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Explorers and Trappers

The Spanish found the Verde River in the late 1500's but the first record of our area is in the diaries of trapper Ewing Yound in the 1820's. He battled Apaches near here and lost 18 of his party of 24 men. But he returned the next year with another group of men including Kit Carson and trapped as many as 30 beaver per night on the Verde.

Prospectors were certain that these mountains contained rich ore but although traces have been found no commercially profitable mines were located.

Dixie Mine

Located just north of Fountain Hills in McDowell Mountaion Park.

Our surrounding mountains beckoned many prospectors, only to fail them. The closest "glory hole" was the Dixie Mine, located in the southwest corner of  McDowell Mountain Park and tunnels had already been blasted. Assays of 18 samples showed traces of silver, gold and copper but no commercial shipments were made. For many years the 240-foot shaft has been flooded with 100 feet of water.

Some of the world's best amethyst comes from a small mine on the steep slopes of nearby Four Peaks Mountain. Native Americans chippe it into arrowheads. In the 1600's Spanish explorers shipped it to Spain and it became part of the crown jewels of several countries. The deposit was rediscovered around 1900 by gold seeker Jim McDaniels. The claim is remote, difficult to access and hazardous. Al and Cecile Storer owned and operated the mine for a number of years. They packed amethyst out by burro, 100 lbs, at a time. Later, helicopters flew in supplies and shipped out rocks. Crystals 18-inches by 24 inches, weighing 85 pounds,have been found.

Long ago people living here moved seasonally searching for food and shelter. They communicated orally and by "writing" on the rocks. We call the images they carved on the rocks "Petroglyphs"

Mountain Spirit Dancers

The spiritual keepers for the Yavapai Tribe. According to Yavapai stories told only in the winter months the five Mountain Spirits inhabited Four Peaks, the Superstitions, Red Mountain and Granite Mountain long before other people came. They are always there helping us; they never die. Singing and dancing are ways people expressed themselves, and prayed to the Creator. The dance itself was like a prayer.

The Mt. Spirit Dancers wear headdresses called Crowns. The sacred colors of yellow, black, red, blue and white create symbols on the crowns. During the 25 years that the Yavapai were forced to live on the San Carlos Reservation, the two tribes learned from each other. Some aspects of their cultures were shared. The Apache Crown Dance is not the same as the Yavapai Mt. Spirit Dance. "Mountain Spirits as the Yavapai Mt. Spirit Dance. "mountain Spirits still live in sacred places at Fort McDowell.

Ancient Yavapai Ramada