Somewhat Stranger than Fiction

August 27, 2012 © Thomas J. Kollenborn. All Rights Reserved.

You can’t imagine the surprising and unbelievable stories I have heard over the past many years. The tales of gold and treasure lost among the deep canyons and towering spires within the wilderness of Superstition Mountain are numerous. These tales stir the souls of young men as well as old. The search for adventure has filled the hearts of many who have followed in the footsteps of “Coronado’s Children” as told by Frank J. Dobie. When Dobie penned his book in 1941 he could never have imagined the impact his words would have on a generation of young men who pursued the treasure trail.

I choose not follow each and every one of these stories; however some are stranger than fiction itself. The following story is buried in pages of a journal written forty years ago about an event that occurred in the Superstition Mountains. Since the first Anglo-Americans laid their eyes upon the rugged façade of Superstition Mountain there had been stories about lost gold in those mountains. Those who believe these stories can’t be deterred with facts or even common sense. They will continue their search until they can no longer walk or ride the trails of these rugged mountains. There are few people who understand
this devotion and dedication to a dream.

Over the years I have had many friends who were devoted believers in this of lost gold in the Superstition Mountains. I had one particular friend whose story I wanted to believe so bad, but I just couldn’t accept the facts he had gathered to support his theory. I would never discourage, but I never really encouraged him until I realized his life hung in the balance. His dream of riches kept him alive. He would swear me to secrecy and then tell me things he actually saw in the mountains.

“Tom,” he said. “I was hiking up this narrow canyon when I saw a cave in a side canyon. I climbed over large boulders and made my way to the entrance of the cave. I could see the cave had been used many years before. I had a decent flashlight so I started exploring the cave. Near the rear of the cave was a small shaft that dropped down about five feet. The cave then opened into a large chamber filled with massive crystalline rock. In one corner of the chamber there was more gold bullion and artifact than the mind could imagine.

“There were hundreds of pounds of gold in bars, statues and even nuggets as big as chicken eggs,” he said. “I was so excited and disoriented I didn’t realize my flashlight batteries were about to die. All of a sudden I was in total darkness with no light. I was sure which direction was toward the entrance. Finally I gained enough composure I remembered having some matches. I struck a match and saw the tunnel I came down into this chamber from. I immediately headed for what I believed was the exit. The only specimen I kept was a nugget about the size of a small chicken egg. Striking one match at a time I finally made my way out of the tunnel. Once I reached the entrance the sun had set and it was dark. I picked up my pack and walking stick and made my way down the canyon and back to the trail.

“I found a place along the trail to pitch camp for the rest of the night. The next morning at sunrise I thought I would try to retrace my steps back to the cave and the treasure I had found.

“Tom, I never could find the treasure cave again. As I sat under an old Mesquite in Needle Canyon I thought maybe I had dreamed this story and it wasn’t real. Then, when I reached into my pocket and felt the nugget the size of a chicken egg I was convinced it was not a dream. For past decade I have tried to find that treasure cave in the Superstition Wilderness Area.”

Fifteen years ago old Joe showed me that chicken egg size nugget of quartz and gold. I would say there was about five ounces or more of gold in the nugget of Quartz and gold.

Even when Joe showed me the nugget I still really didn’t believe his story, but then again “truth can be stranger than fiction.”

King's Place Names

August 20, 2012 © Thomas J. Kollenborn. All Rights Reserved.

There are three “King” names in the Gold Canyon area. A couple of names have been long forgotten, but sometimes we need to be reminded of the past and a little local history.

King’s Mountain, King’s Way and Kings Ranch Road are three names of landmarks in the area, however only one name has survived until today.

When Julian and Lucy King first arrived in the foothills of Superstition Mountain in December, 1945, they had a dream to build a guest ranch and resort. They purchased land from a wiry old character named Pearl Bates and went about creating their dream on raw desert land. Julian and Lucy hauled water for a long time before developing a well. They were neighbors of the Barkleys who had lived in the area since 1907.

The road that meandered across the desert from U.S. Highway 60 to the Barkley’s Three R’s Ranch was merely a primitive set of tracks that was seldom maintained. Julian and Lucy King extended the road from the Three R’s Ranch to their property about a half-mile. If you are “new” to the area and don’t recall the old Three R’s Ranch it was located near the site of the legendary Apacheland Movie Studios owned and operated by Ed and Sue Birmingham until Valentine’s Day 2004 when it was destroyed by fire. The old ranch house was constructed of native stone and stood for more than 50 years.

Julian and Lucy King made every attempt to promote their property and business. A sign constructed out of 4 x 8 piece of plywood was erected near U.S. Highway 60 announcing to the world the King’s Ranch Resort at the base of Superstition Mountain. The road from U.S. Highway 60 to the King’s Ranch and Guest Re sort soon became known as Kings Ranch Road. The first time I remember going over the road was in 1948 when my dad and I visited old Gus Barkley at his home.

I don’t remember Julian’s sign being on Highway 60 at the time. However it was there in 1952. The first time I worked for the Barkley Cattle Company in 1955 Kings Ranch Road had been well established.

In recent years I have heard comments about why the county named a major road after the Kings Ranch and Guest Resort. I don’t find the naming of a road after a pioneering entrepreneur such as Julian King unusual or different.

Some have wondered why the road wasn’t named after the Barkley Cattle Company. After all, William A. “Gus” Barkley had been working a ranch in this area since 1907. Barkley probably could care less about a road being named after him as long as somebody maintained it. According to many who knew the Kings they spent many hours working on the road from their place to U.S. Highway 60. I am sure this pleased Gus Barkley.

