Some North Carolina Gold Mining History

[Buckshotnc]

The time period of the newspaper article is Dec. 4, 1856 sometime after the original North Carolina Gold Rush and shortly after the initial California Gold Rush and prior to the Civil War. Some of the miners returning from California had observed hydraulic mining in California and a Dr. Marcus VanDyke decided to try it in the local area here in Western North Carolina. The water needed to be carried by an aqueduct to the mountain sides and then reduced by smaller pipe pipes to increase the pressure. In order to do this in our area some trestles had to be built, some 100 feet high. It was during this time that one of the trestles collapsed killing some men near my property Treasure Valley, which was home to the Luckadoo Gold Mine. The only newspaper article I've been able to find is the one attached from Asheville NC. It's a somewhat ironic that one of the men George D. Poteet is buried on property owned by a gold prospecting concern, located about a mile from Treasure Valley in a small graveyard in the woods between 2 Confederate soldiers about 1/3 mile off the highway. The hydraulic mining didn't last too long in our area, although there was some done on my property, because Legislation was passed to prohibit it because of mud and silt washing on to the agriculture fields below where the mining was taking place. Pictures are of the newspaper article and Poteet's tombstone, he was 21 years old. No other information on whether any of the other men died has been located or their names other than Poteet and Epley. Located information on Poteet through the Poteet Genealogy and North Carolina Archive newspapers.

 

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[The Rebel]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting. What regiment were the CS troops from? Have you tried any prospecting there?

 

[Clay Diggins]

Thanks for sharing your research Buckshot. I do have a question about one part of your narrative.

You wrote:
"The hydraulic mining didn't last too long in our area, although there was some done on my property, because Legislation was passed to prohibit it"

I've seen that stated elsewhere, usually associated with the date 1925. I haven't been able to find that law anywhere, in fact current North Carolina mining law doesn't even mention hydraulic mining.

If you could share your source it would be a big help in my own research.

 

[Buckshotnc]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting. What regiment were the CS troops from? Have you tried any prospecting there?

Not sure, don't know if that was on their tombstones, been a few years since I've been to the graveyard. Yes I actually found a few flakes this week in one of the streams.

 

[Buckshotnc]

Thanks for sharing your research Buckshot. I do have a question about one part of your narrative.

You wrote:
"The hydraulic mining didn't last too long in our area, although there was some done on my property, because Legislation was passed to prohibit it"

I've seen that stated elsewhere, usually associated with the date 1925. I haven't been able to find that law anywhere, in fact current North Carolina mining law doesn't even mention hydraulic mining.

If you could share your source it would be a big help in my own research.

One source is local gold mining book "GOLD SHINING DUST" which quotes in part "The Luckadoo Mine was confronted with Legislation forbidding the filling up of creeks with run-off from Hydraulic Mining." They reference The Marion News October 10, 1901 , this is a local newspaper which I have been unable to locate at the local library but think it is buried in their archives on microfilm.

Apparently this was Legislation which may or may not have become part of the Mining Laws. My Gut tells me that this was prior to 1925, possibly more around the turn of the century since I have copies of letters from Col. Horton who was over the mining operations of Gen. Hubbard of New York in the local area between 1904-1907 and I've not noticed hydraulic mining being mentioned. Best I can figure they were Union soldiers during the Civil War and saw the potential for gold mining here and returned here after the war.