History of Tortilla Flats, Arizona

Some of the tales that have been told about this area.

This is just a small little grassy Valley in the superstition Mountains of Arizona. A very narrow pathway with the creek that can be running rampant every time there's a storm. This area was used by the early Indians with the trail that went from Central Arizona to the Salt River Area. Often called the Tonto Trail. Some legends tell it that Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca in the early 1500s was shipwrecked in Texas around 1528 and was captured any enslaved by Indians. We believe around 1836 he escaped into Mexico. Well in Mexico he met with friendly Indians and brought a Spanish expedition looking for gold into the Arizona territory. He  may have been the first one to set his eyes on the Superstition Mountains.

​Also some details on this area I've been told are about the Spanairds that prospected gold in the 1600-1700 Hundreds. There is a legend that they hid the gold in the superstition Mountains to keep it away from the rulers of Spain. It wasn't until 1821 that Mexico got their independence from Spain. In which there is a influx of Mexican prospectors to the area. Around the time of 1847-1849 what lay somewhere in this timeframe the Apaches killed some of the prospectors on the west end of the superstitious mountains in the massacre. Along with the prospectors came the  settlers to the area and needed military protection from the Apache Indians. By the 1800s there is a small settlement here atTortilla Flats with both Indian and Mexican prospectors. Records don't show the town here until the road was pushed through in 1904.When the road was built, the camp was placed near to the construction of the Roosevelt damn. 
The movie "lust for gold" with actor Glenn Ford was shot here. Western stars Ben Johnson and John Wayne often were frequent visitors to the area. Clark Gable always come through this area on this way to the Roosevelt damn which he often visited.  Paul Harvey and his daughter spent the day here. The restaurant bar was rebuilt in 1988. Very nice to see all the dollar bills left by customers from all over the world on the walls. What an interesting old ghost town on Highway 88. Which is also known as the north Apache Trail. Happy Trails!!!

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