These 6 Rare Photos Show Georgia’s Gold Mining History

1630Boston

While most people think of California when the words “Gold Rush” are uttered, Georgia had it’s very own rush back in the day. In fact, Georgia was one of the first places in the United States to have a gold rush. With over a million dollars in gold reported by the Philadelphia Mint, see for yourself was life was like in Georgia during the 1800s.

However, what many people forget is that Georgia was home to its very own Gold Rush back before the prospect of California was even on the radar.

The Georgia Gold Rush was the second most significant gold rush in the United States, taking a back seat to North Carolina.

Beginning in the 1820s near Dahlonega, there were reports of gold in the North Georgia mountains.

Gold was officially discovered in 1830, which caused an abundance of mining operations to spring up here and there, causing some serious problems for the land itself.

While gold was being mined at nearly every stream in northern Georgia, significant damage was done due to the hydraulic mining techniques in the 1920s.

Despite the reports that over $1m in gold were received by the Philadelphia Mint from 1830-1837, mining came to an abrupt halt at the beginning of the Civil War.

ricko

Wow.... Having panned for gold, and done a small amount of digging, I can tell you, there is a lot to it... especially when it is a dedicated mining effort. I panned for gold in New Zealand, California and Washington State.... dug a bit and MD'd in Arizona. Two nuggets and a small amount of 'dust'....Still have the nuggets. Thanks for the great pictures. Cheers, RickO

amwldcoin

There is an ongoing battle between the early gold find claims. Supposedly gold was found in Villa Rica, Ga. around 1820.

TurtleCat

Really cool! There are still some places in North Carolina (and probably Georgia) where you can still pan for gold a bit. I’ve done it at the Reed gold mine museum area. Got a few small gold flakes. Not worth anything but always neat.

logger7

Gold mining is a very rough life, it was much tougher a couple hundred years ago, thanks for the pictures. I've been at the Dahlonega mining museum, also a weekend country fair that featured that and moonshining. Water cannons were used to blast away hillsides. A totally honest historical presentation on gold mining in Northern Georgia would have a lot of interesting, even positive stories, together with the heartache, etc..

1630Boston

@logger7 said:
Gold mining is a very rough life,

It sure was

trueblood

So where is all the gold these days....where did it go to or how did it disappear. I know stupid question but no way they removed it all back then?

2dueces

Probably a lot left if the only reason the mining was stopped because of the war.

amwldcoin

If I'm not mistaken. The last crunch was when Walmart went to build a store in Dalonega. There be gold here!

@trueblood said:
So where is all the gold these days....where did it go to or how did it disappear. I know stupid question but no way they removed it all back then?

TurtleCat

While there is still some gold in the area, a lot of it has already been found and processed. What’s left is probably not economical to retrieve given the costs involved.

But there are still fun things to be had like at Gem Mountain in North Carolina. I found an emerald there that was gem quality. Had it cut to about 2.5 carats and sits in a ring my wife loves to wear.

logger7

@1630Boston said:

@logger7 said:
Gold mining is a very rough life,

It sure was

I asked some South Africans that I was working at a ski resort in Vermont about gold mining in their country, I guess that is one reason they were working abroad. Then on gold mining stocks and Mark Twain's saying.

johnny9434

Way cool

Goldminers

I worked 4,500 feet underground, mining for lead, zinc, and silver in 1973 out of high school and continued all around the world working with gold and copper mines ever since. Always good to see old pictures saved.

That was a lot of work cutting and splitting that large tree by hand.