Welcome to Dahlonega, Georgia, the site of the second major gold rush in the US. As you can imagine, George quickly becomes a fan of the town. The discovery occurred in 1828, and quickly became a boomtown. The Cherokee had their own gold mines as well, and the government was under pressure to remove the Native Americans so the white settlers good claim the gold. As we discover more often than we'd like, the federal government removed the Cherokee and forced them to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. After the settlers stole the land and gold mines from the Cherokee, the US Government built a branch mint there in 1838 to turn the mined gold into gold coins. The mint closed in 1861. The area is now known more for its wineries than its gold. It is home to numerous vineyards and five wineries and has been recognized as "the Heart of North Georgia Wine Country". Join us for crazy little jaunt through this interesting little town.
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