When the early Spanish explorers came to America they were shown by the Indians rich nuggets and ornaments of gold which came from the Southern Appalachian region. Some of this gold is supposed to have come from the area with which this report deals The Spaniards mined for gold in Georgia in the seventeenth century. During the eighteenth century very little attention was given to mining anywhere in the Appalachians, although it is supposed by some that gold was found in this section (Brewer mine) before the Revolutionary war.b Just at the close of that century placer gold was discovered in Cabarrus. County, N. C., and from that time forward prospecting was carried on with considerable vigor. About 1825 vein gold was discovered in Montgomery County, and soon afterwards in Mecklenburg County, N. C.
The first recorded production from the particular area here described was $3,500 in 1829, and came from Lancaster and Chesterfield counties, S. C. In 1830 work was being done in many places and with profit.