DAHLONEGA,GA - Vitality Magazine Cape Cod

The 15-acre Three Sisters Vineyards has been open since 1995.
Looking for a great vacation destina- cut over to Interstate 85 the next time you’re Atlanta, Dahlonega has a remarkable histion that has beautiful rolling hills, friendly driving to or from Florida.
tory. It was the center of the north Georgia
people, unusual history, magnificent vineLocated in the foothills of the Blue Gold Rush of 1829-49, which produced apyards, gold mines you can tour, gold you Ridge Mountains and the Southern Appa- proximately $1.2 billion in gold (in today’s
can pan for, trout fishing, golf, and great lachians, Lumpkin County offers rivers and dollars). In 1838, there was so much gold
restaurants and shopping—not to mention a streams, scenic mountain peaks and valleys, production that the U.S. Mint opened a loclassic Town Square? Welcome to Dahlone- peaceful groves and meadows—and about cation in Dahlonega. During the gold rush’s
ga, Georgia.
25,000 inhabitants. Dahlonega—the Lump- first three years, there was three times more
Dahlonega (pron: dal ON egg a) is one kin County seat--has around 5,000 inhabit- gold wealth extracted in Dahlonega than the
of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in ants.
‘49ers found in their first three years in CaliGeorgia, and a good reason for snowbirds to
Located 90 minutes (71 miles) north of fornia.
Unfortunately, the Georgia Gold Rush
had an untimely end when the Federal Government--intent on populating the western
territories of the United States--chose to
run full page ads in every daily newspaper
in every city in the eastern US. The hype of
unimaginable riches to be had in California was irresistible—so much so that most
of the Dahlonega miners decided to pull
up stake and make the overland trip west,
in spite of the fact there was still plenty of
gold in Dahlonega. In fact that’s where the
quote, “There’s gold in them thar’ hills!”
came from. The miners in Dahlonega were
One of the inhabitants of the Kangaroo Conservation Center in Dawsonville
being encouraged to STAY and not risk the
overland trip west—words spoken by one
(Continued on page 16)
Karl Boegner of Wolf Mountain Vineyards
Page 15, Vitality, May 2007
729-foot Amicalola Falls
TRAVEL: DAHLONEGA,GA
(Continued from page 15)
Matthew Stevenson--an assayer of the US
Mint--on the steps of the Dahlonega Court-
house.
To this day, Dahlonega gold remains
the purest in the world in its mined form—
98.46% pure. (Other gold typically is extracted at 72-74% pure).
Mined gold (as opposed to panned
gold) is naturally found in quartz rock and/
or granite rock. To separate it from the rest
of the ore, you need to put it through a stamp
mill, where the ore is pulverized. Then either
the gold can be panned, or chemically or
mechanically separated from the ore. These
stamp mills were extremely loud. One stamp
mill in Dahlonega (at Consolidated Mines)
had 120 stamps and could be heard operating 20 miles away. It was the largest stamp
mill east of the Mississippi. Up close, the
ground would tremble; and operators were
doomed to eventual deafness.
Today, Dahlonega’s mining operations are purely recreational. However, if
gold prices should rise above $1000 an
ounce, you may see the mines start up there
again. There’s plenty of gold still there to
be mined. But the cost of extraction now is
around $800 an ounce.
If you haven’t been through a gold mine,
it’s great fun, even for grown-ups. There’s
nothing more interesting than walking
through the tunnels and seeing those veins
of sparkling gold. A profitable vein will usually run 4-6 inches across. The “Glory hole”
at Consolidated Mines—Dahlonega’s big-
The Smith House Restaurant in Dahlonega
Page 16, Vitality, May 2007
Two Cavender Creek Cabins overlook a stocked trout pond.
gest operating mine--was a whopping 22
The old courthouse at Town Square
feet wide. It produced 54 pounds of gold has become the Dahlonega Gold Museum.
in one day. Some gold finds produced a re- The building is actually the oldest existing
markable 20 oz. of gold a ton. (3 oz. a ton is court house in Georgia—one that saw a lot
considered good.)
of cases regarding moonshine liquor in its
Today, the mine tour at Consolidated
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Mines is open seven days a week from 10-4,
and closed on holidays. You can try panning
for gold yourself—and keep what you find.
