Skeleton Canyon treasure
Encyclopedia
The Skeleton Canyon treasure is said to be located in the Peloncillo Mountains
within Skeleton Canyon
. The canyon straddles the modern Arizona and New Mexico state line border and connects the Animas Valley
of New Mexico, (the New Mexico Bootheel
region), with the San Simon Valley
of Arizona. An alleged treasure
tale, involving a Mexican gang in a sack of Monterrey
, Mexico
and buried in southeastern Arizona's Skeleton Canyon in the summer and fall of 1881.
According to extant stories, a Mexican gang led by Jose Estrada had sacked several banks and cathedrals in Monterrey, taking a large amount of gold and silver bullion, gold statuary, and diamonds. Some stories indicate the items taken include 39 gold bars and a cigarbox full of diamonds. This gang then made their way northwest, towards Arizona
, where they were ambushed by American outlaws in the Peloncillo Mountains
as they made their way through Skeleton Canyon towards the Animas Valley of New Mexico
. Having killed off the Mexican outlaws, the American outlaws supposedly buried the treasure there, and made their way out of the canyon, only to die off one by one in a series of later double-crosses. The treasure remains unrecovered.
In treasure hunting there are always true stories, false ones, and those built up from minor events. Skeleton Canyon is of the latter. Between the late 1870s and early 1880s the Clanton Gang operated in that part of Arizona. Their modus operandi
was to rustle cattle and sell the stock to the mining towns which sprang up during that time. Their victims included Mexicans, some of whom were involved in legitimate cattle drives, as well as those engaged in the illegal smuggling of various goods. The canyons along the western side of the Pelloncillos were favored as ambush sites, and it is documented that at least four such ambush/robberies took place. On 13 August 1881, in retaliation for one such ambush, Neuman Haynes Clanton
was gunned down in the Guadalupe Canyon Massacre
.
The ambush and robberies in those canyons may have netted the outlaws a small fortune, possibly a few thousand dollars at most, which then grew into the Skeleton Canyon tales today. The large amount that is stated in the tales never existed; a check of newspapers and government sources within Mexico and the U.S. states bordering the area revealed that the source of the treasure, Monterrey, was never sacked and robbed at any time.
Peloncillo Mountains (Hidalgo County)
The Peloncillo Mountains of Hidalgo County, , is a major 35-mi long mountain range of southwest New Mexico's Hidalgo County, and also part of the New Mexico Bootheel region. The range continues to the northwest into Arizona as the Peloncillo Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona...
within Skeleton Canyon
Skeleton Canyon
Skeleton Canyon is located northeast of the town of Douglas, Arizona, in the Peloncillo Mountains, which straddle the modern Arizona and New Mexico state line, in the New Mexico Bootheel region. This canyon connects the Animas Valley of New Mexico with the San Simon Valley of Arizona.Geronimo's...
. The canyon straddles the modern Arizona and New Mexico state line border and connects the Animas Valley
Animas Valley
The Animas Valley is a lengthy and narrow, north-south 85 mi long, valley located in western Hidalgo County, New Mexico in the Bootheel Region; the extreme south of the valley lies in Chihuahua, in the northwest of the Chihuahuan Desert, the large desert region of the north-central Mexican...
of New Mexico, (the New Mexico Bootheel
New Mexico Bootheel
New Mexico's Bootheel comprises the southwestern corner of New Mexico. As part of the Gadsden Purchase it is bounded on the east by the Mexican state of Chihuahua along a line at extending south to latitude 31°20′0″N at...
region), with the San Simon Valley
San Simon Valley
The San Simon Valley is a broad valley east of the Chiricahua Mountains, in the northeast corner of Cochise County, Arizona and southeastern Graham County, with a small portion near Antelope Pass in Hidalgo County of southwestern New Mexico. The valley trends generally north-south but in its...
of Arizona. An alleged treasure
Treasure
Treasure is a concentration of riches, often one which is considered lost or forgotten until being rediscovered...
tale, involving a Mexican gang in a sack of Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and buried in southeastern Arizona's Skeleton Canyon in the summer and fall of 1881.
According to extant stories, a Mexican gang led by Jose Estrada had sacked several banks and cathedrals in Monterrey, taking a large amount of gold and silver bullion, gold statuary, and diamonds. Some stories indicate the items taken include 39 gold bars and a cigarbox full of diamonds. This gang then made their way northwest, towards Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, where they were ambushed by American outlaws in the Peloncillo Mountains
Peloncillo Mountains (Hidalgo County)
The Peloncillo Mountains of Hidalgo County, , is a major 35-mi long mountain range of southwest New Mexico's Hidalgo County, and also part of the New Mexico Bootheel region. The range continues to the northwest into Arizona as the Peloncillo Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona...
as they made their way through Skeleton Canyon towards the Animas Valley of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. Having killed off the Mexican outlaws, the American outlaws supposedly buried the treasure there, and made their way out of the canyon, only to die off one by one in a series of later double-crosses. The treasure remains unrecovered.
In treasure hunting there are always true stories, false ones, and those built up from minor events. Skeleton Canyon is of the latter. Between the late 1870s and early 1880s the Clanton Gang operated in that part of Arizona. Their modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
was to rustle cattle and sell the stock to the mining towns which sprang up during that time. Their victims included Mexicans, some of whom were involved in legitimate cattle drives, as well as those engaged in the illegal smuggling of various goods. The canyons along the western side of the Pelloncillos were favored as ambush sites, and it is documented that at least four such ambush/robberies took place. On 13 August 1881, in retaliation for one such ambush, Neuman Haynes Clanton
Old Man Clanton
Newman Haynes Clanton was a successful cattle rancher and the father of the four sons. "Old Man" Clanton was believed to be involved with stealing cattle from Mexican ranchers and re-selling them in the United States. He was reported to have participated in the Skeleton Canyon Massacre of Mexican...
was gunned down in the Guadalupe Canyon Massacre
Guadalupe Canyon Massacre
The Guadalupe Canyon Massacre was an incident that occurred on August 13, 1881 in the Guadalupe Canyon area of the southern Peloncillo Mountains – Guadalupe Mountains. The canyon straddles the modern Arizona and New Mexico state line and connects the Animas Valley of New Mexico with the San...
.
The ambush and robberies in those canyons may have netted the outlaws a small fortune, possibly a few thousand dollars at most, which then grew into the Skeleton Canyon tales today. The large amount that is stated in the tales never existed; a check of newspapers and government sources within Mexico and the U.S. states bordering the area revealed that the source of the treasure, Monterrey, was never sacked and robbed at any time.