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Lost Dutchman Monument.

Lost Dutchman Monument

Field review by the editors.

Apache Junction, Arizona

Jacob Waltz was a German immigrant "Dutchman." He'd spent 20 fruitless years prospecting in the desert when he supposedly found a fabulous gold mine somewhere in the Superstition Mountains. Unfortunately, he died in 1891 without revealing its location -- and people have looked for it ever since.

Lost Dutchman Monument.

In 1938 an Arizona historical group erected a monument to Waltz and his "Lost Dutchman Mine," an eight-foot-tall wall made of local rocks topped by a metal silhouette of Waltz leading his heavily laden burro toward the Superstition Mountains.

There's an additional plaque, commemorating another plaque that was stolen from the site in 1964, later recovered, and placed back on Oct. 25th, 1991 -- the 100th anniversary of Waltz's death. The original plaque refers to the prospector as "Jacob Von Walzer" (there are many other name variants -- Walz, Weitz, Welz -- typical poor proofreading skills of those who propagate legends).

The city of Apache Junction grew up around the monument, which is the oldest structure in town.

Lost Dutchman Monument

Address:
N. Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ
Directions:
A block west of Hwy 88, on the northeast corner of Apache Trail and Phelps Drive, behind the Focal Point monument. Drive just north of the intersection and park in the nearest parking lot.
Admission:
Free
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Superstition Mountain MuseumSuperstition Mountain Museum, Apache Junction, AZ - 3 mi.
Elvis Presley Memorial ChapelElvis Presley Memorial Chapel, Apache Junction, AZ - 4 mi.
Goldfield Ghost TownGoldfield Ghost Town, Apache Junction, AZ - 4 mi.
In the region:
Rattlesnake Slide, Fort McDowell, AZ - 22 mi.

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