Grounds Improvement Project
We are so grateful to have been given the Foundation grounds back in 2014. The beautiful 12 acre lot has the remnants of the original 1800s stamp mill, Nichols Mine, our brand new Miner's Meadow Nature Park, and the Gold Rush Trail. We have several goals to make this property shine as much as it deserves!
Entrance Sign
Currently, there is no signage by the road to draw in passing motorists. Our first step in making the grounds shine is getting a simple sign to let people know that this isn't just a beautiful piece of wooded property. It holds a mother lode of history!
Almost Completed!
While North Carolina is known for being 1st in flight, Cheerwine, and Krispy Kreme, we are also known for being 1st in gold and now we are The Great Trails State!
Families from all over the state and beyond enjoy getting out in nature at the wide selection of trails in this area. While the trail is well laid out, we now have the Miner's Meadow Nature Park where families can bring a picnic lunch (or pick up an order from The Lucky Strike's Miners Diner just across the road), enjoy the sounds of nature, and let kids run around to play. We have a few picnic tables so that it truly is a relaxing experience, not just a hike.
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The Miner's Meadow Nature Park is brought to us by Barefoot Baby Foundation. Let us know if you want to help make this even better!
Trailhead Kiosk - Now Completed!
We can now showcase the trail and some of the land's history with our new trailhead kiosk. We also plan to add a storyboard at both the Nichols Mine entrance, and at the stamp mill remnants.
Nichol's Mine Shaft #4 - Now Completed!
The only remaining viewable shaft of the 4 shafts, Nichol's Mine Shaft #4 got a new facelift. When you check it out, you will be seeing what it would have looked like back when it was a working mine in the 1830's and again in 1905!
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The Nichol's mines follow the Nichol's vein that runs through the property, under the road, across the creek, and beyond!
Stamp Mill
Speaking of the stamp mill, a long held dream is to rebuild the stamp mill. There currently is a 10 stamp mill that is available for purchase, but the price tag is thousands of dollars.
Mini Museum
Our long term dream is to have a mini museum. This will be the place where visitors can view all sorts of history of the area, pictures of what it used to look like, and more.