Dahlonega is a city in
Lumpkin CountyLumpkin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 21,016. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 26,554 . Its county seat is Dahlonega, Georgia.- History :...
,
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and is its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
. As of the
2000 censusThe Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, it had a total
populationIn biology, a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species; in sociology, a collection of human beings. Individuals within a population share a factor may be reduced by statistical means, but such a generalization may be too vague to imply anything...
of 3,638.
Dahlonega is located at the north end of Georgia 400, which connects Atlanta to many affluent suburbs to the north. It is consistently named as a best place to retire by many different publications, due to its low cost of living, vibrant activities, continuing education for seniors, festivals, and beautiful setting.
The
Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic SiteThe Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site is a Georgia state historic site located in Dahlonega that commemorates America's first Gold rush and the mining history of Lumpkin County. The museum is housed in the historic 1836 Lumpkin County courthouse, located in the center of the town square...
sits in the middle of the
town squareA town square is an open area commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, Platz , plaza , piazza , place , and "maydan" A town square is an open area commonly...
, housed in the old Lumpkin County Courthouse built in 1836. From its steps in 1849,
Dahlonega MintThe Dahlonega Mint was a branch of the United States Mint in Dahlonega, Georgia. Coins produced at the Dahlonega Mint bear the "D" mintmark. That mintmark is used today by the Denver Mint, which opened many years after the Dahlonega Mint closed...
assayAn assay is a procedure in molecular biology for testing and/or measuring the activity of a drug or biochemical in an organism or organic sample. A quantitative assay may also measure the amount of a substance in a sample. Bioassays and immunoassays are among the many varieties of specialized...
or Dr.
M. F. StephensonM.F. Stephenson , whose full name was Dr. Matthew Fleming Stephenson, was born in Virginia. On February 25, 1836, he married Sarah Elizabeth Sumter Lyon. He was considered a Georgia geology and mineral expert, although there is no record of him receiving any formal education in the field of geology...
tried to persuade miners to stay instead of joining the
California Gold RushThe California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was discovered by James Wilson Marshall at Sutter's Mill, in Coloma, California. News of the discovery soon spread, resulting in some 300,000 men, women, and children coming to California from the rest of the United States and...
, saying "there's millions in it."
History
Dahlonega, Georgia was the site of the first major gold Rush in the USA in 1828. It was a boom town in the
Georgia Gold RushThe Georgia Gold Rush was the first significant gold rush in the United States. It started in 1829 in the present day Lumpkin County near county seat Dahlonega, and soon spread through the North Georgia mountains, following the Georgia Gold Belt. By the early 1840s, gold became harder to find...
and became the site of a
United States MintThe United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The main Mint facility is located in Washington, D.C., and branch facilities are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Denver, Colorado; San Francisco, California; and West...
branch mint-United States:The original and main Mint of the United States Mint, has been located in Philadelphia , since 1793. Its current facility, Philadelphia's fourth, opened in 1969.U.S...
between 1838 and 1861. The facility was then controlled by the Confederate Treasury Department and operations continued until June 1, 1861.
Numerous
goldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. It has been a highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is...
mineMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, usually from an ore body, vein or seam. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock salt and potash...
s were scattered around the area, a major reason for the forced relocation of the
CherokeeThe Cherokee are a Native American people from the Southeastern United States...
nationA nation is a body of people who share a real or imagined common history, culture, language or ethnic origin. The development and conceptualization of the nation is closely related to the development of modern industrial states and nationalist movements in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries,...
to
OklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,617,316 residents in 2007 and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
on the
Trail of TearsThe Trail of Tears was the relocation and movement of Native Americans in the United States from their homelands to Indian Territory in the Western United States. The phrase originated from a description of the removal of the Choctaw Nation in 1831...
. The city's name since 1833 comes from the Cherokee-
languageA language is a system for encoding and decoding information. In its most common use, the term refers to so-called "natural languages" — the forms of communication considered peculiar to humankind. In linguistics the term is extended to refer to the human cognitive facility of creating and using...
word "
Talonige" or "
Dalonige", meaning "yellow money" or "gold." The city is just east of
AurariaTwo places in the United States have the name Auraria:*Auraria, Georgia*Auraria, Denver, a former territorial capital, now a neighborhood in Colorado...
