The weather was gorgeous, so we ordered lunch at Connie's Ice Cream Parlor & Sandwich Shop and carried the to-go containers to Hancock Park for a picnic.
We ate grilled cheese on sourdough sandwiches! Yum!!
We saw this "tree" in Hancock Park.
It's the Maibaum History Tree, a visual depiction of Dahlonega's history. There is a sign nearby that tells what is illustrated on each branch of the tree.
Dahlonega is known for GOLD! Benjamin Parks was the first to discover gold in the area in 1828, which began the first major gold rush in America in 1829.
The name Dahlonega originates from the Cherokee word "talonega" (also spelled "dalonige"), which means "yellow" or "golden."
We saw this gold mine shaft, which is part of an exhibit located in The Smith House.
The shaft had a 20-foot vertical fall, ending at a spot where two horizontal mine shafts came off.
Downtown Dahlonega is organized around the Dahlonega Gold Museum.
Built in 1836, the Old Lumpkin County Courthouse now houses the Dahlonega Gold Museum. The courthouse building was built using locally-made brick which included trace amounts of gold. It is the oldest existing courthouse in Georgia.
On display in Hancock Park is the Chestatee River Diving Bell.
The diving bell was used in 1875 to mine the depths of the Chestatee River by retrieving buckets of gold-bearing gravel from the river bottom. The miners descended into the diving bell through the air lock.
We walked Dahlonega's historic streets and Public Square while visiting many of the 65 retail shops. However, we didn't have time to see and do everything we wanted...so we are planning to return in the near future!
photo credits:
gold mine shaft
Dahlonega Gold Museum