Description

By Jane Eppinga

In pioneer lore, the Lost Dutchman’s Mine remains an intriguing mystery of the Old West. What became Apache Junction in the Salt River Valley was already an established home for prehistoric Native Americans and the Apache tribe, when it was further settled and cultivated by Spanish and Mexican expeditions, American wagon trains, mountain men, and the U.S. military in the late 19th century. But Apache Junction became legendary when German immigrant Jacob Waltz discovered a secret gold mine. Thousands of prospectors traversed the “crooked top” Superstition Mountains in search of this treasure, enriching the area’s history and leading to the development of a unique community that has endured and grown alongside the famous legend.

Award-winning historian Jane Eppinga, the author of previous Arcadia titles on Nogales, Tombstone, and Tucson, has worked in concert with the Apache Junction Historical Society and the Salt River Project to select from their archives the vintage images highlighted in this fascinating collection.