Haralson County Mining Exhibit (2008)
An impromptu chat (mp3 format file) with geologist Travis Paris in August 2008, who professionally surveyed the Royal Vindicator (gold) mine in Haralson County in the 1980s. This discussion is about gold mining in the southeast United States, with special focus on Georgia and its Haralson County. A collection of photographs and other visuals, not published here, is often the subject of the discussion. The interviewer is a scientist/engineer who has no special training in geology and tries to ask some probing questions to educate the lay person. The end of the discussion includes an examination of how a young person might enter a career like geology or mining, as did Mr. Paris. If you would like to follow another type of calling, perhaps you can profit by surveying the Web page at the Open Source Teaching Project, which provides audio testimonies of successful people in one of a wide variety of disciplines.
Video from a January 2009 gold prospecting expedition in Buchanan, Georgia.
Other northwest Georgia mining and geology museums:
Pine Mountain Gold Museum
Tellus Northwest Georgia Science Museum
Using science to identify gold. Video and other free materials to learn more.
For perspective, the horrific existence of enslaved gold miners in ancient Egypt is documented here.
Video from a January 2009 gold prospecting expedition in Buchanan, Georgia.
Other northwest Georgia mining and geology museums:
Pine Mountain Gold Museum
Tellus Northwest Georgia Science Museum
Using science to identify gold. Video and other free materials to learn more.
For perspective, the horrific existence of enslaved gold miners in ancient Egypt is documented here.
Click on images below for full-sized version.
exhibit focus: Snapshot show with audio (left); gold mining tools in glass case (right)
close-up view of tools and other gold mining paraphernalia in glass case
view near glass case looking right; note Haralson County gold mine map on wall
gold mining sluice (left); photo and text recalling Pres. Harrison's 1891 whistle stop visit
Royal Vindicator gold mine map (left); Fictional placards welcoming Pres. Harrison during the county mining era (right)
permanent mineral collection and lent mine artifacts
foreground: Royal Vindicator gold mine artifacts
used circa 1900 and found circa 1985
used circa 1900 and found circa 1985
The Haralson County Historical Society would like to thank Mr. Roy Black for loan of the gold mining tools and paraphenalia, including their annotation with labels and design of the display case layout. It also thanks geologist Travis Paris for the snapshot show stills, nearly all of the poster source materials, and the Royal Vindicator gold mine artifacts on display which he lent.
