Pierpont Constable Bicknell (c. 1836 – March 31, 1904) was a notable figure in Arizona’s frontier history as a prospector, mining enthusiast, newspaperman, and writer known for his colorful storytelling and pursuit of legendary lost mines.
Born around 1836 in Syracuse, New York, Bicknell received a solid education in Eastern schools. He arrived in Arizona Territory around 1870, during a time of active mining booms and frontier development. Initially, he contributed as a writer to the Salt River Herald in the early 1870s, but he preferred the adventurous life of prospecting and hunting for lost mines over steady journalism. He was often called “Bick” by friends and signed many articles simply as “Bick.”
Bicknell lived frugally despite being quite wealthy, showing little interest in material comforts. He resided in Phoenix until the late 1880s, then moved to Prescott, where he spent his later years focusing more on writing than exploration. He was renowned on the Arizona frontier for his tall tales, jokes, and imaginative narratives, which often blended fact with embellishment.
Role in the Legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine
Bicknell is widely credited with shaping and popularizing the modern legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine (also called the Dutchman’s Lost Gold Mine), one of America’s most enduring treasure tales. The mine is associated with German immigrant Jacob Waltz, who died in Phoenix on October 25, 1891, allegedly after revealing clues to a rich gold deposit in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix.
After Waltz’s death, his caregiver Julia Thomas (along with others like the Petrasch brothers) searched unsuccessfully for the mine and shared details with Bicknell around late 1892. Drawing from these accounts, Bicknell’s fertile imagination, and possibly other regional lore, he wove a compelling narrative.
His key contributions appeared in articles such as:
- One in the Phoenix Saturday Review (November 17, 1894).
- A prominent piece in the San Francisco Chronicle (January 13, 1895).
In these, Bicknell introduced or emphasized elements that became central to the legend, including:
- The mine’s location within an “imaginary circle” about five miles in diameter, centered on the prominent landmark Weaver’s Needle.
- Descriptions like a “two-room stone house in a cave.”
- References to prior ownership by the Peralta family (a detail likely embellished or conflated from other tales).
- Provocative clues to the gold’s whereabouts.
- The phrase “Dutchman’s Lost Gold,” helping cement the name.
Historians often describe Bicknell as a master of “prevarication” during the era’s golden age of sensational journalism and lost-mine stories. He blended Julia Thomas’s accounts with other yarns (possibly including the Doc Thorne Mine, Lost Soldier’s Mine, or Lost Frenchman Mine, which he also pursued in the Superstitions). While Jacob Waltz’s story had roots in real prospecting rumors, Bicknell’s embellishments and vivid writing transformed scattered tales into a cohesive, nationally intriguing legend.
The story faded somewhat after the 1890s but revived dramatically in 1931 with the mysterious death of treasure hunter Adolph Ruth in the Superstitions (his fate tied to maps echoing Bicknell’s clues), which reignited interest through national headlines.
Other Contributions to Arizona History
Beyond the Lost Dutchman, Bicknell prospected extensively in the Superstition Mountains and wrote about Arizona’s mining lore, lost treasures, and frontier life. His articles appeared in newspapers and magazines nationwide, contributing to the romantic image of the Wild West and Arizona’s mineral-rich wilderness. He embodied the archetype of the educated Easterner turned rugged prospector, using his writing skills to fund and fuel his adventures.
Bicknell died in Prescott, Arizona, on March 31, 1904, at age 68. He left behind a legacy of wealth to heirs but is remembered more for his role in myth-making than for any proven discoveries. His work helped immortalize Arizona’s Superstition Mountains as a hotspot for treasure hunters and adventurers, influencing books, searches, and popular culture for over a century.