You’ll get an education on the geology of
the gold belt, as well as mining and panning
techniques. Visitors can walk through the
massive tunnel network. (www.consolidatedgoldmine.com)
At the Crisson Gold Mine they still do
mine for gold periodically through the year
in order to create their own gold jewelry.
There are tours of the grounds, where you
can see the mining equipment that was used
commercially up to a few years ago, and
their 24-year-old stamp mill. It’s the only
original working stamping mill in Georgia.
And you can pan for gold yourself. Crisson Gold Mine has been open for gold panning since 1970, making it the oldest family-owned and operated gold panning place
open to the public in the area. The gift shop
allows visitors to purchase gold, gold nuggets and handmade gold jewelry at reasonable prices. There’s also sluice boxes and
gold pans for sale, ore sold in bags that you
can pan yourself, and other mining supplies.
French oak barrels store wine underground at Wolf Mountain Vineyards
(www.crissongoldmine.com)
GEORGIA
(Continued from previous page)
day. And one that became the area’s “farmers market” at one time. (When court was
in session upstairs, farmers would sell their
produce downstairs.)
There’s not a more fitting site for the
Gold Museum. The bricks and mud-and-water mortar used in the old courthouse’ construction were made from local river mud.
As a result, the old courthouse probably has
about a half million dollars in gold in the
brick and mortar. You can see the glimmer
if you look closely. On display inside the
museum are samples of gold in quartz rock,
and also pyrite or fool’s gold. You’ll learn
how to spot the difference. There’s also a
20-minute movie on the history of area min-
Owner Hop Smith at the entrance of the
Consolidated Mines tour, in Dahlonega
The visitor center at Consolidated Gold Mine
The 25-acre Wolf Mountain Vineing, and also mining techniques. It makes a
yards was founded by Karl Boegner, who
good primer on the subject.
While Dahlonega’s history is fasci- came from a hospitality-industry backnating, its wine-growing area is beautiful. ground, and who has made Wolf Mountain
Folks flock to the vineyards, particularly Vineyards not only a very popular stop on
on the weekends. They are all in beautiful the “Wine Highway” (Hwy. 19-60), but has
country settings, and some provide culinary made Wolf Mountain a great place to dine.
sophistication as well.
Lunch and gourmet dinner is served most
Lumpkin County has the highest con- days during the season. And they offer a
centration of wineries in northern Geor- fabulous Sunday Brunch. The award-wingia, and all are located on the slope of the ning winemaking there is more in the EuroDahlonega plateau. According to grower pean tradition, incorporating French oak agDoug Paul, “The Dahlonega plateau affords ing and a less mechanized approach. (www.
the opportunity to grow the greatest number wolfmountainvineyards.com)
of different wine grapes successfully. They
Blackstock Vineyards is the first
grow here when they wouldn’t grow in Sa- and the largest of the area’s vineyards, esvannah or higher in the mountains.”
tablished in 1997. The vineyard won the
The 184-acre Three Sisters Winery, first gold medals ever awarded for Georowned by the Pauls, has the distinction of gia-grown white vinifera, red vinifera, and
being the first bonded farm winery in Geor- the first “Best Southeastern Wine” award.
gia since prohibition. The variety of grapes There are scheduled food events throughout
they grow includes the unique Cynthiana- the season at the winery, BBQ’s and food
Norton, which is an antique wine grape. seminars. Of the location, owner Dave HarThe vineyard had their first harvest in 2000. ris says, “These are the best draining slopes
(www.threesistersvineyards.com)
on the east coast. The combination of clay
Frogtown Winery is a 57-acre vine- soil and the slope of the land makes water
yard of 20,000 grape vines. During the last percolate gradually, which is great for grow2 ½ years, Frogtown has received 18 med- ing grapes.” (www.bsvw.com)
als for its premium dry white and red wines,
The actual town of Dahlonega is a Normaking it the most award-winning eastern man Rockwell painting in the south. Alvineyard in California competitions. The most the entire business district is located
trip there is worth it just to see their mag- on an old-fashioned Town Square. There
nificent public wine-tasting building, which are shops, art galleries, antique shops, and
was built entirely in timberframe, using no a wonderful Visitor’s Center, which should
nails. (www.frogtownwine.com)
be your first stop when visiting the town.
