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Within a short drive to the east of Charlotte is the site of the first authenticated gold find in the United States. Long before the first Californian called himself a `49er, people with pans and shovels were scouring the streams of the Southeast.
The discovery of gold on the farm of John Reed led to the first, extensive mining operations in the United States, which in turn precipitated the nation's first gold rush. From the Reed mine, gold discoveries spread gradually to nearby counties until the late 1820's when the search spilled over into other southern states. During its peak years, gold mining employed more of North Carolina's people than any occupation other than farming. The estimated value of gold recovered reached over a million dollars a year. North Carolina maintained its leadership in gold production until 1848 when it was eclipsed in importance by the great rush to California.
Near the town of Locust, N.C., gold fever that radiated across the land in
the 1800s began in 1799 with the discovery in a creek bed of a 17-pound gold
nugget used as a doorstop by an immigrant Hessian farmer.
At the time North Carolina was the nation`s sole supplier of gold to the nation`s mint in Philadelphia. By the mid-1800s Charlotte had a U.S. mint of its own.
The Reed Gold Mine, 20 miles east of Charlotte, is a state-owned historical site that contains the original 822 acres of John Reed`s farm. Reed`s son Conrad, the story goes, discovered a large yellow rock in the farm`s creek while playing hooky from church in 1799.
Not knowing what it was, the family used the gold nugget for a doorstop until 1802 when a jeweler recognized it as something more than a pretty rock and paid the family $3.50 for the chunk of gold worth, at that time, $3,600.
Not long after that, John Reed wised up and formed a mining partnership.
Soon, just about anybody with a farm and a shovel had become a gold miner. By
the mid-1820s, there were 300 gold mines in North Carolina - most of them
holes dug in the ground between crops by farmers and their slaves. At one
time, there were 83 mines within Mecklenburg County. The wealth created by the
area`s gold mines got Charlotte started as a banking center. It is said that Charlotte would not be the size city it is today without the gold boom.
The Reed mine closed in 1912. In 1971, the property`s owners donated the old mine to the state, which reopened a section of the Reed mine to visitors in 1977.
Visitors who want to see a stamp mill in operation will find it at the Reed Gold Mine, which has reconstructed a mill building around one of three remaining stamp machines operating in the United States.
From north of Charlotte, take I-85 North to Concord. Take 601 Bypass South to Highway 200 which is 3.5 miles south of the intersection of Highway 49 and 601. Turn left on Highway 200 go 3.5 miles to Reed Mine Road. Turn right. The park is 2 miles on the left.
From within Charlotte, take U.S. 74 (Independence Blvd) to NC 24/24 (Albemarle Rd) east 25 miles to Reed Mine Road. Turn left. The site is 2 miles on the right.
Fees:
Free tours of mine and stamp mill;
visitor center with exhibits and film on history of the mine;
gold panning $2 per ticket (includes 1 pan of ore and instruction);
group rate available April-October;
Picnic area. Free admission to tours and visitor center.
Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site’s hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., April through October. From November through March, the site is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The site is closed on Sunday, Monday, and on major holidays.
Email:
Directions
Hours:
Phone:
(704) 721-GOLD(4653)
reedmine1799@msn.com
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