The Superstition Mountain Museum rests on the west end of the aweinspiring Superstition Mountain in central Arizona. The area, approximately 35 miles east of Phoenix on the historic Apache Trail (Hw y 88), is full of legends, histor y, and intrigue.
The Museum seeks to provide visitors with an historical contex t of the region: Native American peoples that have populated the Superstitions for centuries (the Salado, the Hohokam, and the Apache); the life of early western settlers (the Spanish, the trappers, the miners, and the cattlemen); and the industries, cattle, citrus, copper, cotton, and climate (tourism) that grew in the mid-1900s from the ingenuit y, hard work, and persistence of those that followed.
Many of our legends were promoted through film and media and attrac t visitors from around the world. One of those legends, that of Jacob Waltz and the Lost Dutchman gold mine, has lured thousands into its web of intrigue.
The idea for establishing a museum devoted to the histor y, legends and lore of the Superstition
Mountains had for a long time been in the back of the mind of local resident, journalist, and teacher, Tom Kollenborn. He, Larr y Hedrick, Clay Worst, and Ron Lorenz first began discussing the idea in earnest in 1969. The Historical Societ y became a realit y in 1980, and in 1989 the Societ y rented a building at Goldfield Ghost Town on the Apache Trail. The Superstition Mountain Museum opened its doors to the public in Januar y 1990.
During the following thir teen years, the societ y was able to purchase the site
that it sits on today. In 2003 its first building was completed, and the Museum was relocated.
Today, hikers, horseback riders, photographers and tourists come to the Superstitions to enjoy the pleasures, beaut y, and wonder of these fantastic mountains, now preser ved as the Superstition Wilderness Area.
Those that are curious about the histor y and myster y of this intriguing area visit the Museum, with its central 4,900-square -foot exhibit hall and Museum Shop and numerous outdoor struc tures and exhibits. The Apacheland Barn and Elvis Chapel are the last sur viving struc tures
from Apacheland Movie Ranch. A 20-stamp gold ore mill (pic tured above), rescued from the mining town of Bland, New Mexico, is now operated for public demonstrations. An outdoor G-scale railroad with hundreds of period building models and props tells the railroading histor y of Arizona. A western town center barber shop, jail, and Wells Fargo office complement the many other outdoor exhibits on our 14-acre site.
As the museum continues to grow and flourish, it has become a hub of communit y ac tivit y. Each season our schedule is packed with cultural events and ac tivities which include lec tures, classes, and living histor y reenac tments.
Local residents and visitors alike enjoy revisiting histor y in the shadow of the might y Superstition Mountains.
The Museum’s galler y includes an ex tensive sur vey of the region’s legends and lore, as well as its geology, industr y, past residents and visionaries. Photos by Jack Olson
2024-2025 season schedule
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, October 18-20
Paranormal Weekend • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm and After Hours Sky watches, Ghost Walks and Ghost Hunt
Saturday & Sunday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1
Holiday Boutique • Museum Store Sunday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Saturday, December 7
Deser t Safety & Sur vival Class • 9:00 am - Noon
Saturday & Sunday, December 14-15
Holiday Boutique • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thursday, January 9
Free Lec ture with Teton Ken: The Lost Dutchman and His Mine • 2:00 pm
Thursday, January 16
Free Lec ture with Greg McNamee* Cochise, Geronimo, and the Apache Wars • 2:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday, January 18-19
Native American Ar ts Festival • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Free Lec ture with Teton Ken: The Rest of the Stor y • 2:00 pm
Saturday, February 1
Deser t Safety & Sur vival Class • 9:00 am - Noon
Sampling at the Superstitions Beer & Wine Tasting Fundraiser • 4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Thursday, February 6
Free Lec ture with Kevin Schindler: Spring Training Baseball in Arizona • 2:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday, February 8-9
Used Book Sale • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Dutch Oven Class • Saturday only • 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Thursday, February 13
Free Lec ture: Living in the Sonoran Deser t • 2:00 pm
Saturday, February 15
Western Cowboy Day • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thursday, February 20
Free Lec ture with Jim West: The Phoenix Sound • 2:00 pm
Thursday, February 27
Free Lec ture with Margerie Sholar: Fashion in the Old West • 2:00 pm
Thursday, March 6
Free Lec ture with Ron McCoy: Campfire Tales • 2:00 pm
Saturday, March 8
Magic of Mexican Ar tistr y Fundraiser • 4:30 pm
Thursday, March 13
Free Lec ture with Kur t Cavano: Four Peaks Amethyst Mine • 2:00 pm
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, March 14-16
The Magic of Mexican Ar tistr y • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thursday, March 20
Free Lec ture with Jack Olson Capturing the Cougar ’s Shadow • 2:00 pm
Thursday, March 27
Free Lec ture with Mark Redmond: I’m Glad I Didn’t Live in the Old West • 2:00 pm
Saturday, March 29
Master Gardener Day • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thursday, April 3
Free Musical Concer t: Ron Houser and Tara Houser-Jones • 2:00 pm
* This presentation was made possible through the Arizona Humanities AZ Speaks Program
All Superstition Mountain Museum Programs and presentations are subject to change For cur rent info, visit www SuperstitionMountainMusem org
2025 Free Lecture Series
WELCOME
to the 2025 “Legends and Lore of the Superstitions and More,” our annual free lec ture series which runs ever y Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater during the winter and early spring seasons at our museum.
