Reed Gold Mine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Reed Gold Mine
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| Nearest city | Concord, North Carolina |
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| Built | 1799 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000587 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
The Reed Gold Mine in Midland, Cabarrus County, is a very important place in North Carolina and United States history. It's where the first gold was officially found and mined for money in the U.S. Because it's so important, it's been named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a special place recognized by the government for its history.
Contents
Discovering Gold at Reed Mine
How Gold Was First Found
In 1799, a boy named Conrad Reed was playing in Little Meadow Creek. This creek was on his family's farm in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. Conrad found a very heavy, yellow "rock" that weighed about 17 pounds!
His father, John Reed, didn't know what the rock was. For three years, they used this big, heavy rock as a doorstop. It just held their door open!
The Big Surprise: A Gold Nugget!
In 1802, John Reed finally showed the "rock" to a jeweler in Fayetteville. The jeweler immediately knew it was a huge piece of gold, called a gold nugget. He asked John Reed to name his price for it.
John Reed didn't understand how valuable gold was. He thought $3.50 was a lot of money, so he asked for that. This was about a week's pay back then. But the jeweler knew the nugget was actually worth around $3,600! That's a huge difference!
Mining for Gold Begins
Starting the Gold Business
Around 1803, John Reed realized how much gold was on his land. He started a small gold mining business. Not long after, one of his workers, a man named Peter, found an even bigger gold nugget. This one weighed 28 pounds!
For many years, John Reed mostly used a method called placer mining. This means looking for gold in streams and rivers, often by washing gravel.
Digging Deep for Gold
Later, in 1831, John Reed started underground mining. This involved digging tunnels into the earth to find gold veins. He became very wealthy from the gold found on his property. John Reed lived a long life and passed away in 1845 when he was 88 years old.
Mining Slows Down
Years later, the American Civil War (1861-1865) caused mining to slow down. Many workers and resources were needed for the war instead. The last very large gold nugget found by placer mining at the Reed Mine was in 1896. The last time people dug for gold underground at the Reed Mine was in 1912.
To handle all the gold found in North Carolina, a special building called the Charlotte Mint was built nearby in Charlotte, North Carolina. This mint was where gold was turned into coins.
Visiting Reed Gold Mine Today
Today, the Reed Gold Mine is a special place you can visit. It's a state historic site, which means it's protected and managed by North Carolina.
When you visit, you can explore a museum. The museum has lots of interesting exhibits that show what gold mining was like in North Carolina. You can also walk through hundreds of feet of old gold mine tunnels that have been made safe for visitors. It's a great way to learn about the history of gold in America!
Images for kids
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The Reed Gold Mine site.
