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PAGE 12B —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. JULY 2, 2015
PANNING FOR GOLD
Visitors to Consolidated Gold Mine in Dahlonega can pan for gold.
Exploring Georgia
Dahlonega visit includes search for gold
BY SHERRY LEWIS
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The “Exploring
Georgia" series features destinations in
Georgia).
It’s a quaint downtown filled with a rich
history, charm, shopping and delicious
dining options. Dahlonega’s Downtown
District with a National Register Historic
Streets and Public Square designation,
walking tours and green space parks,
makes for the perfect place to spend the
day or make headquarters for a few days
visit. Visiting Dahlonega is truly a golden
experience. Downtown offers 100 shops,
restaurants and other businesses attracting
hundreds of thousands of annual visitors.
It's also home to the University of North
Georgia, which also offers a variety of
activities, attractions, architecture and tra
ditions.
Live music and ghost tours are offered
each week, but that’s just the beginning
of what you will find on your visit to this
North Georgia town.
Known for its gold rush history, a trip to
Dahlonega would not be complete without
putting a pan in the water. We headed to
Consolidated Gold Mine, put on our hard
hats and headed into this underground
adventure.
Founded in 1896, the gold mine focused
on removing gold trapped in quartz veins
throughout the property. The Knight or
“Glory Hole” vein was discovered after
hydraulic mining had cleared away the top
soil and reached rock in 1880.
The mine was forced to close in 1906
and was left abandoned for 75 years. A
Kentucky family wishing for a change of
occupation after several generations work
ing in coal mining brought new life to the
mine and opened it for tours. At the end of
the tour, we were given the opportunity to
pan for gold, and lady luck was with sever
al in our group, who went home with a vile
of the sparkling ore.
For more information, call 706-864-8473
or log onto www.consolidatedgoldmine.
com
WHERE TO DINE
Downtown is filled with many dining
options. Here are a few recommendations
from my recent visit:
•Gustavo’s Pizzeria: Gustavo’s offers
many Italian favorites, including pizza,
calzones, stromboli, salads and a special
of the day. A friend told me they had the
best meatball sliders that I would ever
eat. She was right! I ordered the appetizer
and it was a meal. Imagine tasty meatballs
topped with parmesan and garlic and then
inserted into a piping hot roll. They were
absolutely delicious. Gustavo’s is located
at 16 Public Square.
•Corkscrew Cafe: Located just off the
square in Dahlonega next to the Historic
Holly Theater, the Corkscrew Cafe offers
American cuisine with a modern and cre
ative twist. We chose to dine on the patio,
an awesome setting for casual fine din
ing and good times. We started with the
French Onion Soup, full of sweet onions,
bread and a mound of cheese on top, it
was amazing. Then, we shared a couple
of delectable entrees. Our choices included
pork chops, steak, duck and a variety of
seafood options. It’s located at 51 West
Main Street. For more information, visit
www.thecorkscrewcafe.com.
•Connie’s Ice Cream and Sandwich
Shop: Imagine stepping back into an ice
cream parlor in the 50's or 60’s, and that's
the feel of Connie's. We were greeted with
a couple of smiling faces. The restaurant
offers soups, sandwiches and desserts. We
all shared a mammoth banana split, but
there’s a variety of other delectable treats
as well. It’s located at 18 N. Park Street.
TO PLAN YOUR TRIP
To start planning your trip to Dahlonega
or to find out about upcoming events, visit
their website at www.dahlonega.org or call
706 864-3711 or 800 231-5543.
SWEET TREAT
Connie’s Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop in Dahlonega, offers a huge banana split
that can you can share.
GOLD MINE TOUR
Consolidated Gold Mine offers gold mine tours in Dahlonega. Founded in 1896,
the gold mine focused on removing gold trapped in quartz veins throughout the
property.
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