The Superstition Mountain Historical Societ y Inc is a non-profit corporation organized to collec t and preser ve the histor y, legends, and lore of Arizona’s Superstition Mountain region; to suppor t research, education, and publications involving the region; and to maintain a historical museum devoted to these endeavors.
EVERY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT 2 P.M. • January - April
SUGGESTIONS FOR LECTURE ATTENDEES:
• Bring your own lawn chair;
• Don’t forget a hat and sunscreen;
• Please, no smoking;
• Please don’t leave your dog in vehicle;
• Coffee and cookies will be available for purchase with all of the proceeds going to the museum for continuing educational programs;
• Come early and have lunch on the grounds. Food will be available for purchase.
2025 Free Lecture Series
January 9 - Teton Ken
The Lost Dutchman and His Mine
January 16 - Greg MCNamee*
Cochise, Geronimo, and the Apache Wars
January 23 - Debe Branning
Haunted Arizona
January 30 - Teton Ken
The Rest of the Stor y
February 6 - Kevin Schindler
Spring Training Baseball in Arizona
February 13
Living in the Sonoran Deser t
February 20 - Jim West
The Phoenix Sound
February 27 - Margerie Sholar
Fashion in the Old West
Fundraising raffles:
As a self-suppor ting organization, we rely on revenue generated by our gift shops, events, and fundraisers. At each week ’s lec ture we hold a 50/50 raffle, with half the cash collec ted going to the lucky winner. Second prize is a lec ture -related item from our gift shop. Raffle tickets are priced at 1 for $1, or 6 for $5. Winning tickets are drawn from tickets sold that day. Winner must be present to win.
This year, our season-long raffle features a silver bar as the prize. Tickets are $5 each. At the last lecture on April 3, 2025, the holder of the winning ticket will be announced The winner need not be present See page 13 for raffles that end in December 2024.
March 6 - Ron MCCoy
Campfire Tales
March 13 - Kurt Cavano
Four Peaks Amethyst Mine
March 20 - Jack Olson
Shadow of the Cougar
March 27 - Mark Redmond
I'm Glad I Didn' t Live in the Old West
April 3 - Housers Concert
Countr y, Western, Bluegrass and Gospel Music
*Presented by
All Superstition Mountain Museum programs and presentations are subject to change For cur rent infor mation, visit our website at SuperstitionMountainMuseum.org.
January 9 - Teton Ken
Presenters
the lost D utchman and his Mine
This year ’s annual lec ture about the Old Dutchman Jacob Waltz and his infamous gold mine will be presented by our own Dutchman “lookalike in residence,” Teton Ken. Learn just who Jacob Waltz was, where he came from, the fac ts regarding his life and death in Phoenix, and how the clues (and gold found under his bed) have kindled a flame of interest that has only grown over the years into a mother lode of histor y and myster y. Teton Ken knows his histor y. For many years, he has packed gold hunters, hikers and television crews into (and out of ) the Superstition Mountains. He worked at Apacheland Movie Ranch and is an accomplished ac tor.
January 16 - Greg MCNamee cochise, Geronimo, and the apache Wars
Their names resound in Arizona histor y and pepper the state map, but few people know the tangled histor y that surrounds the “Apache Wars.”
