Dahlonega, Georgia is the center of America's first gold rush. Gold was discovered here in 1828, some 20 years BEFORE the California Gold Rush. In 1835, Congress passed legislation to authorize the establishment of 3 branch mints: New Orleans, LA; Charlotte, NC; and DAHLONEGA, GA. The mint opened for business Feb 12, 1838 and during its 23 years of operation, some $6.1 million in U.S. gold coins were minted here bearing the "D" mint mark.
Gold
There is such an ailment as GOLD FEVER. You catch it every time you pick up a pan full of ore and swirl it around looking for those bright specks of yellow at the bottom of the pan.
Missing Gold Shipment from Confederate Mint
Dahlonega, Georgia is the center of America's first gold rush. Gold was discovered here in 1828, some 20 years BEFORE the California Gold Rush. In 1835, Congress passed legislation to authorize the establishment of 3 branch mints: New Orleans, LA; Charlotte, NC; and DAHLONEGA, GA. The mint opened for business Feb 12, 1838 and during its 23 years of operation, some $6.1 million in U.S. gold coins were minted here bearing the "D" mint mark.
How to Pan for Gold
The saying…”There's gold in them 'thar hills!” was ‘coined’ in the Northeast Georgia Mountains.
Panning for gold is a relatively easy process quickly mastered by the determined amateur. Armed with a gold-pan shovel, the novice prospector can effectively mine the precious mineral from Dahlonega to Clayton. In order to find the ideal area in which to begin panning, folks would do well to purchase Larry Otwell's latest book on the subject," Georgia's Hidden Gold: A guide to unexplored Ice Age surfaces", which comes complete with geological maps. His books are available at shops throughout the region.
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Panning for gold is a relatively easy process quickly mastered by the determined amateur. Armed with a gold-pan shovel, the novice prospector can effectively mine the precious mineral from Dahlonega to Clayton. In order to find the ideal area in which to begin panning, folks would do well to purchase Larry Otwell's latest book on the subject," Georgia's Hidden Gold: A guide to unexplored Ice Age surfaces", which comes complete with geological maps. His books are available at shops throughout the region.
Gold Panning
Not only can you pan for gold in Northeast Georgia, but you can tour a gold mine, see a stamp mill work and hear some stories about real prospectors who spent their lives looking for that precious yellow metal. These places include:
Crissons Gold Mine (Dahlonega)
Consolidated Gold Mine (Dahlonega)
Duke's Creek (Helen)
Gold N' Gem Grubbin' Mine (Cleveland)
Crissons Gold Mine (Dahlonega)
Consolidated Gold Mine (Dahlonega)
Duke's Creek (Helen)
Gold N' Gem Grubbin' Mine (Cleveland)