, and each city claims to be the authentic site of the first discovery of gold. Senator
John CalhounJohn Caldwell Calhoun was the 7th Vice President of the United States and a leading Southern politician from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun was an advocate of slavery, states' rights, limited government, and nullification...
of
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a U.S. state that borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was...
(7
th Vice President of the United StatesThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College to a four-year term...
) also owned the
Calhoun MineThe Calhoun Mine is perhaps the oldest and best known mine in Lumpkin County, Georgia. When gold was discovered in Lumpkin County in 1828, which lead to the Georgia Gold Rush in 1829, it was discovered on owned by Robert Obar. After at least two intermediary sales, the land was purchased by...
, just south of the City Square.
The
Dahlonega MintThe Dahlonega Mint was a branch of the United States Mint in Dahlonega, Georgia. Coins produced at the Dahlonega Mint bear the "D" mintmark. That mintmark is used today by the Denver Mint, which opened many years after the Dahlonega Mint closed...
, like the one established in 1838 in
Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. Charlotte's population was estimated to be 687,456 in 2008, making it the 18th largest city in the United States. Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans"...
, only minted gold coins, in denominations of $1.00, $2.50 (
quarter eagleThe quarter eagle was a coin issued by the United States with a denomination of two hundred and fifty cents, or two dollars and fifty cents. It was given its name in the Coinage Act of 1792, as a derivation from the US ten-dollar eagle coin...
), $3.00 (1854 only) and $5.00 (
half eagleThe Half Eagle is a United States coin that was produced for circulation from 1795 to 1929, and in commemorative and bullion coins since the 1980's. Composed almost entirely of gold, it has a face value of five dollars. Its production was authorized by The Act of April 2, 1792, and it was the...
). It was cost effective considering the cost, time, and risk shipping gold to the main mint in Philadelphia. The Dahlonega Mint was a small operation, usually accounting for only a small fraction of the gold coinage minted annually. The government did not consider it necessary to reestablish the facility after the
Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
.
By then, the U.S. government had established a mint in San Francisco. Given the large amount of gold discovered in California, that mint handled the needs of gold mint production.
As a result, surviving Dahlonega coinage is today highly prized in American
numismaticsNumismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and...
. The mint building burned in 1878 - but the
North Georgia CollegeNorth Georgia College & State University is a four-year public university located in Dahlonega, Lumpkin County, Georgia. Founded as North Georgia Agricultural College in 1873, it is the oldest co-educational institution in the state. NGCSU is renowned for its ROTC and is designated as The Military...
campus built Price Memorial Hall on its foundation. The building is clearly identifiable by the gold leaf steeple.
In recent years, Dahlonega and Lumpkin County have been recognized as "the heart of Georgia Wine Country." The county features five vineyards and wineries that attract many tourists. The quaint Dahonega Square is a popular tourist destination with gift shops, restaurants, art galleries and artists' studios.
Dahlonega's local festivals also draw many tourists. Bear on the Square, an annual three-day festival held the third weekend in April which marks the day that a black bear wandered onto the square, features bluegrass and old-time music while celebrating the authentic culture of the Southern Appalachians with a juried artists' market and other activities. Gold Rush Days attract over 200,000 people for the two-day event every year on the third weekend in October.
Historical marker
Located on the old Courthouse Square in Dahlonega, Georgia WPA Historical Marker 19 B-7, explains:
This court house, built in 1836, replaced the small log structure used since the establishment of Lumpkin County in 1832. The town was named Dahlonega in October, 1833, for the Cherokee word "Talonega" meaning "golden."
From its steps in 1849, Dr. M.F. Stephenson, assayor [sic] at the Mint, attempted to dissuade Georgia miners from leaving to join the California Gold Rush. His oration gave rise to the sayings: "There's millions in it," and ["]Thar's gold in them thar hills."
Geography
Dahlonega is located at (34.530471, -83.984705).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 3,638 people, 1,060 households, and 568 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 568.1 people per square mile (219.5/km²). There were 1,181 housing units at an average density of 184.4/sq mi (71.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.94% White, 4.95% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 2.56% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.57% of the population.
There were 1,060 households out of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.1% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.4% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 13.5% under the age of 18, 42.9% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 73.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,636, and the median income for a family was $44,904. Males had a median income of $30,500 versus $22,917 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $16,572. About 11.4% of families and 24.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Dahlonega is home to
North Georgia College and State UniversityNorth Georgia College & State University is a four-year public university located in Dahlonega, Lumpkin County, Georgia. Founded as North Georgia Agricultural College in 1873, it is the oldest co-educational institution in the state. NGCSU is renowned for its ROTC and is designated as The Military...