Half of the ac tive US Army descended on the territor y to combat just a handful of Indigenous warriors. Ironically, the Apache peoples of the Southwest had once welcomed the arrival of the Americans as a buffer against Mexico, which regularly attached Apache settlements but then American miners and loggers began to encroach, and a defensive war turned into a terrible guerrilla campaign that lasted a quar ter- centur y. In this talk, Gregor y McNamee, who has written about the Apache Wars for Enc yclopaedia Britannica and other publications, unravels the complex stor y of the conflic t and the decades of uneasy peace that followed.
Gregor y is a writer, editor, publisher and photographer and the author of 40 books and more than 6,000 ar ticles. He has explored ever y corner of Arizona and is a contributing editor to the Enc yclopedia Britannica and a research fellow and a lec turer at the Universit y of Arizona.
This presentation was made possible through the Arizona Humanities AZ Speaks Program.
Presenters
January 23 - Debe Branning
haunted arizona
Author and histor y ac tivist Debe Branning will share her considerable knowledge of the Arizona afterlife scene and spirits of the Old West. Debe is the author of several books including Sleeping With Ghosts–A Ghost Hunter Guide to AZ Haunted Hotels and Inns and Grand Canyon Ghost Stories. She writes columns for Examiner.com, Arizona Haunted Sites and Haunted Places‚ so travelers know where they might find a ghost or t wo as when they visit Arizona and the United States. Debe is the direc tor of the MVD Ghostchasers of Mesa/Bisbee paranormal team that conduc ts investigations of haunted, historical locations throughout Arizona. She has been a guest lec turer at Ottawa Universit y, Central Arizona College, Arizona State Universit y and South Mountain Communit y College.
January 30 - Teton Ken
arizona: the rest of the stor y
With a nod to journalist Paul Har vey, Teton Ken will reflec t on Arizona’s past and present. He will weave a fascinating tale punc tuated by his personal obser vations that have been formed along his life’s path as a prospec tor, ac tor, magician, stor yteller, zoophilist and advisor. Teton has recently published a book, The Dutchman and the Little Prospec tors, designed to be read on grandpa’s lap, but tells a stor y for all ages! You won’t want to miss this time with one of the Superstition Mountain Museum’s living treasures.
February 6 - Kevin Schindler
the histor y of baseball spring training in arizona
Major League Baseball teams have been training in Arizona for more than a centur y, star ting with sporadic training sessions and barnstorming games and evolving into the modern Cac tus League. Kevin Schindler will recall people and places that established a regular preseason in our state. Kevin is the historian and Public Information Officer at Lowell Obser vator y in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he has worked for 28 years. He shares Lowell’s long histor y of research and exploration through writing and public presentations and contributes ar ticles for a variet y of publications on subjec ts ranging from space and exploration to local histor y.
Presenters
February 13
living in the sonoran Deser t
We live in a region with a landscape, flora and fauna that varies dramatically. The “sky islands” are at their base, parched deser t lowlands giving way to semiarid tropical forests as you climb in elevation, and are topped by frigid subalpine meadows. This lec ture will discuss an area that covers much of central and southern Arizona south to the state of Sonora, Mexico. The deser t is home to an ex traordinar y variet y of plants and animals. Learn about their relationships with the land and people, through time and across landscapes. At press time, our host had not yet been confirmed, but check the events page at w w w.superstitionmountainmuseum.org for updates.
February 20 - Jim West
the phoenix sound
Jim West will discuss his days as a radio personality and program director in Phoenix since the early 70s. He began his broadcasting career working par t-time while ser ving in the U.S. Air Force. By the end of the decade, he would be working for Buck Owens and the Owens family at KNIX in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the nex t 40 plus years, the experience and skills he learned at KNIX ser ved him well in radio stations in cities like Indianapolis, Albuquerque, Baltimore and Tucson. West is a two-time finalist for Nashville’s Countr y Radio Hall of Fame and a finalist for Large Market Countr y Music Association (CMA) Broadcast Personality of the Year. He ser ved on the Academy of Countr y Music (ACM) Board of Direc tors and was induc ted into the Greater Arizona Countr y Music Hall of Fame in 2019.
