There's gold in them hills. No, really.
The city of Dahlonega is synonymous with the Gold Rush of the 1820's, but that's not all it is, especially not now. Though you can still pan for gold in Dahlonega at several mining museums, there's more to see.
You probably came her for a little history lesson, so here it is, courtesy of the New Georgia Encyclopedia: the land itself was part of the Cherokee Nation when settlers first arrived in the region and the city was incorporated in 1833 after "Twenty-Niner" miners poured in the area, and replaced the now-abandoned Auraria as the seat of Lumpkin County.
After forcing out the Cherokees, the boomtown got so big the government built a mint in Dahlonega in 1835, producing $6 million worth of gold before closing in 1861 - lower gold productions during the Civil War saw the mint's demise.
The University of North Georgia planted its roots in that old mint building in 1873 as North Georgia Agricultural College; the population dropped and rebounded from the 1900s through the Great Depression; tourism efforts began in the 1950's.
Fast forward to now and there's a lot to see in the little town. For starters, the Downtown Square boasts a gold museum in the historic courthouse, dining and shopping (including my two favorite local entities J.R. Criders and Dress Up Boutique, both of which have sister stores on the Gainesville Square). The ever-growing college remains. Wineries, vineyards and scenic wedding venues dot the mountains.
As for unexpected treats, there are several antique stores on the square that I happen to frequent, but more interesting is probably the abandoned mine shafts that have been boarded up... mostly. The Holly Theater is rumored to be haunted, but it's also a cool old theater. Another Indian burial mound - Stonepile Gap - sits at an intersection, and it's said if you bring a stone to place on the Princess's grave, she'll bring you good luck. If you're feeling spooky, try a ghost tour. Expect blog posts on some these places in 2016!
A little less on the weird side, the Downtown Square is a host to many festivals, like Gold Rush in October, or Bear on the Square coming up in April. If you're feeling outdoorsy, spend the day at DeSoto Falls in the Chattahoochee State Park off of Georgia 9. If you're a fan of wine, try visiting one of the vineyards or taking a wine tour.
Like I said before when I started this blog, there's a lot out there that's just under our noses. "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once in a while, you might miss it."
Join me next week as I update my list of places to go and see - during hibernation I thought of plenty more places, people and things that piqued my interest, and hopefully will pique yours. As always, I'm taking suggestions... and requests. Shoot me an email with yours. And if I'm feeling zesty, you might even get a double post to make up for the month I took off.
Until then, stay curious.
