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Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/18/2007 2:59:49 PM

Does anyone know where the gold mine shaft in Jacksons gap is located? They had an article a while back in one of the lake magazines. It mentioned that you could see the entrance to the shaft when the water is down. You can probably see down in it with the water levels now. Just another something to do with the water levels low. Maybe that is where the metal detector needs to go. Ha! The article said that it was a big deal before everyone flooded to the west for the gold rush.

Name:	Osms -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/18/2007 4:04:21 PM

There was an old gold mining operation on Lake Martin that is now underwater--behind the Boardwalk subdivision, right off main channel.

Name:	UPSMAN -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/18/2007 5:27:50 PM

You can still go in the gold mine Osms is talking about. With the boardwalk on your right follow the shoreline to the right and go in a long narrow slew. Camp alamisco will be on your left. You will see a 2 story boat house on your left and a new house on the hill. When U pass this turn right again. Go about 200 yards and bear left to the end of the slew; The water is deep until u make that left. Go to the end and beach your boat. Watch for stumps. You will see trail up in the woods. Follow trail until You come to Y. go left at the Y and U will come to a BIG rock with several shafts dug in it. Took about 15 of us about a month ago.

Name:	waterbaby -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/18/2007 6:28:56 PM

I love this forum. I learn something new everyday.

Name:	Feb -	Reply
Subject:	Ghost Story
Date:	11/18/2007 6:46:35 PM

There used to be a covered bridge down the dirt road off Highway 259. If you go there at night and turn your car off and sit there, at 12:05 exactly, your doors will lock themselves and your car will start. It has been said that a slave was lynched there for allegedly messing around with the land-owners wife. He's trying to get people to leave by his actions. He was hung in semi-secret in the bridge at 12:05.

Name:	Lakeman -	Reply
Subject:	Ghost Story
Date:	11/18/2007 6:59:59 PM

There's also another mine shaft in Long Leaf that now has a home built over it. It should be visible with the low water.

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Ghost Story
Date:	11/18/2007 9:08:16 PM

where is long leaf? I'm looking on the map.

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Ghost Story
Date:	11/18/2007 9:08:16 PM

where is long leaf? I'm looking on the map.

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/18/2007 9:25:20 PM

Wow! Thanks. We have some friends who live in that area. We will have to check it out. Do you know where long leaf is and have you checked out that shaft?

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/18/2007 9:25:20 PM

Wow! Thanks. We have some friends who live in that area. We will have to check it out. Do you know where long leaf is and have you checked out that shaft?

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/18/2007 9:34:18 PM

I just looked this up fro 2003 and saw that this is private property. Any problem with looking from the shore. Is there a residence there? Hate to go on private property. The old info said you could access this by land as well.

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/18/2007 9:37:09 PM

GOLD LOCATIONS IN ALABAMA

After gold was discovered in Georgia prospectors began working in Alabama and had a "Gold Rush" following the discovery of gold in 1830 in Chilton County along tributaries of Blue and Chestnut Creeks. Around 1830 discoveries were made and for a decade there were thousands of miners working. Then the California gold rush took the miners to the mother lode and the mines were abandoned during the Civil War. After the Civil War, work took place until World War II. In the 1930's, with the rise in the price of gold, there was another boom which lasted until 1942. Since then Alabama's gold fields have been almost completely idle. From 1830 to 1990 Alabama produced nearly 80,000 ounces of gold. The most important deposits were found in Cleburne, Tallapoosa, Clay and Randolph Counties. Only Cleburne and Tallapoosa Counties produced more than 20,000 ounces of gold. Gold found in Alabama comes from lode and placer sources.

just found this tidbit----

Much of Alabama's gold has been produced at Hog Mountain and the Hillabee mine. Both hardrock areas, they are credited with more than 25,000 ounces. Gold is found in lode form and most is recovered by the cyanide heap leaching. The operation of the mines has been sparse and they have been closed since 1950. Active mining in the lode mines continued until the years of World War II, but little has been done since. Large scale dredge mining for placer gold went on almost continuously. Alabama's gold fields occur in a northeast trending belt about 100 miles long and 60 miles wide, in a region known as the Piedmont Uplift. The Piedmont Uplift covers about 3,500 square miles in Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Elmore, Randolph, Talladega and Tallapoosa Counties.

