Ophir, North Carolina facts for kids

Ophir is a small place in the middle of Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States. It's not a big city, but a quiet community.

Where is Ophir?

Ophir is found on Ophir Road (State Road 1303). Other roads like Low Water Bridge Road, Flint Hill Road, and Tower Road meet here.

It's about five miles northeast of Highway 109 in Montgomery County. It's also about six miles southeast of Highway 49 in Davidson County.

Ophir is close to several counties. It's about one mile south of Randolph County. It's also five miles southeast of Davidson County.

The land in Ophir is about 518 feet (158 m) above the sea.

Ophir's Golden Past

Ophir got its name from an old story. It was named after a place called Ophir in the Bible. This biblical place was famous for its gold. It was said to be where gold was found for King Solomon's temple.

This small community started in the mid-1800s. This was a time when many people were looking for gold in North Carolina. It was a real "gold rush" in the state!

Gold Mining in Ophir

During the American Civil War, not much gold mining happened. Many men were away fighting. Those who stayed focused on their farms and families.

But after the war, mining picked up again. Many mines were active in the county. Several important mines were right in the Ophir area. They played a big part in the county's history.

The Russell Mine

The Russell Mine was one of the biggest gold producers in Montgomery County. It produced a lot of lode gold, which is gold found in rock veins.

This mine had large open pits and tunnels underground. The deepest parts went down over 200 ft (61 m). The biggest pit was called "Big Cut." It was about 300 ft (91 m). long and 150 ft (46 m). wide. It was also about 60 ft (18 m). deep.

People said that the rock dug from this pit had gold worth about $2.00 per ton. Most of the rock had gold, but only some parts had enough to be worth mining. Even then, the gold was often hard to see.

The Steel Mine

The Steel Mine was another important gold mine. It was located west of Ophir, near the Uwharrie River. Gold was found here around 1832.

The mine had thin lines of gold mixed with other minerals like galena and pyrite. These lines of gold followed the natural layers of the rock.

People said that finding gold here made farmers very excited. They were finding gold in almost every hill! The mine was worked a lot before 1853.

In 1876, a company from England bought the mine. They built new buildings and a mill to process the gold. One of the mine shafts went down 135 ft (41 m). deep.

Even in 1934, parts of the old mill were still there. Today, the Steel Mine is hard to reach. The old buildings from 1832 are now completely ruined.

Ophir Today

Today, Ophir is in the middle of the Uwharrie National Forest. It's also in the Uwharrie Mountains. This area is great for people who love the outdoors!

You can find many places to camp and hike nearby. There are also spots for hunting and fishing. Badin Lake and Lake Tillery are just a few miles away. The Uwharrie River also flows through the area.