Who hasn’t heard of the mad Wild Wild West?! Even if you’re not a fan of the movies that depict it, you’re still bound to know a few things about it. At least you know that the Wild Wild West is more than just a silly Will Smith movie! It was a place where the United States of America was forged, a place where cowboys and gunmen used to rule with an iron fist. It also a place for mysteries and treasures. Today, we’re going to take a look at 10 unsolved mysteries from the Wild Wild West that have fascinated people for around a hundred years. Some of these mysteries have never been solved and most probably, will never be solved.
10. The Spanish Ship in the Colorado Desert
It boggles the mind to think that a ship could be found in the desert, but there have been countless reports about a Spanish pirate ship popping up in the desert, abandoned and baking in the hot sun. Some were saying that there was even a treasure on it, but nobody ever made public their treasure findings. Would you have done it?
9. Henry Plummer
Henry Plummer is one of the earliest cases of a dirty cop in the United States. The good folks of Bannack, Montana chose Plummer as their sheriff, only because they didn’t know that he was in fact a cold-blooded criminal. During his time as a sheriff, Plummer stole almost $1 million worth of gold. The town finally caught on and hanged him, but his gold was never recovered. It may still be somewhere hidden in Montana.
8. Tom Horn
Tom Horn was both a lawman and an outlaw. Even though he killed many men, he was convicted and hanged for the killing of a young 8-year-old boy named Willie Nickell. Apparently, Horn did not actually kill the young boy and the whole story is shrouded in mystery. We highly recommend the movie Tom Horn with Steve McQueen.
7. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
If you haven’t seen the famous movie starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford then let us fill you in on the whole thing. Apparently, after a life of robberies, Butch Cassidy and his partner withdrew to Bolivia where they were both shot soon after arriving there. Well, it appears that pretty much nobody believes this to be true, including Butch Cassidy’s sister, Lula, a Bolivian president and many detectives hired to find the duo.
6. Jean Baptiste, the Grave Robber
Jean Baptiste was a grave digger who was also a grave robber. When his congregation discovered his secret, they decided to dump him on a little island in the middle of Salt Lake, but when some people returned there to check on him, he was nowhere to be found. Some say that he managed to escape, while others believe that he died in an attempt to escape.
5. Chief Cochise
For being such a popular name and such an important figure in the history of the young US, there isn’t too much that is known about the Native American chief. It isn’t even known where the great chief was buried, but there is a legend that says his dog and his horse were shot after Chief Cochise died, so that they wouldn’t remind the living of him.
4. The Disappearance of Albert Fountain
Albert Fountain was a man of many talents, he was a journalist, a judge, a District Attorney and a governor. He was also a man who had many enemies and one day, when Albert and his son Henry were heading to Mesilla for the prosecution of some cattle rustlers, he was murdered. Up to this date, nobody knows who killed Albert and his son and their bodies have never been found.
3. Queho
Not much is known about Queho, a man born out of a Native American mother and an American father. Being of mixed race, Queho was always an outsider. Many crimes were attributed to his name and he ended up with quite a reputation of a murderer. After a bounty was placed on his head, he made himself invisible. His mummified remains were found somewhere in Las Vegas.
2. Pancho Villa’s Body
The famous Pancho Villa, the outlaw turned military man, lead a very interesting life, but not nearly as interesting as the whereabouts of his bodily remains. His trigger finger was said to be on display at a pawn shop, his head somewhere else and bones in various parts of the country. Poor man may not ever be able to rest in peace.
1. The Lost Cement Mine
This is probably the most amazing Wild Wild West mystery that has been going strong for more than a hundred years. The Lost Cement Mine is a mine that many believe to be filled to the brim with gold. There are quite a few accounts of men having found it and ultimately becoming rich, but there is no concrete evidence that it ever existed and there is definitely no coordinates to this gold-filled place.
