One of the memories I have as a child when we lived in Ringgold was my fourth-grade class trip to the Capitol building in Atlanta. You get a tour with a bunch of other fourth grade classes in the spring when there’s opportunity to see the full splendor of the building, and depending on the weather of the day get to enjoy the shining splendor of the Gold Dome in the sunlight while walking around the statues surrounding the outside of the neoclassical structure constructed in 1889. We took a picture as all classes do on the steps leading up to the second story.

I’m sure as the sun will rise every morning that my mother still has that particular photograph hidden away in an album somewhere.

My imagination I’m sure is filling in for memory here, but I have this cinematic remembrance of a tour guide pointing toward the dome and talking about its construction, and the gilded covering that was added in the late 1950s. The gold flake comes from gold that was dug up here in the Georgia mountains in a town called Dahlonega, found in Lumpkin County.

Just a short drive from the North Carolina border and the home to the University of North Georgia, the site of Georgia’s late 1820s gold rush remains one of my favorite destinations for a quick weekend adventure that doesn’t require an overnight stay. It has changed much over the years from a sleepy town amid the southern reaches of the Appalachian Mountains from my recollections of boyhood stops here with the family, to college drives through the mountains during school breaks and later jaunts with my father, and Jess as well.

Dahlonega’s past remains a part of the historic downtown’s present, yet it is definitely a destination that has gone from a sleepy town solely focused on the mountain town’s boom past to one with a mix of metro area culture and a village-like vibe that I think you’ll find appealing for your next jaunt away from Polk County.

A Passion for The Color

Humanity has throughout time placed an inherent value on mineral objects, specifically one that outshines most all others: gold. Every instance in recent history a place has found the color, fortune seekers rush in to find their riches until nothing remains, then move onto the next place.

In 1829, present day Lumpkin County was ground zero of one of America’s great gold rushes in North Georgia. Dahlonega was the boom town the men from all walks of life crowded at one point numbers estimated upward of 15,000 at the height of the rush that stretched into the early 1830s.

This was technically still Cherokee territory during the period, though thousands of miners flocked to the area working on the Etowah and Chestatee rivers in areas stretching from Union to Cherokee counties searching for the gold found in the mountains that tumbled down into the rivers over time through planer mining. There are still locations in Dahlonega that families can experience the technique of panning for gold (like this one) and it is a lot of fun for kids.

Don’t expect to find anything of value.

Once upon a time, there was gold in dem dar hills! These days, the only thing people can find is pyrite in the gift shops to take home with them in tiny vials or chunks to study in the hand and momentarily be mesmerized by the beauty. Then remembering it isn’t the real thing, the stone suddenly loses a bit of the luster.

Where’s the gold today? Much of it was sent off to the Philadelphia mint – some $212,000 of it in 1830’s money – more than an estimated $597 million in today’s money – but it remains like the precious metal of time and is all over the place. There’s a possibility that tiny amounts of the gold in a wedding ring bought in a store today has gold found during the Georgia rush still in it today.

Even if the American dollar is no longer backed by gold, the color will never lose its value.

Along with the Gold Dome, some of Dahlonega’s gold today can be found in the historic courthouse museum found downtown that details the history of the Gold Rush, shows off equipment used to mine the gold and more. There’s a documentary for people to watch as well, or at least was the last time I went a few trips ago with my dad. COVID-19 obviously will impact the ability of people to enjoy certain aspects of the experience, like sitting in a small theater space.

Admission to the museum is $8.50 for adults, and $6 for kids (6 and under get in free) and seniors are $8.

Of note, you might see the glint of gold dust in some of the bricks used to construct the building. At least I noticed it during the tour. Check out the state historic site website for hours and additional information.

Dahlonega these days

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Obviously, the city’s past remains influential on the present, but I noticed on Jess and I’s recent trip that downtown has definitely transformed over the years into a place catering to a variety of crowds. There’s a seafood restaurant that looks straight out of a movie downtown. Chapels off the narrow side streets look to be of the sort brides seek out for those perfect wedding day photos. There’s an awesome chocolate shop just a few doors down from the general store I always find the same tourist trinkets within, and where there are still these awesome fortune teller machines.

Yet we had an amazing time in downtown Dahlonega. The chocolate shop we stopped in had homemade bars wrapped in gold foil, but also these awesome homemade truffles that only made it back to Polk County because they were rich enough you couldn’t eat them all at one time.

Walking around the square, we went down the sidewalk and behind a building found a tea shop that is also worth the visit if you get the chance. I say this as a coffee drinker, and admitting that it is not a cheap investment. Yet the flavors we chose have been delicious and stretching a long way for the cost. Do yourself a favor and stop by and smell the goodness that comes from that shop.

You will find other expected things in Dahlonega that are in other small southern towns like antique stores and law offices aplenty. Don’t be discouraged by parking either: drive around for a few minutes and get oriented before picking a spot.

Even though we’re stretching into the final weeks of summer here and the weather isn’t quite as hot, there is a chance to have fun on the river with chances for tubing, canoe or kayak paddle adventures on the Chestatee River. Don’t expect it to be cheap, and plan for at least a few hours of time away from your vehicle. Remember your technology doesn’t need to end up in the water, so either get waterproof phone cases ahead of time or leave them locked away somewhere safe.

Driving suggestions

Google Maps is going to want to take you through Atlanta and the interstate, but that takes a lot of fun out of the adventure with the stress of either navigating I-20 East or I-75 South just to have to head back north again. Plus, you never know when you’ll get stuck in traffic due to a wreck or someone breaking down. If you’re in a hurry, then by all means enjoy the interstate. Might be worth it if your adventure includes time on the river.

Avoid that all together and enjoy the scenic route via Highway 113 North through Cartersville, then taking Hwy 411 North to Fairmount, then follow your way onto Highway 53 until you reach Dawsonville, and turn onto Highway 9 and follow the windy path through the mountains into downtown Dahlonega. Take the long way back on Hwy 52 to find Amicalola if you’re up for a hike and follow your way back on Hwy 136 until you reach 53 again.

There’s also a nice route utilizing Hwy 140 through Adairsville if you prefer to go through Rome first and get off of Hwy 53 using Hwy 515 to get into

All told, the round trip for us was around 220 miles or so, and took about 4 1/2 hours of driving time back and forth. Google Maps will tell you it is longer, but really when driving at a normal pace it isn’t.

Note: I highly suggest this route when fall colors begin to show in the trees.

Please remember to take proper precautions when out and about: have several masks on hand in case you need to change, respect business owner’s decisions on wearing face coverings in their stores, and try to keep one of those mini bottles of hand sanitizer in a pants pocket if possible. Lumpkin County case numbers were at 558 in total as of the most recent Georgia DPH report (August 22,) so keep an eye on those figures before traveling.

So get out there and enjoy your trip to historic Dahlonega this weekend or one in the future when you have a chance. It provides all kinds of activities for young and old to enjoy.