Dahlonega

How do we get to Dahlonega? We ride on comfortable coach buses. We get to watch a movie while riding on the bus. You will have a partner to sit with on the bus. Sometimes it gets cold on the bus. (and sometimes it gets hot!) Takes about 1 ½ hours.

What can we bring with us? A snack and 2 drinks. (No cans!) A small cooler to share with your seat mate. NO ICE! You may use a freeze pack. Books, drawing paper, cards, etc. NO electronic games or I-pods. A small hip pack or backpack to hold your belongings and money. Spending money. ($25.00 limit) Camera

What are we going to do? Arrive Dahlonega and take a bathroom break. Visit the gold museum. Go to Crisson’s Gems-Mine. Take a tractor ride and grub for gems. Go to Consolidated Gold Mine. Pan for gold, go down into the mine and eat lunch Return home. Get back about 4:00 pm.

What can I do with my $25.00? There are three gift shops. The first and last are the best. You can buy an extra bucket of sand to grub for more gems. ($ $5.00) Items to buy: rock candy, gem stones, jewelry, magnets, pencils, and erasers. Dahlonega souvenirs. (No weapons.) Mother’s Day

What is panning for gold? A guide will demonstrate this for you. You will have a pan with sand in it. You will stand at a trough filled with water. You will swish your pan in the water and little by little the sand will wash away. Hopefully, you are left with gold. Yes, you keep your gold.

What is grubbing for gems? You will get a bucket full of sand and rocks. You will stand at a long trough filled with water. You will get a wooden sieve. Put some of the sand in sieve and swish it in the water. The sand will slip out and you are left with rocks and gems.

Dahlonega Gold Museum

Consolidated Gold Mine

First Major Gold Rush in America! In 1828, gold was discovered in Georgia. Benjamin Parks stumped his toe on a gold nugget while hunting deer in the North Georgia Mountains. Several thousand miners soon covered what was known as the Cherokee Territory.

Cherokee Indians Cherokee Indians refused to give up their North Georgia land. The state assumed ownership of Cherokee Territory in The land was distributed in a lottery. The Cherokee Indians were forced to move. The Trail of Tears

How is gold weighed? Gold is weighed in Troy Weight. Instead of 16 ounces to a pound, there are 12 ounces in a Troy Pound.

Gold in Georgia The gold on the dome on our state capitol building came from Dahlonega.

Gold in Dahlonega Site of the U.S. Branch Mint at Dahlonega The Price Memorial Building on the campus of North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega stands on the ruins of the U.S. Branch Mint

Facts about Gold Gold reflects the heat of the sun but allows light to pass through. (Space suits) Gold never tarnishes, rusts or decays. Good conductor of heat and electricity. Gold is the world’s most malleable metal. Gold doesn’t harden or become brittle. (Popular with jewelers.)

So get ready to have a good time!