The Lost Apache Girl Gold Mine

[Oroblanco]

There is a local legend here in Cochise county of a lost gold mine, known as the Lost Apache Girl mine. According to the legend, a desperate prospector was searching for water near the edge of the Dos Cabezas mountains when he was "rescued" by an Apache girl. The girl led the prospector to a spring, and he was saved; she then led him through the mountains and along the way he learned of her possessing a sack of gold nuggets. When he asked her (in sign language) where she had found them, and if there were more, she made him to understand that there were "heaps" of the gold nuggets left, and that they had already been past the site in their walking.

The girl led the prospector to the edge of the mountains and pointed to a white settlement, making signs that he should go there and he did. The prospector of course told others of the gold and an expedition was mounted to return to the site, but when they got to the spring where the prospector had been saved, they found a dead Apache girl, her pouch by her side and the gold nuggets gone. They assumed that the girl had been killed by her own people for having disclosed the knowledge of the gold. Despite a search, the rich placer deposit was not located.

This incident is supposed to have occurred in the pre-Civil war period, and is not well documented; however a number of people reported having seen some of the gold nuggets and the area is generally supposed to be west of Fort Bowie. The Dos Cabezas range has known, proven gold deposits in both lode and placer, as well as silver and copper so the idea that an un-discovered placer gold deposit could exist there is not SO far-fetched. The story is reported in several treasure books (Penfield, US Treasure Atlas etc) with some slight variations in magazines, I am interested in hearing all versions and any clues.

I am looking for any new information or old information, alternative versions of the story etc; "trolling" for clues on this lost mine and any info would be appreciated. Thank you in advance,

Oroblanco

 

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[djui5]

Do you know who the prospector was, or around what year this happened? The Dutchman had a female indian "friend" who was killed for telling him about gold, or something.

Anyway,
This sounds like a fun one to track down! Seems easy enough.

 

[Oroblanco]

Hi Djui,
I do not have the name of the prospector, (sorry) but there is no indication that he was "Dutch" or German; the date given by Penfield is 1852 but I have also seen 1851 in another version which version had the prospector as a 49'er who had failed to find a fortune in California and was prospecting his way east. As far as I can tell, Waltz did not come to Arizona until the Civil war period. An interesting idea that the two legends might be linked in some way, but 'divil is in the detailz' placer gold versus lode gold, location etc.

Yep I am going to do a serious search for this one, working on it now - hence the 'fishing' for any info out there. This one IS in my 'backyard' so I can search without major preparations and arrangements.

Oroblanco

PS I don't know if I ever told you but I did find that "Lion's Cave" supposedly important for the Willcox train robbery - that lead is a "red herring". The cave was named for a hunter named Lyon, who was coincidentally a lion hunter; he lived in the cave and used it as his base - so the finding of old cans of food and pack saddles etc were NOT a clue to the train robbery loot, just stuff left behind by a cougar hunter years ago.

 

[djui5]

PS I don't know if I ever told you but I did find that "Lion's Cave" supposedly important for the Willcox train robbery - that lead is a "red herring". The cave was named for a hunter named Lyon, who was coincidentally a lion hunter; he lived in the cave and used it as his base - so the finding of old cans of food and pack saddles etc were NOT a clue to the train robbery loot, just stuff left behind by a cougar hunter years ago.

Well that's a crapper, but at least you know one place the loot ISN'T at


Good luck with your search. Hope you find this Apache Girl gold. I'd imagine it's a vein of sorts oozzzing out of the ground.

 

[BLACKFOOT]

Cptbil mentioned pea sizeds gold nuggets to the west of Ft. Bowie in a canyon the Apache called Lopez Canyon. I can not find it on my maps.

 

[Oroblanco]

I have heard that name "Lopez canyon" before but not on a map. Names of places do change over time, this phenomenon gave Mel Fisher fits and another instance that comes to mind is finding "Davis mountain" so important to the Skeleton canyon treasure but not shown on modern maps.