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/18/2007 9:53:51 PM

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY ALABAMA

COUNTY:Tallapoosa County

STATE:Alabama

Tallapoosa County contains four major gold districts: Devil's Backbone, Eagle Creek, Goldville, and Hog Mountain. The Goldville district is about 14 miles long and showed great activity in the early days, when the population of the town reached 3,000. Hog Mountain is unique in Alabama in that gold veins are in granite, and here the cyanide process was first introduced into the state. The Devil's Backbone district lies in a belt of the Wedowee Formation. Placer gold is found in all streams draining the Devil's Backbone Mining District, which extends south into Elmore County, west of the Tallapoosa River, and northeast into Chambers County. Area streams and tributaries of the Eagle Creek Mining District, in the central part of the county. Area streams and branches in the Goldville Mining District, northeast of Alexander City. Several gold bearing streams and branches are located within the Talladega National Forest. Check with the District Ranger for specific regulations and mineral ownership status before conducting any prospecting activities. Obtain land owner's permission prior to entering or prospecting on private land.

3 miles out off Alexander City out on the Hillabee bridge road is the Duncan Property which consist of quartz veins with a good showing of lode gold.

Southwest of Dadeville left of the old Dadeville-Young's Ferry Road, the Holly Prospect, active in 1911 for lode gold. The Gregory Hill Mine with quartz seams in graphite schist you will find panning gold. The Blue Hill Property in surface debris contains lode gold. The lower part of the property, along with much of the Gregory Hill deposit, now lies under the waters of Martin Lake. The Terrell Property caved in site of old stamp mill and produced lode gold.

The Goldville district, with crossroads remnant about 17 miles northeast of Alexander City, extending southwest 14 mile to vicinity of Hillabee Creek bridge, with very many gold bearing prospects, placers, lode mines throughout district. The Mahan pits, heavy sulfides, rich in lode gold. On the east bank of Hillabee Creek, the Ulrich pits and Dutch Bend Mine consist of 6 quartz veins in 300 foot wide slate belt and was the site of 20 stamp mill and cyanide plant. The Chisholm Property is a 6 foot wide vein. The Tallapoosa Mine was a 185 foot incline shaft and drifts, quartz in slate, site of modern mill free milling gold. The Stone pits are long abandoned lode gold mine. The Early pits was source of rich ore lode gold. The Birdsong pits was first worked mine in district by black slave labor, 1840-50. The Jones pits was a well developed free milling gold, with pyrite mine. The Germany pits (among oldest in county) was a rich lode gold deposit. The Houston pits had much early development and rich lode gold. The Log pits, 2~4 foot quartz vein with rich "pocket type" gold. Had a production $30,000 at old $20 an oz. price.

South of Jacksons Gap was the Alabama King Mine, which can be reached from road to the Preacher Gunn Prospect by turning east on first timber access road south of U.S. 280, open cuts, incline shaft to 300 ft., surface workings in chlorite schist, site of stamp mill. The Preacher Gunn Prospect consisted of quartz stringers in chlorite schist, 2 125 foot adits. The Greer Property consisted of a quartz vein traceable to the Hammock workings. The Hammock Property consisted of hard quartz vein gold and was the site of a 10 stamp mill. There is panning gold on dumps. The Tapley Property consisted of numerous caved in openings. The Jennings Property was a continuation of the Tapley and in southwest part of the Devil's Backbone consisted of decomposed quartz veins with free gold. The Johnson Property has many old tunnels and shafts in a 1.5 mile long quartz outcrop. West of old site of Goldville was the Hog Mountain Mines and consisted of quartz veins in granite intruded into the Wedowee Formation, site of 10-stamp mill; with a total production of $250,000 before closed in 1916 by World War I.

Near Martin Dam, the Devil's Backbone district is accessible by graded road or by dirt roads from Union Church. All regional watercourse gravels, long known for panning and sluicing of placer gold. Along east shore of Lake Martin, the Dent Hill Prospect 1/2 mi. NE of the Silver Hill Mine, reached 1 mi. NE of Union Church by dirt rd. NW from Hwy. 50. 1/4 mi. NE of the Dent Hill, the Farrar Prospect consisted of several old pits in alluvium. The Silver Hill Mine had gold in dark talc slates between hornblende slates and in quartz stringers mined to 80 ft. deep and was the site of a 6-stamp mill. Part of property under lake waters now. The Mass Prospect consisted of gold in schist.

Name:	lowpool -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/19/2007 8:34:42 AM

With your enterprising children...they will prolly strike it rich if you find it!!!
Be sure to update us if you go...sounds like a great adventure.

