Thanks for the valuable historical information!!LDMGOLD wrote:Ed:
The first time that the word Superstition was applied to the Superstition Mountains was probably around 1866. The military made several reference to the mountain in their campaign reports as Sierra Supersticiones. Actually most references at the time called the mountains the Salt River Mountains. The first published maps that made clear reference to these mountains as the Superstitions was about 1870. All these maps references can be found in the Hayden Library, Map Section, at Arizona State University. I researched this topic at Hayden Library when I was taking a cartography class for my geology degree a long, long time ago. The name of Superstition Mountains originated from the Anglo farmer of the Salt River Valley who grew hay for the Army at Fort McDowell. These farmers always noticed the Pimas were very superstitious of mountains to the east of the Salt River Valley. The farmers at first made reference to the mountains as the Superstitious Mountains, then the Superstition Mountains. There are different references as to the source of this information, however James H. McClintock, Arizona's official historian c. 1914, recorded the story in several different references, however I don't know how many of them have survived to this day. Hope this information helps answer your questions.
All this information should be available at the Superstition Mountain-Lost Dutchman Museum on the Apache Trail northeast of Apache Junction.
Tom K.
Wonder what made the Pima’s so skittish of the mountains? Or was it just their sly way of trying to keep something pure from outsiders? Did Coronado ever visit these mountains as so many writers have conjectured? Or more specifically: did he ever see the Supers from the west side? How extensively did the Hohokam explore these mountains?
I’m just thinking out loud and rhetorically inquiring.
I have to be careful I don’t get to far a field.
I’m famous for that!
Especially about libraries. Arizona as some great collections. Hayden, Heard, Pueblo Grande, Apache Junction, you mentioned. Someday, I’ll get my ducks in a row and try to do some research in these fine centers. I’m concentrating on the Phoenix town site canal system. So the earlier discussion about the crossing of the Salt River really got my interest!
Tom, do you know if the Salt River Project offices in Tempe still have the museum displays of the canals works?
Thanks agrin,
Ed