, the alleged mine directions Ruth had were from an 1895 newspaper account. Since Ruth's death, there have been several other deaths or disappearances in the Superstition Mountains. Some searchers for the mine have disappeared in likely wilderness accidents. In 1977, 292 acres (118 ha) abutting the Tonto National Forest were set aside as
4230-555: The Superstition Mountains. Blair insisted that the Peralta portion of the story is unreliable, writing: "The operation of a gold mine in the Superstitions by a Peralta family is a contrivance of 20th century writers". A man named Miguel Peralta and his family did operate a successful mine in the 1860s – but near Valencia, California , not in Arizona. The mine was quite profitable, earning about $ 35,000 in less than one year; Blair described this as "an unusually good return" for such
4320-414: The Superstition Mountains. Famed Apache Geronimo is sometimes mentioned in relation to this story. In most variants of the story, the family of a man called Miguel Peralta discovered the mine and began mining the gold there, only to be attacked or massacred by Apaches in about 1850 in the supposed Peralta massacre . Years later, a man called Dr. Thorne treats an ailing or wounded Apache (often alleged to be
4410-494: The city's twelve tallest buildings are in Valencia; the two tallest are 24305 Town Center Drive (headquarters of Princess Cruises) and the Hyatt Regency Valencia, both of which are 72 feet (22 m) tall. The Santa Clarita city hall is located in Valencia, at 23920 Valencia Boulevard. Valencia also has a system of paved pathways over or under the streets and boulevards, which are called paseos . They connect
4500-405: The claim that eating watermelon seeds will result in a watermelon growing in the stomach , or that going outdoors just after showering will result in catching a cold. Many old wives' tales have grown around the identification of ailments, real and imagined, and the recommended remedies, rituals, and home-grown medical treatments to treat them. Internet urban legends are those spread through
4590-484: The deaths of many well-known explorers, like Adolph Ruth, and Frank Fish, who were both familiar with the region and had access to the original maps that were passed along by the Spanish. This would expose the fact that the mass of mining operations of the Spanish were concentrated in that area, and with some effort, additional mines were found along the adjacent trails, leading to the speculation that they were all part of
SECTION 50
#17327728199194680-772: The degree that establishing non-factuality warrants the assumption that there must be some other reason why the tales are told, re-told and believed. As in the case of myth , the narratives are believed because they construct and reinforce the worldview of the group within which they are told, or "because they provide us with coherent and convincing explanations of complex events". Social scientists have started to draw on urban legends in order to help explain complex socio-psychological beliefs, such as attitudes to crime, childcare, fast food, SUVs and other "family" choices. The authors make an explicit connection between urban legends and popular folklore, such as Grimm's Fairy Tales , where similar themes and motifs arise. For that reason, it
4770-595: The documents or opportunity to cross examine him on the stand as was later done with Reavis. Another detail which casts doubt on the story is the fact that, according to Blair, there was never any Dr. Thorne in the employ of the Army or indeed of the Federal Government in the 1860s. According to Blair, the origin of this story can be traced to a doctor named Thorne who was in private practice in New Mexico in
4860-506: The entire community, making it possible to travel throughout nearly all of Valencia on foot or by bicycle without crossing a street at grade level. The paseo network is connected to the Santa Clara River Trail which runs east along the Santa Clara River to Canyon Country. Valencia is split between two ZIP codes : the northern and eastern portions are in 91354, and the southern and western portions are in 91355. As of
4950-473: The first Europeans to see inland areas of California, came up and over the pass from the San Fernando Valley and camped near the river on August 8–9. They found a large native village there and witnessed a wedding celebration. Fray Juan Crespi , a Franciscan missionary travelling with the expedition, named the river " Santa Clara " and noted in his diary that the place would be a good location for
5040-444: The internet, as through Usenet or email or more recently through other social media . They can also be linked to viral online content. Some take the form of chain letters and spread by e-mail, directing the reader to share them or to meet a terrible fate, and following a recognizable outline of hook, threat, and finally request. Paranormal urban-legend stories usually involve someone encountering something supernatural, such as
5130-401: The key using a seres of 111 ascending alphabets, climbing to the number 2906 in the 112th alphabet, the substitution produced a resulting page of plaintext letters, which were found to conceal Old English Box Ciphers. The first Cipher delivered messages of their order to conceal the location of the mines while James Reavis was under investigation. With a second set of Box Ciphers interwoven into