, the
Senior Military CollegeIn the United States, a Senior Military College is one of six colleges that offer military Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs and are specifically recognized under 10 USC 2111...
of Georgia. The
campusA campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
has a
buildingIn architecture, construction, engineering and real estate development the word building may refer to one of the following:# Any man-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy, or...
, Price Hall, topped with a
spireA spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from Anglo-Saxon, so it is related to "spear," rather than the Romance languages and "spirit."...
, which is covered with gold leaf from the town. The
rotundaA rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, often covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
domeA dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
of the
Georgia State CapitolThe Georgia State Capitol, in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, is an architecturally and historically significant building. It has been named a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, it is the working center of Georgia's government...
in Atlanta is also covered with Dahlonega gold.
These are some of the public schools in Dahlonega
- Lumpkin County Elementary School
- Long Branch Elementary School
- Blackburn Elementary School
- Lumpkin County Middle School
- Lumpkin County High School
Other educational facilities in Dahlonega include:
- Hidden Lake Academy
Hidden Lake Academy is a therapeutic boarding school in Dahlonega, Georgia.-History:The school was founded in 1994 by Dr. Leonard Buccelatto...
, a boarding schoolA boarding school is a school where some or all pupils not only study, but also live during term time, with their fellow students and possibly teachers. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board", that is, food and lodging...
.
- Wahsega 4-H Center, an environmental education center and summer camp owned by the University of Georgia and administered through the UGA Cooperative Extension Service Georgia 4-H
Georgia 4-H was founded in 1904 by G.C. Adams in Newton County Georgia as the Girls Canning, and Boys Corn Clubs.The mission of Georgia 4-H is to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and...
program.
- Camp Glisson, a year-round retreat camp owned by the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Famous residents
- Amy Ray
Amy Elizabeth Ray is an American singer-songwriter and member of the well-known contemporary folk duo Indigo Girls.On March 6, 2001 she released her first solo album, Stag, a southern and punk rock album. The Butchies provided support for five songs, and Nineteen Forty-Five and the Rock-A-Teens...
, Indigo GirlsThe Indigo Girls are an American folk rock duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers.They began in Atlanta as a regular act at The Little 5 Points Pub, and were tangentially part of the Athens, Georgia college rock scene that included The B-52's, Pylon, R.E.M., The Georgia Satellites, Widespread...
Singer and Song-writer
- Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles is an American Grammy-winning country music artist. She is known primarily for her role as lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush. Prior to Sugarland's inception, she also fronted Atlanta, Georgia-based bands called Soul Miner's Daughter and Jennifer Nettles Band...
, Sugarland Lead Singer
- Max Burns
O. Maxie "Max" Burns was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 2003 to 2005, representing ....
, Former United States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives, commonly referred to as the "House," is the lower house of the bicameral United States Congress, the upper house being the United States Senate. The composition and powers of the House and the Senate are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Member
- Sara Christian
-1949:She competed in NASCAR's first race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte Speedway . She qualified 13th in the #71 Ford owned by her husband Frank Christian. She let Bob Flock drive the car part way through the race after his engine expired on the 38th lap...
, NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
1st Female Driver
- John Bell
- Law and politics :* John Bell , English barrister* John Bell , Member of Parliament from Thirsk* John Bell , American politician, state governor...
, Widespread PanicWidespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
lead singer and guitarist
- Zac Brown, Zac Brown Band
The Zac Brown Band is an Academy of Country Music-award winning American country music band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown, , Jimmy De Martini , John Driskell Hopkins , Coy Bowles , Chris Fryar and Clay Cook...
Lead Singer
- Dallas Kinney
Dallas Kinney, born in 1937 in Buckeye, Iowa is a world renowned photo journalist who won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize in photography for his photographs of Florida migrant workers...
, Pulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by Hungarian-American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City....
winning photographer.
Suggested reading
- "Gold-Mining in Georgia." Harper's New Monthly Magazine 59, Issue 352 (September 1879): 517-519. Available here
- I Remember Dahlonega: Memories of Growing Up in Lumpkin County, by Anne Dismukes Amerson (Chestatee Publishing: 1993)
External links