A popular tourist destination in North Georgia, Dahlonega is famous for being the site of the first gold rush in the United States. In 1828, 20 years before the California gold rush, thousands of miners congregated in the area for the plentiful gold. In the earlier day, they only had to pick it off the ground. Later, they used pans and sluice boxes to get the gold from the streams and rivers and began mining for it underground.
While commercial gold mining operations ended in the 1980s, visitors can visit the mines to try their hand at gold panning. Here are some places dedicated to gold in Dahlonega.
Dahlonega Gold Museum
Located at 1 Public Square inside the well-preserved Lumpkin County Courthouse building, the museum displays the rare gold coins that the U.S. Branch Mint minted in Dahlonega between 1838 and 1861. During this period, it produced gold coins worth over $6 million. The museum also has a gold nugget that weighs more than five ounces. Other museum attractions include a big hydraulic cannon with a nozzle for gold extraction.
The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. On Sunday, you can visit between 10 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. The admission fee is $8.50 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 for youth from 7 to 17 years old, and free for children who are 6 years old or younger. For group tours, the fee is $7 for adults, $4 for youth, and $3 for children.
Consolidated Gold Mine
Established in 1896 to extract gold from quartz veins, this is a deep mine with a depth of around 200 feet. You can take a guided tour to see how hard the miners worked to blast the quartz and extract the gold deposits. You can also try your hand at gold panning while you’re down below.
The temperature in the mine is around 60 degrees throughout the year, and the tour requires a lot of walking, including going down and reclimbing stairways and ramps. Wear sturdy walking shoes. The mine does not allow strollers or pets, and it may not be an ideal outing for very young children.
You can visit the Consolidated Gold Mine seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fee is $18 for adults and $12 for children.
Crisson Gold Mine
The mine was in operation from 1847 until the early 1980s and opened to the public in 1969. You can see the 130-year-old stamp mill crush quartz rock to extract gold, and you can see other antique gold mining machines, such as the rod mills and jaw crushers, in operation. Additionally, you can pan for gold, rubies, sapphires, and other gemstones. Along with renting a trommel for gold processing, you can buy equipment like dredges and metal detectors.
You can visit the Crisson Gold Mine seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Take a self-guided tour or a group tour. Admission is $10.95 for anyone who is 4 years old or older.
These tours offer a glimpse into an interesting historical period that helped shape U.S. history. If you’re in Dahlonega, don’t miss out.
Image via Pixabay
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