After Julian King’s death in 1972, I learned many things about this man and I found him in an entirely new perspective.

I knew he was a proud man and also quite an entrepreneur. He never, in all the years I knew him, talked much about his experiences during World War II. He served on the carrier U.S.S. Enterprise during World War II. He was a deck flight officer when the Enterprise was part of a task force that challenged the power of the Japanese Navy in the battle of Midway Island.

The ships of that task force turned the tide of World War II in the Pacific. For Julian’s part as a flight deck officer launching airplanes against the Japanese Navy and the final sinking of four Japanese carriers is reason enough for the road from his old ranch to U.S. Highway 60 to always bear his name.

Another interesting name change in our area is that of Silly Mountain. Originally this mountain was named King’s Mountain, but not after Julian M. King. It was named after William N. King, an owner of a small ranch near the base of the mountain in 1934. William N. King was the founder of the Superstition Mountain Ranch Club at the Apache Junction Inn in 1934. The club was active for about seven years. After the
World War II the club never started up again.

There are several stories as to how Silly Mountain got its name. There are those who believe it originated from a small girl continuously calling the peak a “silly looking mountain.” Whatever the source of the mountain’s name, the name Silly Mountain stuck.

Recently Rosemary Shearer of Gold Canyon indicated the mountain may have had another name. She suggested it might have been called Tonto Mountain at one time. I believe Tonto means “fool” in Apache or at least one of the Native American languages in our area.

Speaking of Native American sites, one of the most misnamed landmarks is Hieroglyphic Canyon. Originally on early maps this site was known as Apache Springs.

Ironically, I was told by Barkley this site’s name was changed by Julian King because it sounded a bit more international then Apache Springs. I believe Julian had a relative living out here that was associated with Howard Carter in 1924. As I recall it was Mrs. Lansing.

Carter is the Englishman who discovered King Tut’s Tomb in Egypt.

It is interesting how place names come about. Many years ago there was another landmark named after a King and that was King’s Way what is known today as Blackhawk Road or Drive. At one time this road was the route to Julian and Lucy King’s house on a small hill at the end of the road. Again I was told there were no Blackhawk Native Americans in this area.

Two of the King names can be accredited to Julian and Lucy King and their guest ranch and resort. They were pioneers in this area when it was really tough to survive during the hot summer months. Eventually Julian and Lucy left the area and traveled over to Catalina Island where they managed a hotel in the summer time. A Pacific island was much cooler than the Sonoran Desert of Central Arizona.

I must admit each time I drive down Kings Ranch Road I think of Julian and Lucy King and their guest ranch and resort. Their hospitality and storytelling was a wonderful part of the history of this area fifty years ago.

So many place names in this area have been lost forever and will probably never be revived. Place name changing from generation to generation is the legacy of human occupancy. I suppose this is what you call progress.

The Outlaw 'Hacksaw' Tom

August 13, 2012 © Thomas J. Kollenborn. All Rights Reserved.

Stories can still be heard along the Apache Trail about the adventures of the legendary desperado “Hacksaw Tom.” It was after the turn of the 20th century this highwayman burned his name into the legends and lore of Superstition Mountain forever.

From remote hiding places near Fish Creek Canyon he preyed on the travelers of the Mesa-Roosevelt Road (Apache Trail). “Hacksaw Tom” robbed several of the teamsters who traveled the tortuous route between Mesa and the Roosevelt Dam site, according to legend.

At one point many teamsters felt they were paying a toll fee to cross the Fish Creek Bridge. Now, of course this is just legend, not fact. In all the years Hacksaw Tom preyed on the Apache Trail travelers, not one individual was injured or killed. As a matter of fact, not one individual can remember a shot being fired.

The real mystery of Hacksaw Tom was his identity. Some old timers claim he lived at the Silver King Mine in Superior and hiked across the mountains to make his periodical robberies at Fish Creek. Others thought maybe he was a local cowboy who supplemented his meager income with robbery.

An elderly retired lawman who was a friend of Jeff Adams thought Tom had a hidden camp deep in the Superstition Mountains, probably in Lost Dutch Canyon.

This canyon is a small tributary of Fish Creek that flows in above the Fish Creek Box. Several years ago two men explored a site in this canyon that appeared to be an old camp with metal detectors, but discovered nothing significant.

Whatever the case, Hacksaw Tom was never apprehended by the law. His camp, if he had one, still remains lost somewhere in the mountains. It is possible someday a lucky hiker or horsemen will stumble across Hacksaw Tom’s camp and discover his cache of loot taken from the many travelers of the Apache Trail. That is, provided he did not spend it all before his death.

There is not much documentation that supports this tale, however there were a couple of robberies along the Apache Trail that were unsolved and were noted in the Arizona Republican. The locations of the robberies have long since been forgotten, but it is apparent these old robberies may have given premise to the story of Hacksaw Tom.

Several years ago an Apache Junction resident discovered a cache along the Apache Trail that contained a hooded mask, saw-off shot gun, and other items. This discovery lead some people to believe Hacksaw Tom’s camp had been found and therefore documented his existence and exploits. These items are on display at the Superstition Mountain-Lost Dutchman Museum at Goldfield.

The tales of Hacksaw Tom continue to fascinate those interested in stories of the West. Several years ago a fine article appeared in the Arizona Highways about the legendary Hacksaw Tom.

The story of Hacksaw Tom s what legends are made of. They are tales that lie on that thin gray line between truth and fiction and become the folklore of Arizona history.