|
 Any
geographical region in the world that is endowed
with extremely rugged terrain usually has a canyon
named “lost” or “hidden”. The Superstition
Wilderness Area is no exception.
Since the early fifties I have heard stories about a
Lost Canyon, Hidden Canyon or Mystery Canyon being
located within the Superstition Wilderness Area.
These three names will not be found on any official
map printed on the region. Landmark names create a
considerable amount of confusion among and between
generations of families. A great example of this is
the trusted name of Hieroglyphic Canyon near the old
King’s Ranch Resort.
Hieroglyphic Canyon was known as Apache Springs
Canyon until the late 1930’s. The many nomadic
Apaches and Yavapais who roamed the region did not
peck out these elaborate panels of pictoglyphs found
here. These works must be attributed to a much
earlier culture. This is also true in many other
locations throughout the Superstition Wilderness
Area.
While I was working on the Quarter Circle U Ranch
during the mid-1950’s, I kept hearing stories about
a lost or hidden canyon in the Superstition
Wilderness Area. It was very difficult to put much
stock in the stories because I couldn’t find the
landmarks on any maps that were available at the
time. I have heard several people refer to Bluff
Springs Mountain Canyon as Hidden Canyon. However,
the canyon was never officially called Hidden
Canyon.
 The reason some people called it Hidden Canyon was
because of its isolated location at the northern end
of Bluff Springs Mountain. Many old timers
interchanged the word “lost” with “trap” for Trap
Canyon. Immediately below the Upper La Barge Box, on
the right side going up stream, is a deep and narrow
canyon called Hidden Canyon. Bill Hidden, an old
time prospector in the area, kept a camp in this
canyon for many years. Hence, we find the name
Hidden Canyon.
I would never have dreamed of a canyon named after a
person with the name of Hidden. Ironic as it may
seem, this is quite unusual. However it does make a
point. We may have been convinced the canyon was
named after a hidden treasure and then years later
find out it was named after a man named Hidden.
We have a Hidden Springs in the Superstition
Wilderness Area, but it was not named after Bill
Hidden. The spring is very difficult to find
especially if you don’t know where to look, hence
the name Hidden.
I don’t know anyone by the name of Lost, but I would
never rule out the possibility of this name
occurring. There is a Lost Spring in the
Superstition Wilderness Area, but it is not an
official name. The old-time cattlemen gave most of
the landmarks in this region their names. The term
Lost Canyon sounds very intriguing to those
interested in treasure or historical things.
Names within the Superstition Wilderness Area will
continue to change over the years to come. When you
look at the outrageous name changes that have
occurred during the last three decades in the Apache
Junction area you soon realize the impact of random
name changes. Just a few of the street name changes
will attest to that fact.
Vineyard Road changed to Ironwood Road, Wilson Drive
to Idaho Road, Rickman to Broadway, Moeur Road to
County Line Road then to Meridian Road and the Lost
Dutchman Gold Route (Highway 60) to the Old West
Highway. Transmission Road became University Road
and then finally changed to Lost Dutchman Blvd.
Some years ago it was stated that our community
could have been called Youngsberg Junction instead
of Apache Junction. Young was a politician, mine
owner and once mayor of Phoenix. Apache Junction’s
namesake was established some eighty two years ago
because of a family’s determination not to have
another Arizona community named after a politician.
Oh, yes it is all about who wants to change a name
and why. Here today and gone tomorrow sometimes
becomes the philosophy of development with little
regard to historical landmarks or sites. Many of the
sub-divisions in this valley have been built over
the ruins of Hohokam pueblos and villages. These
village names and locations are lost in time. Isn’t
this also true throughout Europe and the Asian
Minor?
Place names can be a lot of fun to play with and
research. Finding reasons why there are changes is
also very challenging. Some years ago an old cowboy
told me, “Son don’t worry about name changes to
much, cause those fellows down the trail won’t care
anyway, they will just rename it to suit themselves
anyway.” |
