Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site
Encyclopedia
The Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site is a Georgia
state historic site
located in Dahlonega
that commemorates America
's first gold rush
and the mining
history of Lumpkin County. The museum is housed in the historic 1836 Lumpkin county courthouse, which is located in the center of the town square
, and is the oldest surviving county courthouse in the state. The museum houses many artifacts from the gold rush of 1836, including gold nugget
s, gold coins, and gold panning
equipment, as well as an educational film
and gift shop
.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
state historic site
Historic site
A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with the official national historic site status...
located in Dahlonega
Dahlonega, Georgia
Dahlonega is a city in Lumpkin County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,242....
that commemorates America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
's first gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
and the mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
history of Lumpkin County. The museum is housed in the historic 1836 Lumpkin county courthouse, which is located in the center of the town square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
, and is the oldest surviving county courthouse in the state. The museum houses many artifacts from the gold rush of 1836, including gold nugget
Gold nugget
A gold nugget is a naturally occurring piece of native gold. Watercourses often concentrate and grow the nuggets. Nuggets are recovered by placer mining, but they are also found in residual deposits where the gold-bearing veins or lodes are weathered...
s, gold coins, and gold panning
Gold panning
Gold panning, or simply panning, is a form of placer mining that extracts gold from a placer deposit using a pan. The process is one of the simplest ways to extract gold, and is popular with geology enthusiasts because of its cheap cost and the relatively simple and easy process involved. It is the...
equipment, as well as an educational film
Educational film
An educational film is a film or movie whose primary purpose is to educate. Educational films have been used in classrooms as an alternative to other teaching methods.-Cultural significance:...
and gift shop
Gift shop
A gift shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collections and other souvenirs....
.
Annual events
- Gold Rush Days (October)
- Dahlonega's Old Fashion Christmas Celebration (December)
- Dahlonega Gold Museum Open House (December)
- Home for lots of gold