I’ve been a bit behind on my blogging and finally have begun to catch up. In the process, I realized that I had left out a few days and hadn’t published my blogs on the Red Rock State Park in Sedona and our visit to Jerome. I have done that now.
We’re still recovering from our hike two days ago. 12 miles over rough territory has taken its toll on these two old duffers. So, today sounds like a great day to visit a museum, the Superstition Mountain Museum and the Elvis Presley Memorial Chapel. Huh? What does Elvis have to do with the Superstition Mountains? Or, is saying that Elvis was here just like saying ‘Washington Slept Here?’ Well, we’ll find out.
Unfortunately, we relaxed a bit in the morning before we left which made us arrive at the museum right after the dedication service for the new Memorial Garden. Luckily, we got there right before the coffee and cookies were served and in time to hear the band play the Army, Marine, Navy and Air Force service hymns. We made a donation to the Garden Club which had designed the gardens and had provided the cookies and coffee. In the parking lot were these fine authentic WWII and Korean War vintage Jeeps, obviously well-cared for and preserved by their owners.
When we got inside the museum, Gary asked a guy where to pay and was told to put some donation money into the canister by the door, which Gary did. Then he found out from the volunteer there at the cash register that he had to pay her. How funny.
The museum had a lot about the early history of Apache Junction and the Superstition Mountain. The Superstition Mountains which loom over the town of Apache Junction have quite a history all wrapped around why they are named the Superstition Mountains. It’s a long involved story concerning the Apaches, a gold mine, a mysterious map and a curse. And, as you expected, here is a shortened version of the story.
Originally it was the land of the Apaches who considered this land sacred land and the home of their Thunder God. However, as happened throughout American history, whenever there was something on Indian land that the white man wanted, they went for it. And, the story of the Superstition Mts. is no exception. The first white men to venture into this land were the conquistadors accompanying Coronado looking for the 7 Golden Cities of Cibola. Strangely, men from the party began to vanish as soon as they entered this area. Several were found later with their bodies mutilated and missing their heads. Fearful, the conquistadors then fled this area calling it Monte Superstition. Thus the legend began.
Throughout the 1700’s, many others, lured by the thoughts of great wealth, ventured into this territory. But, they too, met with violent fates. BUT many also brought gold out of this area so the lure continued to grow.
But the most famous legend is about the Lost Dutchman and his mysterious mine. Actually, the Dutchman’ was a German, Jacob Waltz but Germans are called Deutsch so ‘Dutchman’ stuck. He worked around the area a while but in 1877, he and other miner, Jacob Wisner began to arrive in Phoenix with high grade gold ore. They never stated where it was from and never filed a claim.
A few years later Wisner disappeared with out a trace. Some thought he was killed by Apaches, others thought that - possibly, maybe he might have been killed by Waltz. Whatever, Waltz kept appearing in Phoenix with high grade gold and, when followed back, he lost his pursuers in the Superstition Mts. Thus the legend grew.
His homestead was destroyed in a flood in 189, he contracted pneumonia, later suffered a stroke, and died in 1891. He never revealed the location of his mine though he gave various clues such as: in the shadow of Weaver’s Needle at 4 p.m. But, but, but - what season? Many have had maps for the mine, many have tried to find it and many have died. The legend continued along with the curse. Even as late as 1984 a prospector who had in his pack gold as rich as Waltz’s gold was found dead.
The catch is that now the land is Federal so even if you find gold, you cannot claim it. You can, of course, donate it to pay down the federal debt.
The museum has many copies of many different maps and here is a wall with some of them.
And, here’s one that I bought from a guy in a dark alley. I’m thinking this might be the goal for our next hike.
The museum had lots of other displays, about the movies made in the Superstitions and about the building of the Apache Trail up to the Roosevelt Dam, a day’s trip from here. Since we’ll take that trip later, I’ll save the story of the road’s building for then.
Oh, yeah, that chapel - it seems that Elvis made Charro, his only non-singing movie, in the Apacheland Movie Studio a few miles form here. When the studio set burned down, the second time, the Museum here retrieved the few buildings which did not burn and brought them to the grounds. One of these buildings was the chapel in which Elvis got married during the movie.
Do you really think that Elvis wore his gold lame suit in the movie?
Many movies were made here in the Superstitions, with Burt Lancaster, John Wayne, Jason Robards, Ronald Reagan, Audie Murphy, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood and Elvis. Quite a few TV shows were filmed here also: Death Valley Days, Have Gun, Will Travel, Wanted: Dead or Alive and others. It just looks like a movie studio with the mountains looming over the desert.
Afterwards, we decided to hit the Barnes and Noble Book store. It’s in Gilbert, another suburb of Phoenix and about 20 miles away. But, before we went there, we visited the Apple store around the corner to ask a few questions. While Gary was asking his questions, I was checking out some software packages and this guy came up, tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I was out hiking just the other day. It was Pat, the Search and Rescue Ranger. We know 1 person in Phoenix and we meet him twice. What are the chances of that happening? Again? Actually 100 %.
He told us that they had been called out 2 nights ago for a couple lost around the Weaver’s Needle trailheads. He was sure it was us. This couple had not returned when they were expected and their families called the Forest Service. Actually, they were found the next day by other Search and Rescue Rangers, hiking out of the area, a bit colder, a bit sleepier and a bit hungrier than when they had hiked in. We might have gotten out right before dusk but we did not stay out overnight.
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