The Lost Adams Diggings
Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 9:13 pm
The Lost Adams Diggings - one of the most famous lost mines of the American southwest; somewhere in the rugged and remote country along the Arizona-New Mexico border, an incredibly rich gold mine is hidden. Hundreds have searched for this lost mine without success.
<from Wiki article, link below>
Canyon of Gold
In 1864, a teamster named Adams (no sources disclose his first name) and some prospectors in Gila Bend, Arizona were approached by a Mexican Indian named Gotch Ear, who offered to show them a canyon filled with gold only 10 days ride away. The miners accepted and together they rode to find the gold. They crossed a road on the way which Gotch Ear said would lead back to Fort Wingate, and that they should remember it so they could go back that way for supplies when needed. They soon arrived at a canyon with a blind entrance. At the bottom of a Z-shaped narrow canyon trail they found a creek rich with gold.
The men paid Gotch Ear and began panning for gold. However, a force of Apaches, led by a chief named Nana, confronted the miners. Nana allowed them to mine the creek, provided they did not venture up past the waterfall. The miners obeyed at first, but eventually several miners began mining near the waterfall and discovered two rich veins of gold. The diggings were very rich, with some gold nuggets described as being the size of hens’ eggs.
<A photo believed to be Apache chief Nana>
The miners stored their gold under a stone in the hearth of the cabin they built near the creek. One miner, a German, kept his gold separate. He soon collected all the gold he wanted and left the camp.
Some of the miners were sent to Fort Wingate for more supplies. When this group did not return after eight days, Adams and a man named Davidson rode out to investigate. From the top of the Z-shaped trail, they found five dead men and three dead horses, all that was left of the party that had set out for the fort. Adams and Davidson then returned to their cabin by the creek and found that the Apaches had returned, set fire to their cabin and killed the remaining miners. Adams and Davidson narrowly escaped and walked twelve days through the desert until they stumbled on an army patrol, which took them to the nearest fort. Davidson died there. It was 10 years until Adams overcame his fear and returned to New Mexico to look for the diggings. Adams spent the rest of his life trying to relocate the hidden canyon.
Wikipedia article where this extract came from;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Adams_Diggings
The miners had buried a coffee pot full of gold under the hearth stone, the pot was so heavy that none of them could lift it. The description and landmarks are not specific enough to narrow down the search area much. There have been quite a few persons whom have claimed to have found the Lost Adams, often having found a zig-zag canyon, burnt ruins of maybe a cabin, twin peaks, etc but no gold. Adams kept one nugget which he showed to many people, a lump of gold the size of a hen's egg!
I am one of those who has gone looking for the zigzag canyon, and like all the rest failed to find the Lost Adams. I am convinced that it could be found however, by a lot of research, legwork, and a large portion of good luck. Some have claimed that treasure hunter John Mitchell found the Lost Adams, and removed the coffeepot full of gold; (a zigzag canyon and campsite was found, with a short section of RR rail, Mitchell was a railroad man) however as the canyon had NO gold left in it, I remain un-convinced.
Anyone have any pet theories? Thank you in advance,
Oroblanco
Very good article with geology, history etc
http://www.thegeozone.com/treasure/new_ ... nm002a.jsp
The Lost Adams
http://www.theoutlaws.com/gold2.htm
<from Wiki article, link below>
Canyon of Gold
In 1864, a teamster named Adams (no sources disclose his first name) and some prospectors in Gila Bend, Arizona were approached by a Mexican Indian named Gotch Ear, who offered to show them a canyon filled with gold only 10 days ride away. The miners accepted and together they rode to find the gold. They crossed a road on the way which Gotch Ear said would lead back to Fort Wingate, and that they should remember it so they could go back that way for supplies when needed. They soon arrived at a canyon with a blind entrance. At the bottom of a Z-shaped narrow canyon trail they found a creek rich with gold.
The men paid Gotch Ear and began panning for gold. However, a force of Apaches, led by a chief named Nana, confronted the miners. Nana allowed them to mine the creek, provided they did not venture up past the waterfall. The miners obeyed at first, but eventually several miners began mining near the waterfall and discovered two rich veins of gold. The diggings were very rich, with some gold nuggets described as being the size of hens’ eggs.
<A photo believed to be Apache chief Nana>
The miners stored their gold under a stone in the hearth of the cabin they built near the creek. One miner, a German, kept his gold separate. He soon collected all the gold he wanted and left the camp.
Some of the miners were sent to Fort Wingate for more supplies. When this group did not return after eight days, Adams and a man named Davidson rode out to investigate. From the top of the Z-shaped trail, they found five dead men and three dead horses, all that was left of the party that had set out for the fort. Adams and Davidson then returned to their cabin by the creek and found that the Apaches had returned, set fire to their cabin and killed the remaining miners. Adams and Davidson narrowly escaped and walked twelve days through the desert until they stumbled on an army patrol, which took them to the nearest fort. Davidson died there. It was 10 years until Adams overcame his fear and returned to New Mexico to look for the diggings. Adams spent the rest of his life trying to relocate the hidden canyon.
Wikipedia article where this extract came from;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Adams_Diggings
The miners had buried a coffee pot full of gold under the hearth stone, the pot was so heavy that none of them could lift it. The description and landmarks are not specific enough to narrow down the search area much. There have been quite a few persons whom have claimed to have found the Lost Adams, often having found a zig-zag canyon, burnt ruins of maybe a cabin, twin peaks, etc but no gold. Adams kept one nugget which he showed to many people, a lump of gold the size of a hen's egg!
I am one of those who has gone looking for the zigzag canyon, and like all the rest failed to find the Lost Adams. I am convinced that it could be found however, by a lot of research, legwork, and a large portion of good luck. Some have claimed that treasure hunter John Mitchell found the Lost Adams, and removed the coffeepot full of gold; (a zigzag canyon and campsite was found, with a short section of RR rail, Mitchell was a railroad man) however as the canyon had NO gold left in it, I remain un-convinced.
Anyone have any pet theories? Thank you in advance,
Oroblanco
Very good article with geology, history etc
http://www.thegeozone.com/treasure/new_ ... nm002a.jsp
The Lost Adams
http://www.theoutlaws.com/gold2.htm