I re-read Penfield's account, he says it took place in July and was very hot. The statement that they "traveled three days" on foot to the edge of the mountains, with some buildings visible in the distance could be misleading too. The distance covered might not be all that much, in the heat of summer walking only in the cool morning and evening, and the "town" is not likely to be Willcox which did not exist in 1852. Could the spring be the same one in Apache Pass? Fort Bowie did not exist until 1862, and the pass was considered strategically vital by the Chiricahua Apaches so running into an Apache girl there would not be far-fetched. However the spring is some distance into the pass, not at the south edge where the story says the incident took place; plus the prospector would surely have noticed that he had reached a regular trail. There are old placer grounds near the town of Dos Cabezas and on the NW flank of the mountains, but remember the gold source was near the first spring, not miles to the west or NW so the old placer grounds are not likely to be the site.

Thanks for the replies, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.

Oroblanco

 

[Gork]

There is a local legend here in Cochise county of a lost gold mine, known as the Lost Apache Girl mine. According to the legend, a desperate prospector was searching for water near the edge of the Dos Cabezas mountains when he was "rescued" by an Apache girl. The girl led the prospector to a spring, and he was saved; she then led him through the mountains and along the way he learned of her possessing a sack of gold nuggets. When he asked her (in sign language) where she had found them, and if there were more, she made him to understand that there were "heaps" of the gold nuggets left, and that they had already been past the site in their walking.

The girl led the prospector to the edge of the mountains and pointed to a white settlement, making signs that he should go there and he did. The prospector of course told others of the gold and an expedition was mounted to return to the site, but when they got to the spring where the prospector had been saved, they found a dead Apache girl, her pouch by her side and the gold nuggets gone. They assumed that the girl had been killed by her own people for having disclosed the knowledge of the gold. Despite a search, the rich placer deposit was not located.

This incident is supposed to have occurred in the pre-Civil war period, and is not well documented; however a number of people reported having seen some of the gold nuggets and the area is generally supposed to be west of Fort Bowie. The Dos Cabezas range has known, proven gold deposits in both lode and placer, as well as silver and copper so the idea that an un-discovered placer gold deposit could exist there is not SO far-fetched. The story is reported in several treasure books (Penfield, US Treasure Atlas etc) with some slight variations in magazines, I am interested in hearing all versions and any clues.

I am looking for any new information or old information, alternative versions of the story etc; "trolling" for clues on this lost mine and any info would be appreciated. Thank you in advance,

Oroblanco

There are many holes in the story as related here. If this indeed happened in 1851-1852 in the area mentioned then it was near the Emigrant Trail. This trail was heavily used at this time by wagon trains from Texas. At that time there were no white settlements anywhere near the area. The Emigrant Trail of that time came into Arizona through Doubtful Pass and then zigzagged from spring to spring. It went up into Apache Pass to access the spring there. Then when it left the pass on the western entrance, it headed slightly northwest around the north side of the Dragoon Mountains and then to the spring in the pass where the trail then headed southwest through the pass and then went almost due west through the upper end of what is now Willcox Playa. The trail then went to Croton Spring on the upper west side of the playa.
In 1857-1858, this was the trail that the "Jackass Mail" followed with the exception of going to Croton Spring it went farther south to Dragroon Spring. When Butterfield came though in September 1858, their stagecoaches followed this route for a few months and then straightened out the trail by digging cisterns in the San Simon Valley and Sulphur Springs Valley.
At the time of Butterfield's service in Arizona the only organized settlement near the trail was Tucson and a few mud huts at what was to become Arizona City on the east bank of the Colorado River. The town of Dos Cabezas which claims to have a stage station attributed to Butterfield is not correct. Dos Cabezas did not exist until late in the 1870s about seventeen years after Butterfield closed. The Butterfield Stage Station in the area was called Ewell's Stage Station about four miles south of the spring in the Dos Cabezas Pass. The station transported water from this spring to fill the cistern at the station.
There are numerous firsthand references for these accounts, too many to give here. If you would like to address any point I will gladly give you a reference.
You might also note that the first placer gold rush wasn't until November 1858. It was started by the Butterfield employee Jacob Snively at Gila City.

