gold hill mines historic park

Only drove thru as we didn't have time to stop. Charming area. Would need to visit when having more time. Not a lot to do but would be interesting to take a little time and explore.

The park is wide open for picnicking or a ball game , there is even an old jail in the park. There are little shops and restaurants filled with wonderful smells , crafts and old objects. Once a year they have a history day here you can visit the park and the shops and hear the tales of haunted houses and odd events.

You must take the tour and talk to Ms. Vivian Hopkins at the General Store! This little town is full of history. A few buildings are from the 1800's. This is a very special little place where you can get a feel for the history.

I'm prejudice because I grew up in Gold Hill! After serving 20 years in the US AIR FORCE, I decided to return to my little home town to retire & start a business. Everything stated in the other reviews are absolutely correct! The 1840s Gold Rush Town was abandoned and in disrepair when as a kid my friends and I loved these old mines and old buildings to play lots of time. I love seeing the place where I grew up restored and made into a very nice place to visit & learn about the history of Gold Mining in N.C. & the first place gold was found and mined in the USA. Plan a picnic with the family, let the kids play on the grounds and playground equipment, take a look at the old stores and shops, take a walk around the mines & trails. Enjoy an afternoon or day learning and seeing history in an original old gold town!

Great place for a day trip. There is so much to learn in these small villages and the folks at Gold Hill have done an excellent job of restoring and maintaining the historical significance. The shops are wonderful. The people are welcoming and love to brag on their small village. Worth taking a day jsut to go visit and learn.

Gold Hill Historic Village is fun to walk through and look at the old mining town. They have events during the year when people dress in civil war costumes. These include reenactments of the war. There are craft and food fairs during many of their events. At Christmastime visitors buy a bag of "gold nuggets" which buys samples of food at each establishment; foods like Brunswick stew, barbecue, baked goods, ice cream. Every Friday evening throughout the year there is a bluegrass music "practice" at the Old Montgomery General store. There is no charge and all are welcome. During these events there will be different types of music played on the outdoor stage or in the alcove by the general store.

I used to live in Mountain Pleasant (about 45 minutes from Charlotte) and would often bring my dogs here for walks. It is a unique and beautiful place to come spend the day. And did you know that gold was actually first discovered in NC and not CA? Yep just up the road at Reed’s Gold Mine is where a young man found a “door stop” that would later turn out to be a large chuck of gold and gold fever ht the Carolinas. The town was establish in 1843 and at one time was one of the richest mining down east of the Mississippi. As soon as miners moved her so did business including stores, hotel, and taverns. And soon this rowdy mining town was transformed into a social and economic center. Events were often labeled grand affairs and tickets were sold only to the most elite patrons. The former Gold Hill Hotel allowed guests to dine with fine table linens on fine china. But eventually like many other towns the gold rush would move out west and the town would fade into obscurity. But decades of hard work, dedication, and preservation have brought this town back to life. Today once again stores are thriving and offering customers unique and one of a kind items. There is a restaurant in town as well as a bakery. There are craft and music stores. E.H, Montgomery General Store sells just about everything and on Fridays come as musicians form all over come to play awhile. Mauney’s 4840 store also carries local made products and downstairs is a museum on the history of the town. You can stroll through Gold Hill Park, enjoy the old jail, there are still mine shafts thought out, or enjoy walking Gold Hill Rail trail which is a mile long trail that will eventually be an 8 mile trail. Bring your camera as there are lots of sights to photograph. There are also a number of events held though out the year with the 4 most popular being the Founders Day parade, Oyster Roast. Lighting of the Fall Fires, and Haunted Gold Hill. There are also plenty of places that can be rented out for special events. There is a parking area and it is free. I have been numerous times and always enjoy just strolling around. I have also been here for several events. The Founders Day Parade is great and well organized and popular. So you need to get here early. But the other events seem to be very unorganized even though they have been doing these for years!

Nice day trip. Just walking around looking at the old shops. Enjoyed lunch at the little cafe. they had a festival with crafts and food items the day we were there.