Dahlonega also has what is missing in so
many small towns: stuff to do in the evening! There are concerts, shows, club entertainment and great dining.
Restaurants in Dahlonega are extraordinary for a small town, and are all valuepriced. And the service is indicative of
southern hospitality:
- The Back Porch Oyster Bar is always full and very lively. They have all
kinds of seafood, salads, and a raw bar.
- The Corkscrew Café is known for its
amazing consistency and reasonably-priced
fine dining. And it has the best wine list in
town.
- Dante’s on the Square is a diamond
in the rough. What comes out of the kitchen
is extraordinary, in spite of its spartan dining room. Everything is made from scratch.
They also have a unique assortment of salad
dressings they’ve invented. Try the Smokey
Hen Nachos for an appetizer or the Stuffed
Chicken Florentine for an entrée. And save
room for either the Pecan Chocolate Chip
Bourbon Pie, the Banana Chiffon or the Almond Cream Pie, for dessert.
- The Oar House is a delight for lunch
or dinner, offering a truly-imaginative menu
and offering a view of the Chestatee River.
Try the steak and ale soup. And save room
for the white chocolate pecan pie for dessert. There’s live music on the weekends.
This is one of the area’s most successful
restaurants.
- The happening place in town is the
Crimson Moon Café. There’s nightly entertainment and the best food in town—very
wholesome. They also serve 3 meals a day.
Try the Baked Amaretto Grouper. (www.
thecrimsonmoon.com)
- The best value in town is the Smith
House. You won’t believe the food they
bring you for a mere $17 for dinner--soup
to nuts. (They serve lunch as well for $13.)
The style of service here dates from the
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Page 17, Vitality, May 2007
ered when the Smith House broke ground on
its expansion into a restaurant/hotel. (www.
smithhouse.com)
- Wylies Restaurant, located right on
the Town Square, is actually three floors.
Downstairs is a tavern with entertainment.
And the top two floors are dining. The place
is an area favorite.
- The Wagon Wheel is great for decidedly local color and very simple, low-priced
southern cooking.
- The Wolf Mountain Vineyard serves
lunch and an outstanding Sunday Brunch,
not to mention a great country view.
Where to stay in Dahlonega is an easier choice than most places. Mostly, this is a
B&B area. Here are some of our favorites:
The Price Hall steeple at North Georgia
College is made from Dahlonega gold.
TRAVEL: DAHLONEGA, GA
(Continued from page 17)
place’s boarding-house history. There’s no
menu; the waitress just brings “the meal”,
which includes: fried okra, rice, black-eyed
peas, sweat potato, collard greens, cooked
peas, creamed corn, coleslaw, your drink,
and three meats (two at lunch). Seconds are
on the house. Dessert is also included. It’s
all very friendly too, as you’re seated with
others at large dining tables. And after dinner, don’t forget to visit the recently-uncovered gold mine shaft just off the restaurant’s
lobby. It appears past owners of the building
were doing clandestine gold mining underneath the structure years ago, before it was
a restaurant, when their mining permit was
turned down. The shaft was recently discov-
Page 18, Vitality, May 2007
Birch River Golf Course champion Fred Atterberry tees off
- Check out the 13-unit Lily Creek
Lodge, a Bavarian-style B&B that offers a
quiet mountain retreat with its own waterfall
and bocce court, plus an amazing fieldstone
fireplace in the lobby. They serve a gourmet
breakfast on the deck, in the gazebo or the
formal French dining room. All Lodge water
for drinking, bathing and recreation comes
fresh from their own mountain spring. Ask
Sharon to make her Lily Creek Gold for
your breakfast. It contains: oatmeal, wheat
germ, oat bran, sesame seed, poppy seeds,
various nuts, dried apricots, cherries and local honey. (www.lilycreeklodge.com).