 

[Springfield]

The very interesting book, Life Among The Apaches, by John Cremony, is a very detailed account of New Mexico and Arizona in the early days. Cremony was with the US Boundary Commission (Bartlett) 1849-52, then with the California Column 1864-66. Cremony knew the country as well as anyone up to 1868 (publication date). There were established trails and roads through the southern route, but essentially no Anglo settlements east of Santa Rita/Pinos Altos after 1851, when the first betrayal of Mangas Colorado occurred. Cremony's book several times mentions the mineral potential of the territory and its total suppression by the ever vigilent Apaches.

This legend is typical of stories appearing in print that seem to defy history. For one thing, it is very highly suspect that an Apache would disclose a gold deposit to a white - this sullies the entire legend from the get-go for me. There might be some truth about gold in the Dos Cabezas, but if so, I don't see that this tale will help locate it.

 

[Gork]

The very interesting book, Life Among The Apaches, by John Cremony, is a very detailed account of New Mexico and Arizona in the early days. Cremony was with the US Boundary Commission (Bartlett) 1849-52, then with the California Column 1864-66. Cremony knew the country as well as anyone up to 1868 (publication date). There were established trails and roads through the southern route, but essentially no Anglo settlements east of Santa Rita/Pinos Altos after 1851, when the first betrayal of Mangas Colorado occurred. Cremony's book several times mentions the mineral potential of the territory and its total suppression by the ever vigilent Apaches.



This legend is typical of stories appearing in print that seem to defy history. For one thing, "it is very highly suspect that an Apache would disclose a gold deposit to a white - this sullies the entire legend from the get-go for me. There might be some truth about gold in the Dos Cabezas, but if so, I don't see that this tale will help locate it.

Excellent observation Springfield. I have Cremony's book in my collection. He was a very interesting character. He also served with the California Column when they took Arizona back from the Confederates in 1862. He is mentioned in many of the military orders for 1861-1862 published in the War of the Rebellion. Also he wrote many articles for the Daily Alta California in 1862 under the nom de plume of "Vedette." I have outlined much of this in my recently published book The Butterfield Trail and Overland Mail Company in Arizona, 1858-1861,

 

[cactusjumper]

Gerald,

Any chance I could buy a signed edition of the book you mentioned in your last post? You can reach me at:
[email protected]

I will be happy to pay all costs.

Many thanks,

Joe Ribaudo

 

[Oroblanco]

There are many holes in the story as related here. If this indeed happened in 1851-1852 in the area mentioned then it was near the Emigrant Trail. This trail was heavily used at this time by wagon trains from Texas. At that time there were no white settlements anywhere near the area. The Emigrant Trail of that time came into Arizona through Doubtful Pass and then zigzagged from spring to spring. It went up into Apache Pass to access the spring there. Then when it left the pass on the western entrance, it headed slightly northwest around the north side of the Dragoon Mountains and then to the spring in the pass where the trail then headed southwest through the pass and then went almost due west through the upper end of what is now Willcox Playa. The trail then went to Croton Spring on the upper west side of the playa.
In 1857-1858, this was the trail that the "Jackass Mail" followed with the exception of going to Croton Spring it went farther south to Dragroon Spring. When Butterfield came though in September 1858, their stagecoaches followed this route for a few months and then straightened out the trail by digging cisterns in the San Simon Valley and Sulphur Springs Valley.
At the time of Butterfield's service in Arizona the only organized settlement near the trail was Tucson and a few mud huts at what was to become Arizona City on the east bank of the Colorado River. The town of Dos Cabezas which claims to have a stage station attributed to Butterfield is not correct. Dos Cabezas did not exist until late in the 1870s about seventeen years after Butterfield closed. The Butterfield Stage Station in the area was called Ewell's Stage Station about four miles south of the spring in the Dos Cabezas Pass. The station transported water from this spring to fill the cistern at the station.
There are numerous firsthand references for these accounts, too many to give here. If you would like to address any point I will gladly give you a reference.
You might also note that the first placer gold rush wasn't until November 1858. It was started by the Butterfield employee Jacob Snively at Gila City.