February 27 - Margerie Sholar
Fashion
in
the Old West
Margerie Sholar will take a revealing look at what ladies and gentlemen wore in town during the western expansion of the 1870s and 80s. People poured into the Western lands during those decades to take advantage of homesteading, mining, ser vice oppor tunities and civilization slowly grew with the towns. Both under and outer garments will be discussed, and Marge will provide insights into how dresses were made, what materials were chosen and where the designs originated. She has made many of her own costumes, based on original patterns from the period.
Presenters
March 6 - Ron MCCoy campfire tales
Ron McCoy will share some of his favorite tales heard around campfires in the ten states he lived that are bound to become some of your favorites too. Ron has been riding and working with horses and cattle for more than six t y years. He has par ticipated in many roundups both in Texas and Arizona and trail riding as well as writing are his favorite pastimes. Over the years, he has made is home in Illinois, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, Kansas, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky and Arizona. Ron ser ved as Chairman of the Board at the Indiana Trail Riders Association for six years and built an overnight campground for horses in Indiana’s Versailles State Park. In his retirement years, you can find him working at boarding stables and ranches. He has published three books: Campfire Tales and other Adventures, Murder at the Joshua Tree and Your Cowboy is Gone. Stop into the Gift Shop after the lec ture and buy your copies.
March 13 - Kurt Cavano arizona’s Four peaks amethyst Mine
Many people do not realize that there is a working amethyst mine located in the Four Peaks region that can be seen from the museum. Mine owner Kur t Cavano will be sharing the histor y of this mine and his adventures in working it. Kur t is the owner of the Arizona Four Peaks Amethyst Mine. He has been a jewelr y-making, stone - cutting rockhound for more than 50 years and has owned the mine for the last 28 years. When he is not digging for amethyst in the Four Peaks Mountains he has a day job in New York where he ser ves as Founder, Vice Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer of GT Nexus, Inc., a supply chain technology company with over 900 employees in 8 different countries around the world. Featured as one of World Trade Magazine’s 50 most influential people, Kur t is a frequent speaker and s concerning international trade and global supply chain ement. But what he likes to talk about most is the geology nd histor y of the Four Peaks Amethyst Mine. He is clearly confused as to what world (mining/jewelr y or software/ international trade) he belongs in. He hopes to figure that out on. For his presentation, he will also be bringing along rock samples and beautiful jewelr y made with amethyst from his mine. For one day only, the jewelr y will be sold at reduced prices (10% off ).
Presenters
March 20 - Jack Olson
capturing the cougar ’s shadow Photographer Jack Olson has stalked his local prey, “ The Cougar ’s Shadow ” for more than seven years now. The elusive shadow visits our region a couple of times a year during the t wo equinoxes in September and March. It is a natural phenomenon seen in the Superstition Mountains and resembles “a cougar chasing its prey down into the bottom of the canyon.” Jack will discuss his photographic techniques, favorite vantage points and other fac tors (patience!) that come together to create his award-winning images.
Jack will also share his tips on capturing the wildflowers that are beginning to bloom all around the region. Olson was always interested in photography, but he was not fond of working with film and processing. When digital cameras became available, he jumped in with both feet. He now goes on regular assignments for the Superstition Mountain Museum, the Cit y of Apache Junc tion, the Arizona Courier News and the A J Chamber of Commerce
March 27 - Mark Redmond
i’m Glad i Didn’t live in the Old West
As a western author, Mark Redmond is often asked by his readers, “Do you wish you had lived in the old West?” His answer is always an emphatic “No!” While the post-Civil War West was undoubtedly an exciting place to live, it was also a dangerous place where many people had shor t lifespans. Holly wood has shown us the glamorous side of life in the old West. Now, let’s take a look at the other side.
Mark Redmond taught high school English for 28 years in South Bend, Indiana. He has published more than 25 shor t stories and ar ticles, a six-book middle grade fic tion series (The Adventures of Ar t y Anderson), a collec tion of shor t stories (Five for the Trail), three western novels for more mature readers (Bount y Hunter Nate Landr y: Major Issues, Bount y Hunter Nate Landr y: Family Fur y, and Bount y Hunter Nate Landr y: Dust Devil), and the first t wo books in another middle grade fic tion series (The Adventures of the Box M Gang). A member of Western Writers of America, Western Fic tioneers, The Societ y of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, American Christian Fic tion Writers, and the Single Ac tion Shooting Societ y, Redmond has been studying the West through reading and travel for most of his life. Mark and Susie currently live in Arizona, where Mark has begun to write full time and is working on the four th Nate Landr y book.
