OctoberGold Rush Days are a celebratory reminder in Dahlonega, Ga., of the town's heyday as a gold-rush town. The nation's first major gold rush was here in 1828, and the area around Dahlonega boomed; a federal mint built in 1838 operated for 23 years and coined more than $6 million. Mining continued into the beginning of the 20th century, and today visitors can pan for gold at several locations. The name of the town is pronounced dah-LON-a-gah; it is derived from the Cherokee name Talonega, meaning "golden." The festival includes arts and crafts exhibits, country cooking, and beard-growing and hog-calling contests.
CONTACTS:
Dahlonega Jaycees
E. Morrison Moore Pkwy.
P.O. Box 774
Dahlonega, GA 30533
706-864-7247
www.dahlonega.org