5220-434: The late 1960s and early '70s, and claimed on at least two occasions to have identified the location of the mine, later to concede he was either mistaken or the locations were "played out," or bereft of gold. Magill's adventures were chronicled in the book The Killer Mountains , by Curt Gentry. One fact against the existence of "Lost Dutchman Mine" is that Waltz was a "placer miner"; while the gold pieces he had were in quartz,
5310-554: The latest threat. According to the "Lights Out" rumor , street gang members would drive without headlights until a compassionate motorist responded with the traditional flashing of headlights, whereupon a prospective new gang member would have to murder the citizen as a requirement of initiation . A fax retelling this legend received at the Nassau County, Florida , fire department was forwarded to police, and from there to all city departments. The Minister of Defence for Canada
5400-863: The lesson or moral generally remains the same. The term "urban legend", as used by folklorists, has appeared in print since at least 1968, when it was used by Richard Dorson . Jan Harold Brunvand , professor of English at the University of Utah , introduced the term to the general public in a series of popular books published beginning in 1981. Brunvand used his collection of legends, The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends & Their Meanings (1981) to make two points: first, that legends and folklore do not occur exclusively in so-called primitive or traditional societies, and second, that one could learn much about urban and modern culture by studying such tales. Many urban legends are framed as complete stories with plot and characters. The compelling appeal of
5490-684: The location of a Sentry of the Knights of the Golden Circle, named Jacob Waltz. Mentioning his homestead along the Green River Basin, it showed details behind the directions to take through a canyon to find a "Cave of Millions", known today as the fabled Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. In the Ciphers authored by James Reavis, ringleader of the Peralta Land Grab, a dual-use system was created of the base numbers listed, and with
SECTION 60
#17327728199195580-451: The lost Pegleg mine in California. He had metal pins in his leg, and used a cane to help him walk. In June 1931, Ruth set out to locate the lost Peralta mine. After traveling to the region, Ruth stayed several days at the ranch of Tex Barkely to outfit his expedition. Barkely repeatedly urged Ruth to abandon his search for the mine, because the terrain of the Superstition Mountains was treacherous even for experienced outdoorsmen, let alone for
5670-401: The lost mine legend is that he periodically appeared with large amounts of gold, The Sterling Legend by Estee Conatser reports that a Jacob Walzer sold $ 250,000 in gold to the U.S. Mint during the 1880s and had $ 1500 when he died in 1891. In 1870, Waltz had a homestead of about 160 acres (0.65 km) near Phoenix where he operated a farm . There is a theory that although Waltz never worked at
5760-596: The map to the Peralta mine was said to be missing. Tantalizingly, Ruth's checkbook was also recovered, and proved to contain a note written by Ruth wherein he claimed to have discovered the mine and gave detailed directions. Ruth ended his note with the phrase " Veni, vidi, vici ." Authorities in Arizona did not convene a criminal inquest regarding Ruth's death. They argued that Ruth had probably succumbed to thirst or heart disease (though, as Gentry wrote, "[o]ne official went so far as to suggest that [Adolph Ruth] might have committed suicide ... While this theory did not ignore
5850-423: The mine in the summer of 1931. His skull – with two holes in it identified as bullet holes – was recovered about six months after he vanished, and the story made national news, thus sparking widespread interest in the Lost Dutchman's mine. In a story that echoes some of the earlier tales, Ruth's son Erwin C. Ruth was said to have learned of the Peralta mine from a man called Pedro Gonzales (or Gonzalez). According to
5940-655: The months leading up to its release. Between 1992 and 1998 The Guardian newspaper "Weekend" section published the illustrated "Urban Myths" column by Phil Healey and Rick Glanvill, with content taken from a series of four books: Urban Myths , The Return of Urban Myths , Urban Myths Unplugged , and Now! That's What I Call Urban Myths . The 1994 comics anthology the Big Book of Urban Legends , written by Robert Boyd, Jan Harold Brunvand , and Robert Loren Fleming , featured 200 urban legends, displayed as comics. The British writer Tony Barrell has explored urban legends in
6030-455: The name of the river as the Rio Salado on them, further confirming the locations of the mines, as well as being originally used by the Spanish, dating back to an unrecorded period in the history of the Superstition Mountains. As the discovery of these specific locations found encrypted in the ciphers of the Beale Papers were confirmed, it revealed that a number of later explorations had been made there to harness their wealth, leading eventually to
