Most people don’t realize that America’s first gold rush actually took place right here in North Carolina. It all began in 1799 when a 12-year-old boy named Conrad Reed found a 17 pound gold nugget (more like small boulder!) while playing in Meadow Creek. For three years, the nugget was used as a doorstop – because the family didn’t know what they had. Keep reading to learn what happened to the nugget and how that same family eventually opened the first gold mine in North Carolina – which you can still visit and pan for gold today.
In 1802, Reed's father took that 17 pound nugget to a jeweler in Fayetteville who swindled it away from the family. He bought it for $3.50, which is equivalent to about $65 in today's coin.
Reed, not understanding the true value of gold, had sold that nugget for about $3,599 under its street value. In learning his mistake, he quickly established the very first commercial gold mine in the United States and you can still visit it today.
To begin with, Reed Gold Mine is a treasure unto itself.
Although Reed's mining activities began in 1803, it wasn't until 1831 that he took the operation underground. The mine we can visit today includes portions of that original mine.
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Officially listed as a state historic site, Reed Gold Mine showcases something we rarely get to see in the Southern U.S.
Admission is free, but we suggest you sign up for a paid underground tour (if available on the day you visit) to learn even more about this underground treasure. The tunnels you'll visit are restored from the original mine shaft.
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But exploring the mine isn't all there is to do at Reed Gold Mine.
Learn about geology and how it forms gold. Sit through an orientation film about the mine and the history of mining in the state. And learn all about the Reed family, whose costly error in 1802 at the jeweler turned their lives around.
You can also unwind on one of the few trails around the property.
If you live in North Carolina, then you know you can pan for gemstones in a number of places. But this just may be the only REAL mine where you can pan for actual GOLD.
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You might guess that panning isn't free, but it won't cost a fortune either. Individuals pay $3.00 per person to try their luck (or skills) at panning.
Each panning session is limited to 30 minutes. Note that panning is only available Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from April 1 through October 31.
The mine is open year-round each Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free. Self-guided, underground tours are available from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Learn more about this gold mine in North Carolina, here.
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