Midland
Aug 31, 2016
Folks from across the state will be searching for gold in them hills at Reed Gold Mine Sept. 10. The 27th Annual Pan-O-Lympics, also known as the North Carolina Open Gold Panning Competition, will be under way. There will be fun, prizes and activities for young and old.
Experienced gold panners and novices will compete for speed along historic Little Meadow Creek, site of the first documented gold discovery in the United States. Competitors will be issued gravity trap pans containing sand and four gold nuggets. They must remove as much sand as possible and leave all four nuggets. They face penalties if nuggets are missing.
The Pro and Amateur Division each will have an adult and junior (14 and under) category. Entry fees are $15 for adult and $10 for junior categories. The Amateur division fees are $5 for adults and juniors. Pros are contestants who have competed the prior two years. Fees can be paid in advance or on the day of competition. There will be practice time before the competition, which will be 11 a.m. to noon for the Pro Division and 1-2 p.m. for the Amateur Division.
Proceeds from the Pan-O-Lympics benefit the Reed Expansion Committee, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site and North Carolina's gold mining history.
Free activities available will include guided underground tours, demonstrations of the 1895 stamp mill which crushed ore to extract gold, and an orientation film and visitor center exhibits. There will also be a Vulcan Minerals display and an exhibit of reproduction gold nuggets found in North Carolina. Carolina Prospectors will have items for sale. Panning will be available for $3.21 (tax included) for all aged 8 and older.
About Reed Gold Mine
Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site is part of the N.C. Division of State Historic Sites. Reed Gold Mine preserves the site of the first documented discovery of gold in the United States. Restored mine tunnels are shown to visitors by interpreters who share the story of that first discovery and the work of the miners to retrieve gold from the creek bed and from solid rock. Reed Gold Mine further interprets the history of North Carolina's mining heritage through exhibits, special events and off-site presentations. Panning for gold is a popular hands-on activity in warm months. Interpreters and programs also interpret the importance of gold, mining and geology in our culture and as an economic and social force in the region.