January 8
Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 8:52PM Panning for gold at Dahlonega could be a lot of fun. Especially, if you found some of the valuable metal.
—Georgia, by Elmer D. Williams
Dear Dixie,
They met the governor, sure, but all they could talk about the rest of the week was what we were going to do today. Pan for gold and grub for gems. They frantically asked … How much gold did I think they’d find? Why is gold so valuable? If they found some gold could they keep it or did they have to give some of it to the gold mine people?
We had planned on going to the site of the start of America’s gold rush, Tauloneca, now called Dahlonega, in Lumpkin County. We knew it was cold all week but we didn’t plan on it snowing and drizzling and freezing up Thursday night. Lurlene called all the teachers this morning and said sleep in.
I had said to Lurlene from my warm and cozy bed, No problem … at all!
Later I called the fellow at Consolidated Mines and told him school was out today and we wouldn’t be coming.
He said we’d sure like to have you come another time.
I told the fellow he could count on it. The kids were going nuts for today. They really wanted to confirm that they’d get to keep any gold they panned?
In his Lumpkin County accent he said … Thay shar doo!
Next Entry ... January 11: Dispatch From Yamacraw Bluff