Name:	lowpool -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/19/2007 8:38:07 AM

My house sits on a creek that feeds to Hillabee...we have found several small pieces throughout the years. We also checked out alot of the Goldville/Hog Mountain area before it was gated off.

Name:	Lakeman -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/19/2007 9:10:01 AM

Coming down river, after you come through the narrows turn left as if you are going to Harbor point/Blue Creek area then take the first slough on the left. you will have to negotiate a hump but beyond that is Long Leaf. With the water down so low you will be able to see the mine shaft entrance. The people who live there park their ( not there ) boat over the entrance when the water is up to proper level.

I have several gold mine maps of the Alabama mines.

Name:	Council Roc Doc -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/19/2007 9:31:06 AM

Will a metal detector signal the lode variety gold? After reading this thread, a detector sounds like a great gift idea for me. Who makes a reasonable detector these days?

Name:	Lakeman -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/19/2007 10:15:51 AM

CRD I saw some nice ones in Dick's Sporting Goods last time I was there.

Name:	scottroberts -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/19/2007 6:50:25 PM

Here is a google map of camp alamisco on the left. Can you adjust it to place the mine in the of the map and post the link here?

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=32.764795,-85.874677&spn=0.008787,0.019956&t=k&z=16&om=1

URL: camp alamisco

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/19/2007 7:24:11 PM

I would assume we could get to these areas by seadoos ok? Thanks for the info.

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/19/2007 8:02:00 PM

I would think so. It can find an earring on the beach, The key would be having a good childs sand toy filter. I know you want some quality in these, but you could probably find them at a local pawn shop or maybe even radio shack. Happy hunting.
My dad likes this kind of thing, and I was thinking it would be a good outing with the grandkids.

Name:	Freshwater Bay Girl -	Reply
Subject:	Gold Mine Shaft in Jacksons Ga
Date:	11/19/2007 8:02:00 PM

Name:	scottroberts -	Reply
Subject:	Blue Hill Gold Mine
Date:	11/19/2007 8:59:24 PM

My lake martin map still calls the road in that area "Gold Mine Road" and has the label "Blue Hill Gold Mine" with no marked locations.

Quote from the link below:

"Another mine in the Devil's Backbone District was the Blue Hill Gold Mine it was adjacent to the Gregory Hill Mine ((S33,T21N,R22E). This mine in later years was owned by the Phillips family. The lower portions of these two mines are now under the waters of Lake Martin. Other mines along the shores of Lake Martin include the Bonner Terrell property (S19,T22N,R23E) and the Holley prospect (S10,T21N,R22E) located to the left of the Dadeville-Young's Ferry Road. "

http://jovikri.tripod.com/public-index.html

The numbers and letters are map locations, narrowing it down to 640 acres. More info on alabama gold can be purchased form the state geological survey (circular 104 - very popular) for about $10:

http://www.gsa.state.al.us/documents/pubs/notice/Cir104Notice.pdf

Bulletin 120 from them may also be useful

Another web site:

"Southwest of Dadeville left of the old Dadeville-Young's Ferry Road, the Holly Prospect, active in 1911 for lode gold. The Gregory Hill Mine with quartz seams in graphite schist you will find panning gold. The Blue Hill Property in surface debris contains lode gold. The lower part of the property, along with much of the Gregory Hill deposit, now lies under the waters of Martin Lake. The Terrell Property caved in site of old stamp mill and produced lode gold. "

http://www.49ermike.com/tallapoosa_al.shtml

Below is a topo of the area. Two places are marked "mine" in the water at the bank. Camp alamisco point is right above the 32 in the water. The Blue Hill and Gregory Hill are to the right. Supposedly Blue hill is in the NE 160 acres of the 640 acres of section 32, and Gregory Hill is known to be just east in section 33.

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=12&Z=16&X=757&Y=4530&W=3

And here's a map showing 2 closed mine entrances and one "prospect" (attempted?" mine. All 3 above lake level. You have to really play around with the map to find it, assuming this link works. They're labeled G-6, G-7, G-8

http://cartweb.geography.ua.edu:9001/StyleServer/calcrgn?cat=North%20America%20and%20United%20States&item=States/Alabama/Counties/tallapoosa/Tallapoosa1988a.sid&wid=500&hei=400&props=item(Name,Description),cat(Name,Description)&style=simple/view-dhtml.xsl

The whole area is accessible from Co Rd 34 and then onto wilwood rd which branches to the smaller cabin roads. Google's view:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&ll=32.755592,-85.863819&spn=0.017576,0.039911&z=15

URL: alabama gold mines

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