- Situated atop the foothills northeast of
Dahlonega, Pura Vida USA is an 80-acre
country setting that is both a B&B and a
Spa. (www.puravidausa.com)
- The Long Mountain Lodge is the
area’s newest B&B. The décor is upscale
rustic lodge style. Rooms have their own
fireplaces and jacuzzi. The front of the
Lodge is wrapped by a large sitting porch,
which offers views of the sun setting over
the Blue Ridge Mountains. The rooms are
absolutely immaculate. (www.longmountainlodge.com)
Cavender Creek Cabins offers eight
smartly-designed knotty-pine 1, 2, or 3 bedroom cabins on 25 acres. Each overlooks
either Cavender Creek or their well-stocked
fishing pond. Each cabin has a private deck
with swings, rockers and a gas grill. Some
also have hot tubs. The cabins have everything you need from bedding to kitchen
equipment to prepare meals, and are absolutely immaculate. (www.cavendercreek.
com)
There are just a few hotels in the area,
like the Econo Lodge or the Holiday Inn Express. But a less ersatz approach, is staying
at the glorious lodge at 829-acre Amicalola
Falls State Park, just a short drive away in
Dawsonville. This is also home to the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi—729
feet. There’s a schedule of daily interpretive
The Bavarian-style Lily Creek
Lodge Bed & Breakfast
nature programs. These are mostly free to
the public also, even if you don’t stay there.
There are also 12 miles of hiking trails.
(www.gastateparks.com)
Panning: Those who want to try their
hand at panning may do so in either of the
two local rivers or in most stream beds. Instream sluices and suction dredges are not
allowed. Panning works because gold is 19
times heavier than water and sand is 6 times
heavier. So when you shake a pie pan full
of river mud, the gold flakes will sink to the
bottom.
Rock collecting: If you’re a rock
hound, you’ve come to the right place. You
can take rocks from the surface of any Na(Continued on next page )
TRAVEL: DAHLONEGA, GA
(Continued from previous page)
tional Forest lands as long as “significant
surface disturbance does not occur.” Maps
of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests are available at the Ranger office.
Golf: There are numerous area golf
courses, including the in-town Birch River Jack Nicklaus-designed 18 hole course,
which has just been bought out and is soon
to be upgraded, even though it’s already a
marvelous course. (706-867-7900)
Chestatee Golf Course is an 18-hole
course designed by Atlanta’s favorite Denis
Griffiths. For information or tee times, call
(706)216-7336 or 800-520-8675. (www.
chestateegolf.net)
Fishing: It’s not hard to find good fishing in Lumpkin County in either of the area’s two rivers. Or you might try Amicalola
Falls State Park and Lodge. The area boasts
rainbow and brown trout. You’ll need a license, which you can pick up at Wal-Mart
for $9.
Canoeing and Tubing: If you’d like
to try canoeing, kayaking or tubing down
the Chestatee and Etowah Rivers, Appalachian Outfitters has all the equipment you
need. The trip down the Chestatee from
their outpost is the most popular. There are
several fun, but gentle rapids, great scenery
and good fishing. The Etowah is the more
challenging river, with engaging rapids. The
Etowah is best in the spring and early summer. The water levels are higher and the numerous wildflowers are in bloom. Etowah
Falls makes an awesome picnic site. (www.
canoegeorgia.com)
Hiking is a real attraction in these Appalachian foothills. Enjoy the famous mistshrouded mountain vistas of the Blue Ridge,
and gaze in awe at more than 35 waterfalls
in the area. You are at the southern end of
the Appalachian Trail. And there are regional hiking trails along area streams and
rivers.
Biking: Dahlonega is the center for
bicycling in the north Georgia Mountains.
As the finish site for the Tour De Georgia
mountain stage, the 6 Gap Century ride and
other regional competitions, the area has
hosted the greatest names in cycling.
Music is a way of life in Dahlonega.
Appalachian musicians are found playing
and singing on the square on warm evenings
throughout the year. The annual Bear on the
Square festival, held the third weekend in
April, celebrates authentic mountain culture
with a weekend of concerts and outdoor jam
sessions.
