Arizona Notes

The Superstition Mountains are home to the myth of the Lost Dutchman

Learning Goals:Learning Goals: Identify how mining influences the impact of the location of resources.Identify how mining influences the impact of the location of resources. Describe the impact of myths on the culture of Arizona.Describe the impact of myths on the culture of Arizona.

Journal Question: Imagine that you work in an Arizona mine. Write a journal entry about a day in your life. You can include in your entry something about people trying to steal from the mine and that some of the minerals are taken and buried. This will turn your mine story into a treasure myth.Journal Question: Imagine that you work in an Arizona mine. Write a journal entry about a day in your life. You can include in your entry something about people trying to steal from the mine and that some of the minerals are taken and buried. This will turn your mine story into a treasure myth.

Mining is a very important industry in Arizona. It raises a lot of money for the economy of the state. There are many stories relating to lost mines in Arizona. Mark Twain supposedly wrote, “A gold miner is a liar standing next to a hole in the ground.” Many people have lost money on miners promoting fake mines. Yet, in order to understand Arizona, a person must learn about the mining history and lost treasure myths of the state.Mining is a very important industry in Arizona. It raises a lot of money for the economy of the state. There are many stories relating to lost mines in Arizona. Mark Twain supposedly wrote, “A gold miner is a liar standing next to a hole in the ground.” Many people have lost money on miners promoting fake mines. Yet, in order to understand Arizona, a person must learn about the mining history and lost treasure myths of the state.

1.The earliest Spanish explorers in Arizona were looking for gold and they wanted Native Americans to give it to them.

2. A Spanish missionary, named Marcos de Niza, he was probably the first Spaniard to enter Arizona. He was looking for the Seven Cities of Cibola.

3. Marcos De Niza had a guide named Estevanico on his journey. De Niza sent Estevanico to scout ahead looking for better routes & danger. After visiting an area named Vacapa, near Sonora. Estevanico scouted ahead and was supposedly killed by Native Americans.

4. The people that continued on after Estevanico was killed saw a giant city that shimmered with gold and silver off in the distance. Historians believe that the mica-inflected clay of the adobe pueblos may have created an optical illusion when reflected by the setting sun. The explorers that survived went back to Mexico City and spread the word that the Seven Cities of Cibola existed.

5. Shrouded in mystery, the Lost Dutchman gold mine is not only allegedly extremely rich in gold, but is also said to have a curse upon it. The Spanish decided to explore the area even though the Apache Indians in the area threatened them with death. Many Spanish disappeared when they started to explore. The mountains do contain gold and silver. Native Americans have supposedly cursed the Superstition mountains because they told the Spanish to stay out.

6. About 45 miles south of Tucson, Arizona sits the Tumacacori Mission. This 18 th century Catholic Church was once manned by Spaniards in the hopes of converting the pagan Opata and Papago Indians to Christianity. The missionaries had a second goal when they discovered silver in the area in Quickly, they put the Indians to work as slaves mining the silver in several mines throughout the area. 6. About 45 miles south of Tucson, Arizona sits the Tumacacori Mission. This 18 th century Catholic Church was once manned by Spaniards in the hopes of converting the pagan Opata and Papago Indians to Christianity. The missionaries had a second goal when they discovered silver in the area in Quickly, they put the Indians to work as slaves mining the silver in several mines throughout the area. Miner

7. One night the Indians tied an Indian Princess to the silver because she refused to marry the Indian Chief. The Chief poisoned the princess. When the Spanish found out about what the Indians did they sealed the mine with the dead princess and silver inside. According to the legend, both the silver and her skeletal remains still lie hidden somewhere near the Tumacacori Mission.

8. The myths and lost mines help show that even though the growth of Arizona is recent there is still a lot of history to be explored. Marshall Trimble, an Arizona historian states, “If ya stumble on a rock, don’t cuss it– cash it.” The gold and silver rushes created dramatic changes in 19 th century Arizona. The myths presented in this slideshow are just a few of the many stories about lost mines and treasure in Arizona. Jacob Waltz, the Lost Dutchman

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