Searching for 'Lost' Gold Mines

'LOST' GOLD MINES Are They Really? BY SALLY BENFORD

In 1894, Whitlesy prospected gold in Mohave County, Arizona's third-most-productive county for gold. Prolific treasure hunter and author Thomas Penfield wrote in his book, A Guide to Treasure in Arizona, that while prospecting, Whitlesy came across a deposit of gold that was said to have assayed for $35,000 a ton. Back in town, Whitlesy told two friends that the deposit was within 2 miles of Sitgreaves Pass in the Black Mountains, not far from Oatman. A few days later, the prospector loaded up his supplies and set out toward his find. After traveling down the trail a way, Whitlesy realized two men were following him. He pulled out his gun and started shooting. With bullets flying in all directions, Whitlesy succeeded in killing the two would-be claim jumpers right then and there. Unfortunately, in the process he was fatally wounded and died soon after, taking the location of the gold to his grave.

Arizona boasts an abundance of unique mineral deposits from one end of the state to the other. For centuries, since the Spanish conquistadores searched the territory for the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola, legends of vast riches beneath Arizona soil have kept treasure hunters' dreams alive. Mine names like Vulture, Gold Road, Eldorado, Congress, Crown King and Bonanza fill volumes with Arizona's goldmining history. But other names, like Lost Black Maverick, Lost Apache, Lost Soapmaker and Lost Jack Rabbit spur interest in fabled Arizona mines. Even Geronimo may have used stories of a hidden gold mine in an attempt to trick American soldiers into bringing him back to Arizona after his capture. In his book, Penfield wrote about Geronimo's lost gold mine.

According to Penfield, while a prisoner at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Geronimo begged to return to his homeland before he died. He tried to strike a deal with soldiers there that in return for his freedom, he would lead Army officers to his hidden gold mine, purportedly somewhere near Sycamore Canyon in Yavapai County. The officers opted not to give the cunning Apache a chance to escape, so Geronimo never again stepped foot in Arizona, and died near Fort Sill in 1909.

Fighting Indians sometimes led to gold discoveries. In the April 1983 issue of Arizona Highways, James Cook wrote about a well-authenticated legend concerning gold found in a spot called Squaw Hollow. In 1864, King Woolsey, a veteran Indian fighter, and Judge John T. Alsap, a respected Arizona pioneer, led an expedition in search Of Indian warriors near Bloody Basin. After a few days, the group encountered a band of Apaches and a battle began. Outgunned, the Apaches retreated, and Woolsey's party set up camp at Squaw Hollow. Recognizing the area as a good spot for prospecting, some of the men fanned out to search for gold. According to Alsap, they returned with the richest ore he had ever seen. It had been taken from a ledge that the men said contained an abundance of gold. Before they could make their way back to their discovery, the Apaches came back with reinforcements outnumbering the white men. Woolsey's party hightailed it back to Phoenix, keeping the location of the ledge a secret. Alsap wasn't with the men who found the gold, so he wasn't sure of its whereabouts. Years later he searched for the ledge, but never found it.

If lost gold mines do exist in Arizona, Niemuth said, they're most likely located in western Arizona, an area known for gold deposits. A map hanging on the wall in Niemuth's office shows significant gold occurrences in La Paz, Mohave and Yuma counties, not too far from where Sam Whitlesy and the miner Perkins took their chances on finding gold and paid dearly. Yet as long as legends of Arizona's lost gold mines stay alive, those who are willing to risk desert storms, sweltering heat and treacherous terrain will keep searching. And, who knows? Maybe one day some lucky prospector might stumble across a pair of six-shooters half-buried in the sand - and uncover the key to untold riches. Al