6120-535: The number 666 went viral on Facebook. California drought manipulation Valencia, Santa Clarita, California Valencia is a neighborhood in Santa Clarita located within Los Angeles County, California . It is one of the four unincorporated communities (along with Saugus , Newhall , and Canyon Country ) that merged to create the city of Santa Clarita in 1987. It is situated in
6210-469: The old Procter & Gamble symbol, supposedly an occult figure that gave panache to the brand. (If the thirteen stars in the symbol were connected a certain way, it would show three sixes in a row or looked at the 3 curls at the bottom they form the inverted 6s.) Similarly, a video of a Christian woman "exposing" Monster Energy for using the Hebrew letter vav ( ו ), forming the letter "M", to disguise
6300-582: The original "Peralta Mines", as one of the maps was signed by Miguel Peralta. Citations Bibliography Urban legend Urban legends (sometimes modern legend , urban myth , or simply legend ) is a genre of folklore concerning stories about an unusual (usually scary) or humorous event that many people believe to be true but largely are not. These legends can be entertaining but often concern mysterious peril or troubling events, such as disappearances and strange objects or entities. Urban legends may confirm moral standards, reflect prejudices, or be
6390-421: The original purchase of the land grant by Dr. George M. Willing Jr. (the transaction had supposedly occurred at a primitive campsite to the southeast of Prescott without the benefit of the typical documentation; instead of a notarized deed , the conveyance was recorded on a piece of greasy camp paper bearing signature of several witnesses). Willing died in 1874 before there had been a thorough investigation of
6480-505: The page, it showed an outline of a trail with landmarks starting at the base of a dam near a shallow fenn or ford. At the bottom of the map section was the phrase - For Him That Can Find Jacob Waltz's Mines. The trail was marked with a starting point using the older Cursum Perficio map, from the era of Spanish Exploration and the excursions that they had made into the many canyons of the Tonto Mountains. Taking it's course across
6570-400: The route, and following kerns stacked along the side of the trail, climbed into the plateau along a series of steep switchbacks, where a more ornate series of carvings and pictographs would be found along the canyon walls. A final pillar on the side of the trail in the shape of a man's head and face would be used to locate the entrance to the mine. The entrance to the Lost Dutchman would sit on
6660-446: The small hole when the bullet entered and the large hole when it exited". In January 1932, human remains were discovered about three-quarters of a mile (1.21 km) from where the skull had been found. Though the remains had been scattered by scavengers, they were undoubtedly Ruth's. Many of Ruth's personal effects were found at the scene, including a pistol (not missing any shells) and the metal pins used to mend his broken bones. But
6750-415: The south, McBean Parkway to the west, Magic Mountain Parkway to the north, and Citrus Street to the east. It includes over 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m ) of retail space and contains 134 stores and 46 restaurants. Valencia is home to an ice rink known as The Cube — Ice and Entertainment Center (formerly Ice Station Valencia). It is used for ice skating and hockey . In 2020, Ice Station Valencia
6840-618: The story [of Ruth's death] and ran it for more than it was worth", possibly seeing the mysterious story as a welcome reprieve from the bleak news that was otherwise typical of the Great Depression . Throughout the 20th century, various expeditions and individuals continued to search the Superstitions for the Lost Dutchman Mine. One of the most professional and serious-minded efforts was led by Oklahoma City private detective Glen Magill, who organized multiple expeditions in
6930-527: The story a serial killer deliberately hiding in the back seat of a car. Another such example since the 1970s has been the recurring rumor that the Procter & Gamble Company was associated with Satan-worshippers because of details within its 19th-century "57" trademark. The legend interrupted the company's business to the point that it stopped using the trademark. The earliest term by which these narratives were known, "urban belief tales", highlights what
7020-401: The story may have its roots in the efforts of three U.S. soldiers to locate gold in an area of New Mexico, based on an allegedly true story related to them by Dr. Thorne of New Mexico; see above. Blair cited evidence of the historical Jacob Waltz and suggested that additional evidence supports the core elements of the story – that Waltz claimed to have discovered (or at least heard the story of)
7110-522: The story, in about 1912 Erwin C. Ruth gave some legal aid to Gonzales, saving him from almost certain imprisonment. In gratitude, Gonzales told Erwin about the Peralta mine in the Superstition Mountains, and gave him some antique maps of the site (Gonzales claimed to be descended from the Peralta family on his mother's side). Erwin passed the information to his father Adolph, who had a long-standing interest in lost mines and amateur exploration. The elder Ruth had fallen and badly broken several bones while seeking
