The Superstition Mountain Museum & Apacheland Movie Ranch
Where educational artificats chock-full to the brim AND television and movie stars collide!
In 1989, The Superstition Mountain Historical Society rented a building at Goldfield Ghost Town on the Apache Trail and a museum opened its doors to the public in January, 1990, a location that did not change until 2003. During the ensuing 13 years, the society was able to purchase property of its own along the Apache Trail (Highway 88) just northeast of the Apache Junction, Arizona city limits. A building was erected and in October, 2003, Superstition Mountain Museum moved to its new quarters located on 12+ prime acres at 4087 N. Apache Trail.
Cited: superstitionmountainmuseum.org
We learned so much from this museum….actually….I have never seen so many exhibits and artifacts packed into such a small space in my life! All the information and educational content on display was easily accessible and engaging for visitors of all ages! It was wonderful to gain perspective into what it was like living on the homestead community surrounding the goldmine….especially the drastic change from living in comfort to roughing it in the harsh climate of the desert. Now, that was just on the inside of the main Museum building (a.k.a. the Superstition Mountain Lost Dutchman Museum)! Outside, were the neighboring Superstition Mountain Museum grounds (a.k.a. The Apacheland Movie Ranch).
The Apacheland Movie Ranch laid its claim to being “the Western Movie Capital of the World” in 1959 when it opened with a single row of three-sided roofless small buildings on a site just off Kings Ranch Road, in what is known as Gold Canyon today. By the end of 1960, developers of Superstition Mountain Enterprises had constructed both sides of its Old West Main Street and turned the site into a full-blown movie set. Hopes were high that the popularity of television and feature film Westerns would indeed propel this Arizona site into being “the Capital!” Although Apacheland never reached this lofty goal, it did become a Western movie Mecca hosting the shooting of more than 17 television series, 29 full-length feature films and hundreds of commercials during its history.
Cited: The Superstition mountain preserve: guide to the 15 acre museum grounds brochure
The Cossak 20-Stamp Ore Mill was originally located at Bland, NM at an elevation of 7500 feet and was dismantled by five volunteers who spent 28 days accomplishing the job. In all, seventy tons of stamp mill was transported to Apache Junction and re-assembled. After establishment on the museum site, a crew of very hard working and dedicated volunteers spent years restoring one of the four banks of stamp mill to working condition. The ground literally shakes during scheduled demonstrations that allow visitors to see the mill in action crushing gold-bearing rock.
Cited: The Superstition mountain preserve: guide to the 15 acre museum grounds brochure
I know y’all are wondering who or what exactly is The Lost Dutchman? Well…..there are many theories, but for now, I will leave you with an excerpt from the Superstition Mountain Museum Website:
It is told a prospector named Jacob Waltz had a rich gold mine deep in the rugged mountains east of Apache Junction. The story tells of a German prospector who made periodic trips into the Superstition Mountains and returned to Phoenix with quantities of bonanza gold ore. This old prospector braved the dangers of the marauding Apaches prior to the 1886 surrender of Geronimo at Skeleton Canyon. The rich gold ore mine was made famous by Jacob Waltz, known as “the Dutchman”, who took the secret of “his mine” to the grave in 1891. Even today, treasure hunters scour the mountains searching for the Lost Dutchman Mine, but now they share the region with campers, hikers, horseback riders and conservationists in what has officially become the Superstition Wilderness Area.
cited: Superstitionmountainmuseum.org
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XOXO,
Kendall Raye Williams
