The last
underground mining at Reed Gold Mine occurred in 1912, but people
continued to actively pan for gold in Little Meadow Creek throughout the
twentieth century. In 1966, Reed Gold Mine and portions of Little Meadow
Creek, were designated National Historic Landmarks. Today, they are
protected historic properties and panning is no longer allowed in the
creek.
It
is the mission of Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site to teach the history
of
North Carolina
gold mining and to share the state’s gold mining heritage with its
visitors. To further this mission an educational panning area has been set
up adjacent to Little Meadow Creek. Today, visitors to Reed Gold Mine can
learn the proper process and techniques of gold panning from instructors.
Panning is available April through October, weather permitting.
Because of the physical difficulties associated with this activity,
panning for gold is not recommended for children under the age of eight,
unless they have the assistance of an adult in their party. The troughs in
the panning area meet
ADA
requirements.
Panning
tickets must be purchased at the front desk of the Visitor Center.
A ticket to pan entitles the bearer to one gold pan filled with ore. Not
every pan will yield gold. The rate of finding gold is generally one out
of every five to six pans. The fee for panning is $2.00 per pan. Groups
(of 10 or more) that schedule a reservation in advance will receive the
group rate of $1.50 per pan.
To
check the radar for the Charlotte region please follow the link
below. Ultimately, the decision to open or close panning is made by
the staff.
PLEASE
NOTE: Groups of children arriving as part of a scheduled field trip will
not be allowed to pan unless they are in the third grade (in summer
months, children must be rising third graders). There will be no
exceptions to this age/grade requirement.