7200-454: The tales", but that there are three main elements to the story: In 1977, Granger identified 62 variants of the Lost Dutchman's story – some of the variations are minor, but others are substantial, casting the story in a very different light from the other versions. In this story (actually two interconnected stories), members of the Apache tribe are said to have a very rich gold mine located in
7290-405: The two holes in the skull, it did fail to explain how Ruth had managed to remove and bury the empty shell, then reload his gun, after shooting himself through the head". Blair noted that the conclusion of the Arizona authorities was rejected by many, including Ruth's family, and "those who held onto the more romantic murdered-for-the-map story". Blair wrote that "the national wire services picked up
7380-472: The western part of Santa Clarita, stretching from Lyons Avenue to the south (on the border with Newhall ) to north of Copper Hill Drive, and from Interstate 5 east to Bouquet Canyon and Seco Canyon Roads. Valencia was founded as a master-planned community with the first development, Old Orchard I, built on Lyons Avenue behind Old Orchard Elementary School. In 1769, the Spanish Portola expedition ,
7470-609: Was born in September 1810 in Württemberg . Blair suggested that this Waltz could be the same Waltz who later came to be regarded as the legendary Dutchman, and that he Americanized the spelling of his family name. Note that tombstone pictured shows birth year as 1808. Waltz relocated to Arizona in the 1860s, and stayed in the territory for most of the rest of his life. He pursued mining and prospecting, but seems to have had little luck with either. An alternate view which better fits
7560-472: Was eventually incorporated in the Lost Dutchman's story, in a severely distorted version, following the renewed interest in the Lost Dutchman's mine in the 1930s. Since James Reavis , " the Baron of Arizona ", was convicted of fraud when the Peralta family genealogy and other documents to support the land grant (and a barony associated with that land) were determined to be forgeries it also raises questions about
7650-429: Was examined by Dr. Aleš Hrdlička , a well-respected anthropologist who was given several photos of Ruth, along with Ruth's dental records . As Curt Gentry wrote, "Dr. Hrdlicka positively identified the skull as that of Adolph Ruth. He further stated, after examining the two holes [in the skull], that it appeared that a shotgun or high-powered rifle had been fired through the head at almost point-blank range, making
7740-774: Was on the brink of permanent closure due to COVID-19 , until the Santa Clarita city council unanimously voted to acquire the building for $ 14.2 million. On February 23, 2021, the city council sold Ice Station to American Sports Entertainment Company and the Los Angeles Kings . The city is currently in the process of renovating The Cube to include two large ice rinks (one NHL-size rink and one Olympic-sized rink) and one small ice rink known as The Pond. The rinks, covered with insulated floors, would double as venues for conventions, business meetings, concerts, birthday parties, and filming. The Cube opened on April 12, 2021, with
7830-419: Was taken in by it also; he forwarded an urgent security warning to all Ontario Members of Parliament. Urban legends typically include common elements: the tale is retold on behalf of the original witness or participant; dire warnings are often given for those who might not heed the advice or lesson contained therein (a typical element of many e-mail phishing scams); and the tale is often touted as "something
7920-556: Was then thought of as a key property: their tellers regarded the stories as true accounts, and the device of the FOAF (acronym for "Friend of a Friend" invented by English writer and folklorist Rodney Dale in 1976) was a spurious but significant effort at authentication. The coinage leads in turn to the terms "FOAFlore" and "FOAFtale". While at least one classic legend, the "Death Car", has been shown to have some basis in fact, folklorists have an interest in debunking those narratives only to
8010-463: Was unsuccessful, Thomas and her partners were reported to be selling maps to the mine for $ 7 each. Were it not for the death of amateur explorer and treasure hunter Adolph Ruth, the story of the Lost Dutchman's mine would probably have been little more than a footnote in Arizona history as one of hundreds of "lost mines" rumored to be in the American West. Ruth disappeared while searching for
8100-467: Was usually described as a quadroon ). Waltz was buried in Phoenix at what is now called the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park . Blair had little doubt that Waltz related to Thomas the location of an alleged gold mine. As early as September 1, 1892, The Arizona Enterprise was reporting on the efforts of Thomas and several others to locate the lost mine whose location was told to her by Waltz. After this
#918081