The newly-renovated Holly Theater
provides regular theatrical productions and
concerts as well. It’s located just off the
Town Square. Check their web site for attractions. (www.hollytheater.com)
And since Dahlonega is a college town,
check the website at North Georgia College and State University for concerts, etc.
(www.ngcsu.edu)
Spas: Isn’t a massage a great way to feel
you’re on vacation? There are a number of
spas in and around Dalonega. Our favorite
is the Littlefield Cottage Healing Arts and
Day Spa, located just off the Town Square.
(www.littlefieldcottage.com)
Day trips & Sightseeing:
- The Dahlonega Visitor Center has a
wonderful flier on a self-guided auto tour of
the area that is a great way to spend a day.
Ask for the Dahlonega Mountain Magic
Trail flier.
- Visit Camp Glisson off Business Rt.
19 North. This is an old Methodist camp
grounds that has a wonderful “going back in
time” feel to it. Cane Creek Falls—located
in the Camp--is spectacular. (www.campglisson.org)
- At the 87-acre Kangaroo Conservation Center in Dawsonville, you can see
over 300 kangaroos that can grow to eight
feet and weigh 200 lbs. There’s also other
unique Australian animals including exotic
birds. Picnic grounds are available near the
butterfly garden. You can also learn how to
throw a boomerang. Wear sturdy walking
shoes. The gift shop is quite unique. (www.
kangaroocenter.com)
- Chattahoochee National Forest and
Waterfalls: Hiking, camping, mountain
biking, canoeing and kayaking, waterfalls,
wildlife viewing, and trout fishing are available throughout the forest.
- DeSoto Falls and DeSoto Falls Scenic Area: The DeSoto Falls Scenic Area is
rugged mountainous country with exceptional views and several beautiful waterfalls. This scenic area, located on Frogtown
Creek, has 24 camping sites arranged in two
loops. Trout fishing is available on Frogtown Creek. There are also hiking trails to
nearby falls.
- The Appalachian Trail: Thirty
miles of the Appalachian Trail run along
the northern border of Lumpkin County. It
is a continuously marked trail 2,135 miles
long from Maine to Springer Mountain near
Dahlonega in Georgia.
- Bull Mountain Trail: This is easily accessible and one of the most popular
mountain biking trails in the state.
- Chestatee and Etowah Rivers: Enjoy canoeing, kayaking and wildlife viewing along these two scenic rivers that run
through Lumpkin County.
- Brasstown Bald: This is the highest
point in Georgia. Check out their webcam
at http://www.fs.fed.us/conf/rec/btb_overview.shtml and http://www.fs.fed.us/conf/
conditions/webcam.htm
- Chestatee Wildlife Preserve: Specializes in preservation through education
of exotic & domestic wildlife. The preserve
displays over 450 animals & 125 species
from around the world, including rare Siberian white tigers. For more information
please call 706-864-9411 or www.chestateewildlifepreserve.org
Events: Of the many events held in
Dahlonega during the year, Gold Rush
Days is the biggest. Held the third weekend
in October, thousands come to see fall colors peaking and celebrate Dahlonega’s 1828
discovery of gold. Over 300 art and craft
exhibitors gather around the Public Square
and Historic District in support of this annual event, and it is estimated that a crowd of
over 200,000 visit over the weekend to join
in the fun and excitement! Gold Rush Days
has been voted one of the Top 20 Events in
the southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society.
For a listing of other events, go to www.
dahlonega.org
Getting There: Air Tran has the best
fares from Boston to Atlanta. From there,
take Rt. 400, the “Hospitality Highway” or
Rt. 9 north to Rt. 60. (www.hospitalityhighway.com)
Dahlonega is well-worth a visit. Getting in the car and just exploring the area is
half the fun. It’s remarkably beautiful and
full of surprises. Or as CVB Director Hal
Williams says, “What’s interesting to me
about Dahlonega is what’s just off the main
roads.”
For more information about the area,
visit the Dahlonega Visitors Center,
Dahlonega Town Square, 13 South Park
Street off Highway 19/60 North; or go to
www.dahlonega.org; 1-800-231-5543.
And thanks for traveling!
Fishing at Amicalola Falls State Park
Page 19, Vitality, May 2007