Presenters
April 3 - Musical Concert
ron houser and tara houser-Jones
A concer t of toe -tappin’ and exuberant Countr y, Western, Bluegrass and Gospel music per formed by Ron Houser and Tara Houser-Jones will close the season-long free lec ture series at Superstition Mountain Museum on Thursday, April 3, at 2 p.m.
The well-known local enter tainers will combine their beautiful voices and their exper tise playing the guitar and fiddle in a special concer t.
Their per formance will end the 2025 season’s presentations on a high note. The concer t will be held in the museum’s outdoor amphitheater. The winner of our season-long silver bar raffle will be announced. Tickets are still available for $5 each.
NOTE: To be eligible to win the pistol, you must be at least 21 years of age, an Arizona resident, and legal to own a firearm under federal regulations (must pass a background check at A JI). All proceeds to benefit the Superstition Mountain Historical Society and Museum (a 501c3 non-profit)
Putting ‘Fun’ in FUNDRAISERS
The Superstition Mountain Museum is still going strong after 40+ years because of the tremendous suppor t from our members, volunteers and our many visitors. All are fascinated by the beaut y, legends, histor y and traditions that define this region. We have some exciting events planned this season that will direc tly benefit the Museum and its plans for the future Please join us!
S ampling at the S uperstitions Museum volunteers will host an annual beerand wine -tasting fundraiser on Saturday, Februar y 1, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
This is an oppor tunit y to enjoy beer and wine samples, a catered meal, musical enter tainment by The Encore Quar tet and histor y against the majestic backdrop of the setting sun on the Superstition Mountain range. Guests can move about the museum and grounds during the event. Reser vations and tickets are required for this event. Tickets are $30 per person and $50 per couple.
Magic of Mexic an Ar tistr y Fundraiser
Join us for an evening of live music, beer, wine, and snacks on March 8, 2025 from 4:30 p.m. -
7 p.m. Mariachi Rubor, Arizona’s All-Female
Mariachi band will add a touch of class and culture to the evening.
Mariachi Rubor is enter tainment at its finest and a crowd favorite! This group takes great pride in keeping this beautiful genre alive and enter tains audiences with their breathtaking presentations. Tickets are $30 per person and $50 per couple.
The Encore Quar tet
Mariachi Rubor
Working 20-Stamp Ore Mill
Highlighting O ur Mining Histor y
Superstition Mountain Mining Company (SMMC) is what we call our collection of 1800s-style mining buildings and ar tifacts that were collected and restored by dedicated Museum volunteers. Visitors can follow the hard rock mining process from mine to bullion along a path beginning at the mine on the west end of the SMMC operation. A headframe, originally from a small mine in the Wickenburg, Arizona area is typical of the structures that were used at hard rock mines in the Superstition Mountain region.
The arastra is a truly ancient ore mill found nex t to the headframe. For thousands of years, arastras have been used to grind just about anything. Ore is placed on the hard sur face and is crushed as a heav y stone passes over it. Gold and silver were recovered from the milled ore by amalgamation with mercur y.
The large wooden struc ture on the hill overlooking the museum building is a Cossak 20stamp ore mill, and was state - of-the -ar t mining equipment 100 years ago. A stamp mill is a large mechanical device, essentially a monster mor tar and pestle. It is amazing ours has sur vived after being moved from Bland, New Mexico to Apache Junc tion; then restored; and now runs for regular
demonstrations at the Museum.
The assay office ser ved prospec tors that found a source of material they thought might contain gold, or had a mine and only wanted to dig the best ore. Assay is the procedure used to measure the amount of valuable metal contained in ore. The assay office, located down the street from the Cossak mill, is a replica of a t ypical assay office. It houses all the period tools that would have been used.
The SMMC mine office, located nex t to the assay office, contains photos from the early 1900s and other items from the famous Silver King mine located nor th of Superior, Arizona.
The Stamp Mill operates in season from November to April, check the Museum’s website for operating days and times.
All Aboard
For the SMMRR Model Train Exhibit
The Superstition Mountain Museum Rail Road (SMMRR), our “Big Trains” exhibit, is located east of the Apacheland Barn on the hillside slope. The museum’s trains are t wo to four times the size of those standards of yester year ’s hobbyists’ Lionel and HO model trains, and these larger models run on 45-mm gauge track.
