Some people have asked me to post some information on the Peralta Stones, so here goes:
The story goes that in 1949 an Oregonian Police Officer who was on vacation with his family, pulled the car over to the side of a road. Never specific road given in any version of the story. He wanted to get a better look at Weaver's Needle, so he walked up to the top of a little hill. When he was walking around on the hill, he tripped over a rock. This rock didn't look natural, so he dug it out and picked it up. It was the Horse and Priest Stone. He left and took the rock home.
He came back a year later and found the two other stones and a smaller heart shaped stone. He died in 1956,and his widow gave the stones to a Travis Marlowe. Mr. Marlowe spent the next eight years decyphering the stones, but could never find the mine. On June 12th 1964, Life Magazine published an article about the stones. This was their first public showing (parts of the stones had black electrical tape covering up vital markings). They have had numerous "experts" look at them. Some say they are real, and some say they are fakes. Nobody knows for sure.
Eventually, they were donated to the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum in Phoenix, where they sit today. They are not on display, but they will bring them out if you ask (they may charge you for it).
Here is an update to the story I originally posted:
Some have said that the finder was never positively identified.
That is not true. His name was Travis Tumlinson, and his wife confirmed (after his death) that the stones were found along the highway between Apache Junction and Florence Junction, Az, on their way back to Oregon from vacationing in Texas. Nobody has ever questioned the veracity Travis Tumlinson. He was a Cop from Hood River, Oregon. He found the Don Stone initially. He ran back to the car and got a shovel. He spent a few hours digging around where he found the first stone. He found stones 2, 3, and 4. They took the stones into Apache Junction, and washed them off. When somebody asked him what they were, he said he just found them. The guy said that they must be treasure maps. Travis got a little paranoid and put them in his car
On the Horse side of the stone, in the upper right hand corner is a map and clues. In this map, the word RIO is used. This may mean to cross a river, but what many people who see these stones don't realize, is that many times when the Spanish used the word RIO in a map or carving, the mean it as a water clue. I.E: reflection or mirror image. It may mean to read this inreverse.
On the Witch/Priest Side, is another short map. I believe this map was how to find the other stones. I think this, because if you look carefully, you will see the back side of the Heart Stone (rectangle w/cross inside).
Next, is the Heart Stone. This is a continuation of the map on the Trail Stone. If you only have the main stone, and not the heart shaped insert, you will not see the end of the trail. You only see the date of 1847. Once the Heart Shaped stone is inserted, the final part of the trail is revealed.
I'll even tell you where to look. If the Peralta Stones are real, and the trail to follow on the trail stone is correct, and you are supposed to go 10 degrees from center, that puts you on Herman's Mountain. I have checked this location against Google Earth, and some of my Topo Maps of the area. The mountains match. The valleys match. Use the intersection of Whitlow Canyon and East Silver King Rd as your starting point. Follow the canyons like on the Trail and Heart Stones to the end. 10 degrees to the right, and you are on the South Slope of Herman's Mountain.
This is not the location of the LDM. Most thinking puts that near the South end of Black Top Mesa near Needle Canyon.
But remember, the Peraltas had eight rich gold mines in the Superstitions. The LDM was the only one not hidden by the Apache after the Peralta Massacre, because it was too hard to see and get to. Unlikely to be found by the white man.
I'll even tell you where to look. If the Peralta Stones are real, and the trail to follow on the trail stone is correct, and you are supposed to go 10 degrees from center, that puts you on Herman's Mountain. I have checked this location against Google Earth, and some of my Topo Maps of the area. The mountains match. The valleys match. Use the intersection of Whitlow Canyon and East Silver King Rd as your starting point. Follow the canyons like on the Trail and Heart Stones to the end. 10 degrees to the right, and you are on the South Slope of Herman's Mountain.
This is not the location of the LDM. Most thinking puts that near the South end of Black Top Mesa near Needle Canyon.
But remember, the Peraltas had eight rich gold mines in the Superstitions. The LDM was the only one not hidden by the Apache after the Peralta Massacre, because it was too hard to see and get to. Unlikely to be found by the white man.
Mike
Wow Mike! You're just a fountain of information aren't you? How long have you been treasure hunting to have learned all you know about so many different things?
Another thing somebody might want to try. If you are in the area, start at the spot indicated by Queens Creek. Follow the course indicated, and see if there are monuments along the way. According to the Trail and Heart Stones, there are nineteen spots along the trail at equidistant intervals. Those most likely coincide with sixteen landmarks.
Keep in mind that other people may have had this same thought, and destroyed any landmarks they found to keep anybody else from finding them.
I just found this, and it is almost exactly what I have been saying. This is somebody else's idea as well. Like I said, so many people have gotten into the LDM Story over the years, it's hard to imagine anyone thinking of something entirely new based on the same evidence that has been around for 60 years.
Look at the drawing of the horse map. Someone even "tricked" that up. Hillarious.
For instance, where is the writing on the horse butt on the stone? I don't see any. Also, it says "Yo Pasto", but the last O looks like a U to me. And it says "Al Norte".
That "O" looks more like an awkard 6 to me...
so if the that is a u and not an o, and if that is a G instead of a six, you could with very little help come up with a sentance that says. U past Go, or am I just on the wrong page?
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Originally Posted by gollum