I don't know where you got the date 1851-52? All I have is that it occurred prior to the Civil War, which would include 1860. Pauline Weaver was shown gold placers by Indians on the Colorado river in 1862. The Anglos and Apaches were not on bad terms at several periods, even in the lost Adams story the whites were granted permission to mine gold by none other than Nana, a most redoubtable warrior chief. I guess that I fail to see the holes you are.

Good luck and good hunting, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
Oroblanco

 

[Gork]

I don't know where you got the date 1851-52? All I have is that it occurred prior to the Civil War, which would include 1860. Pauline Weaver was shown gold placers by Indians on the Colorado river in 1862. The Anglos and Apaches were not on bad terms at several periods, even in the lost Adams story the whites were granted permission to mine gold by none other than Nana, a most redoubtable warrior chief. I guess that I fail to see the holes you are.

Good luck and good hunting, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
Oroblanco

The treasure that I seek is the truth about our history.

Perhaps you have forgotten your own statements. In your second post on this thread you stated "...the date given by Penfield is 1852 but I have also seen 1851 in another version." That is where my 1851-52 comes from. My reason for stating this was to first establish the time reference for the period of history that you stated the tale of gold took place.
Your next quote that I was referencing was "The girl led the prospector to the mountains and pointed to a white settlement." Now focus on those two quotes (made by you) that are highlighted in bold and we have established the points from you that the Apache girl states there are white settlements in the Dos Cabezas Mountains in 1851-1852.
Do you have firsthand historical evidence that there were white settlements there (stating what those settlements were by name) other than vague treasure stories perpetuated by people who write stories without firsthand historical references? Does Penfield give any firsthand historical references for this? My statements about the Emigrant Trail which passed through there are backed up by firsthand historical references. There are too many to list here, but if you pick one specific point I will discuss it with references, just prior to the Civil War. I will give you a few here:

Report upon the Pacific Wagon Roads, by James B. Leach, The Executive Documents, The Senate of the United States, 1858-59, William A. Harris, Printer, Washington, 1859. This report includes two excellent maps, one shows the area of interest.
G. Bailey, Report of the Postmaster General, Great Overland Mail, Message from the President of the United States to the Two Houses of Congress at the Commencement of the Second Session of the Thirty-fifth Congress, Ex. Doc. No. 2, Vol. III, October 18, 1858, James B. Steedman, Printer, Washington, 1858. This is the official report of the seventeen Butterfield stage stations at the beginning of his service in Arizona, September 1858. He used the spring in the pass of the Dos Cabezas Mountains as a source of water for Ewell's Stage Station, four miles to the south.

Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora, and Chihuahua, connected with The United States and Mexican Boundary Commission, during the Years 1850, 51, 52, and 53, by James Russel Bartlett, in two volumes with map and illustrations, Vol. II, New York, D. Appleton & Company, 346 & 348 Broadway, and 16 Little Britain, London, 1854.

The Jackass Mail of 1857-58. This stagecoach line went directly through the area you mention in 1857. Although this was not the 1851-52 time frame you reference, it gives us a reference for the area for 1857 and before. The Texas Almanac for 1858, Galveston, 1857.

Prior to the Civil War, this is the corridor that the Emigrant Trail and the Butterfield Overland Trail took and was the center for any activity in the general area.
The rest of your above rebuttal to my statement has no referance within my statement.
But I will address this point here. There is some truth about the Apache having good relations with the "Americans" in the area, but only selectively. The Oatman Massacre of 1851 further west in Arizona on this trail will attest to that. Even the name sometimes used at that time for Apache Pass, "El Puerto del Dado," translates to "Pass of Chance." Just east of the pass at the New Mexico border is Doubtful Canyon---the name being self explanatory.
There are also many first hand newspaper accounts of pre-Civil War activity in that area, especially in the Daily Alta California. Access the archives for this newpaper and especially Farwell's accounts from October 1858.

Nuf' for now.