The educational exhibit represents how railroads played a major role in the development of the state of Arizona, par ticularly the copper mining industr y and the other “C”s upon which Arizona’s economy is built cotton, cattle, climate, and citrus. The trains, buildings and all of the features are historically accurate and almost all of the buildings were handmade.
Several steam locomotives pull rolling stock (currently numbering about 40 pieces) over the 1500 feet of track that runs around the perimeter
of the layout, through a tunnel, and over a trestle bridge.
The layout that the trains run through depic ts Central Arizona around 1900. The centerpiece is a turn- of-the - centur y mining town named “Dutchman’s Gulch” comprised of approximately 40 replica buildings built to scale, including a mine, and an ore stamp mill. Outside of town, farms and ranches feature cattle, a stock pond, and cotton fields.
Both young and old train enthusiasts visiting the museum can see firsthand the historic trains and learn about the prominent role these trains took in the settlement of the West.
The large G-model trains will be run on a regular basis Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays beginning in November. Star ting in Januar y 2025, the railroad will add Thursdays to the schedule until late Spring when it gets too hot.
HISTORIC APACHELAND MOVIE RANCH BUILDINGS
While you are touring the museum grounds, don’t miss going into the Elvis Chapel and the Apacheland Barn, t wo buildings that sur vived the devastating 2004 fire and, along with the gallows situated bet ween them, are the last remaining vestiges of the famed Apacheland Movie Ranch. Apacheland Movie Ranch opened in 1959 on Kings Ranch Road in what is now Gold Canyon, with hopes of becoming the “Western Movie Capital of the World.” Although it never did realize its initial goal, it did become a Western movie site hosting the shooting of 17 television series, 29 full-length feature films and hundreds of commercials during its histor y.
The Elvis Chapel
The Audie Murphy Apacheland Barn
The “Elvis Chapel” is so named because it was featured in the Elvis Presley movie Charro, the only movie Elvis made in which he didn’t sing. During the movie shoot, a specially-made steeple was construc ted and put on the chapel so that it could be blown off during an explosion central to the movie’s plot. Nowadays, the chapel is used by the Apache Junc tion Cowboy Church ser vices on Sundays and is a popular spot for people to rent for wedding ceremonies. Visitors to the chapel love to view the old movie posters and take photos with the lifelike Elvis statue at the altar.
The large barn on site is also known as the “Audie Murphy Barn” because of a lengthy gun battle that was staged in the barn for the movie Arizona Raiders that starred Audie Murphy. Today, the barn houses memorabilia from Apacheland and old photos, as well as several vintage horse - drawn vehicles. Both buildings were generously donated to the Superstition Mountain Historical Societ y by Mr. and Mrs. Ed Birmingham. They were taken apar t, board by board, moved and reconstruc ted to building code on the museum site by volunteers.
Apache Trail / US•60 Loop
Presented by TG APHt v, A rizona Paranormal Investiga tion and Research Soc iet y and
Superstition Mountain Museum
Ghost hunting, sky watch and paranormal presentations are planned all weekend!
Friday Night Sky watch • Oc t 18 •7:30 pm
Presentation featuring high-powered night vision used to view and identify unexplained moving “stars ” $20
Paranormal Days • Oct. 19 & 20 • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Vendors, speakers, authors, psychics, paranormal teams and exciting workshops. Free to all attendees.
Ghost Walks • Oc t. 19 • 5:00 and 6:00 pm
Enjoy a ghost tour and learn of the haunted histor y. See evidence collec ted and go on a ghostly adventure. $10 per person (limit 20); Kids under 10 with adult are free.
Ghost Hunt • Oc t 19 • 7:30 pm
AZPIRS members will lead up to 20 par ticipants on a hunt for spirits at the Museum Specialized equipment will be used to coax the entities into a perceptible range $40 per person (limit 20); Kids under 14 are not permitted.
S aturday Night Sky watch • Oc t. 20 • 7:30 pm
Presentation featuring high-powered night vision used to view and identify unexplained moving “stars.” $20.
S unday Night Sky watch • Oc t. 20 • 7:30 pm
Presentation featuring high-powered night vision used to view and identify unexplained moving “stars.” $20.
OCT. 18-20
O L D - F A S H I O N E D
HSuperstition olidays
at the Museum
The weekends of Nov. 30-Dec. 1 and Dec. 14-15, will be ver y special Red and Green Holiday Shopping Weekends at the Superstition Mountain Museum. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Come and see the beautiful old-fashioned decorations and get a photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus, who will be seated in the barn. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 30Dec. 1, will feature Holiday Boutique Days with dozens of ar tisans on hand to exhibit their work and help shoppers find the per fec t gift. A special free Stamp Mill Demo is scheduled on Saturday.
On Sunday, Dec. 1, the museum will host “Museum Store Sunday,” by par ticipating in an international campaign that invites visitors to discover their museum’s gift shop while enjoying discounts. Our museum gift shop will be offering a 25% off discount on all t ypes of jewelr y, including Native American investment- qualit y
pieces that make such special gifts. Combined with the savings in sale taxes at the non-profit museum, this adds up to significant savings for shoppers.
If you miss the first Holiday Boutique or enjoy last-minute shopping, a second Holiday Boutique will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15. Another Free Stamp Mill Demonstration will be held on Saturday. Bring the family. The model trains will be running and the Apacheland Barn and the Chapel are loaded with decorations. Photo oppor tunities abound!
Bring a toy or cans of dog and cat food for our Christmas drive benefitting the Apache Junc tion Animal Control.
Native American
Arts Festival
Arts Festival
Featuring traditional and contemporar y registered Arizona Native American ar tisans and their work! Per formances by the world-renowned Y
Western Cowboy Day
Enter tainment Movies Poetr y Music Vendors Food Trucks
Fr ee for th e whole fami ly!
The S uperstition Mountain Renegades bring the 1880s alive with skits and gunfights on the Museum grounds.
The group per forms on the first Saturday of the month beginning on November 2. Additional dates will be announced. Shows star t at Noon, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 pm.
March 14-16, 2025
Mexican ar tisans occupy a place with some of the finest ar tists in the world. These individuals create unique potter y that is considered to be among the world’s best; weave beautiful tapestries utilizing traditional materials and natural dyes; meticulously car ve and paint intricate wooden fantasy animals; and fashion unique jewelr y.
SHOW AND SALE!
Guardians of age - old folk traditions passed down from generation to generation, these devoted indigenous ar tisans some of them tucked away in remote villages of Mexico often dedicate days or weeks to creating one exquisitely- crafted piece. Join us for this annual celebration. Visitors will be able to obser ve, and onverse with the ar tists as they work. Finished works will be on display and for sale. Admission to the event and parking are free.
Apache Village
The Museum has created an authentic Apache Village exhibit outdoors that includes t wo wickiups and a cooking area. The exhibit illustrates Apache culture with an emphasis on the Apache home and family. The Apache People consider the mountains sacred and the Superstitions are one of four mountains which mark their ancestral territor y. This display experience is intended to help educate the communit y about their rich culture. To complete the exhibit, a har vest of Red Willow, Yucca, Bear Grass, and Thatch were provided by the San Carlos Apache Tribe. The Apache Village exhibit was made possible by a grant from
Thank You Volunteers
This museum could not exist without the generous effor ts of more than 200 volunteers who keep it going day in and day out, with energy, humor, and a deep love for this area and its histor y.
The S uperstition Mountain Museum is always ac tively recruiting volunteers. B oth full time residents of the communit y and winter volunteers are encouraged to see how much fun it is to join a group of people who love histor y and the area they live in. Volunteers are only asked to work a minimum of four hours per week . We tr y our best to accommodate your
schedule. Positions available include gif t shop or general store cashier; docent in the Museum G aller y, Elvis Chapel, and Apacheland Movie R anch B arn; or engage with visitors in the 1800s- era western town. D ressing up in period clothing is encouraged, but not required.
To become a volunteer, please fill out the application found at our website or use your smar t phone to access the QR code on the right.
Master Gardener Day
Universit y of Arizona, Pinal Count y Master Gardeners will give several presentations and host a Kids’ ac tivit y area on the Museum grounds. The Superstition Mountain
Master Gardners are committed to enriching our lives through gardening in this challenging region. There will be presentations including care of orchids, creating a terrarium of aloe and agave succulents and container pot gardening. Also included will be presentations on xeriscaping, being fire -wise and confronting natural threats to healthy gardens in the deser t. The presentations will be repeated throughout the day it’s possible to see them all. Par ticipants at the terrarium presentation will leave with a sample. Kids are welcome to join in ac tivities at a special tent just for them.
Registration required in advance
Classes
Cost: $40 per person (group rates available)
9 a.m. - Noon • Class dates:
S at., Dec. 7, 2024 S at., Feb. 1, 2025
Hiking or camping in the Sonoran Deser t is an amazing experience, but it can turn deadly if you are not prepared. In this special class, Former Green Beret Sergeant and Sur vival Instruc tor John Jay Pelletier will teach you impor tant tips about sur viving in just about any situation. Learn what John Jay packs in his backpack. Class fee includes a special sur vival kit for your backpack and a copy of John Jay ’s sur vival booklet.
Registration required in advance
Cost: $25 per person
S at., Feb. 8, 2025 • 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Dutch Ovens are large cast iron pots that are used over an open fire or with charcoal piled under and on top of the lid of the pot, for cooking or baking food. Ever ything from soup and meat to desser ts can be prepared in them. Learn how to cook in a Dutch oven at a four-hour demonstration class. No prior Dutch oven cooking experience is necessar y. At the end of the class, students will get to tr y samples of the dishes cooked. Russ and Susan Richins from the Rockin' RR Chuckwagon are the instruc tors.
Rentals at the Museum
Visitors to the museum often inquire whether our museum facilities are available for rental to groups or individuals who are hosting special events. The answer is yes, and we are happy to invite you to explore the oppor tunities to host your wedding, reception, corporate gathering, family event or memorial ser vice in the midst of the beautiful Sonoran Desert beneath the breathtaking splendor of the Superstition Mountains.
Venues:
The Elvis Chapel, acquired from the famous Apacheland Movie Ranch, offers the per fec t setting for weddings par ties of up to 75 guests.
The nave holds 12 rows of pews, each seating 68 guests comfor tably. The altar area is adequate for a small wedding par t y, the officiant, and, of course, the celebrants. There is a bridal room, bathroom, and groom's room at the back of the chapel building.
The Audie Murphy Barn, also acquired from Apacheland, is available as a venue for professional and commercial photography only. Visitors are welcome to take photographs but any photos used for publication must be approved by museum management and there is a fee for professional use.
The Amphitheater is a large, level area, decoratively lit, with a lec tern, PA system and elec tricit y often used for weddings and small receptions, lec tures, classes and small par ties.
The Museum Grounds cover 14 acres of theme buildings, Apacheland Movie Set memorabilia, mining machiner y (including a centur y- old 20-stamp ore mill), walking trails, and gorgeous views of the Superstition Mountains.
The Burial Repositor y is located at the highest point on the proper t y and in full view of the Superstition Mountain. It offers a per fec t resting place for those who have a special love of the Superstition region. There is no fee for the use of the repositor y, but donations are accepted.
Museum Gift Shop
We encourage you to visit and browse our Gift Shop located in the main museum building. You will find a wide array of distinc tive and unique items ranging from exclusive custom-made souvenirs to handmade Native American ar t, including exquisite “investment- qualit y ” Native American jewelr y and beautiful handmade potter y. Rockhounds will find rock and mineral samples and custom jewelr y made from amethysts mined from Arizona’s only amethyst mine. In addition, featured in our Gif is one of the finest selec tion of books in the Valley on a wide variet y of Western, Southwest and local historical topics, including, of course, books on the Superstition Mountains and Jacob Waltz and the Lost Dutchman Mine. If hiking is your
interest, the shop also carries trail maps of the Superstition Wilderness Area and other hiking locales. Guides to Arizona flora and fauna well as rock hounding and identifiers. Cookbook collec tors will love our wide selec tion of Western, Southwestern and ocal cookbooks.
Remember, when purchasing any item from our museum gift shop, we are a nonprofit so we don’t charge sales tax. Proceeds from the Gift Shop sales suppor t the Superstition Mountain Museum.
* Tip: Save 10% by purchasing a Museum Membership which also allows you other privileges including free museum admission and more.
Museum Map
The Board of the Superstition Mountain Historical Society and Museum staff are proud to announce that the museum has been recognized with a 2024 Travelers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor based on “the consistently great reviews earned” from travelers sent to the TripAdvisor website TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel site
