The Reed Gold Mine is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States. The discovery of gold from this mine gradually influenced gold mining to nearby counties and eventually into other southern states. During the gold mining peak years, it was second only to farming in the number of North Carolinians it employed. The estimated value of gold recovered reached over one million dollars a year. North Carolina led the nation in gold production until 1848, when it was eclipsed by the great rush to California.
Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site Reconstructed Building at President James K. Polk State Historic Site
The Reed Gold Mine is located in Midland, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and has been designated a National Historic Landmark because of its importance and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. At this location there is an underground mine that is open for self-guided tours, historic structures, a visitor center, trails, monuments, and outdoor exhibits.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens
Location: Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site; President James K. Polk State Historic Site; Pineville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a fantastic weekend. Hope to see y’all on Friday for the Which Way Challenge. This week the Which Ways will be your choice. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
We have had several thunderstorms this week, so therefore we haven’t been out and about much. Instead I’m reminiscing about a trip I took a few years ago with my oldest son for his birthday adventure. Since he wanted to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, I was more than happy to ride along with him.
My entries for this week’s challenge are views from just one of our stops we sidetracked on during his Mountain adventure.
Taken at 10:54 am (late morning) in 2017
Bluff Mountain Overlook is located at Milepost 243.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a popular destination along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Bluff Mountain is visible from the Bluff Mountain Overlook. It offers breathtakingly spectacular views.
Foggy Morning Mountain View
On a clear day, Bluff Mountain’s visibility is remarkably satisfying and amazingly delightful to gaze upon from the Overlook. At this point in our adventure clear visibility was not to be had, but that did not deter ills from looking around or venturing on a short hike along the Bluff Mountain Trail which is easily accessible from the Bluff Mountain Overlook.
Alligator Back
Bluff Mountain Trail passes through grassy meadows and includes a challenging switchback ascent called Alligator Back. Alligator Back is a short twenty (20) minute walk from Bluff Overlook.
The Predators
Until recently Predatory Birds and Mammals, those which preyed on other animals or were in conflict with humans, were termed “Varmints” and killed on sight. Fortunately, modern Ecology proves the vital interdependency of all wild plants and animals. Today Hawks and Owls, Black Bears, Bobcats, Foxes and Snakes continue to roam Parklands like this and help preserve the delicate balance of nature. [Informational notice on sign.]
Panoramic View from Bluff Mountain Overlook
We hiked all around the overlook investigating the Predator area scenic views. To the right in the photo above and in the picture below is my eldest son, John. He is not normally into hiking, but he accommodated me in my thrill to explore the sights and perspective landscapes available to observe, explore, and admire.
My eldest son, John
As we drove further along the Blue Ridge Parkway our visibility improved dramatically unlike when we parked here at this location and the Air Bellows Overlook.
Air Bellows Overlook Parkway Milepost 236.9
Looking forward to checking out all your Morning Scenes. Hope to see y’all on Friday for the Which Way Challenge. This week we’ll be including Shadows in our Which Ways. Interested in finding more details about the Which Way challenge click here.
Cameras: Apple iPhones XS Max, 11 Pro Max, 13 Pro, 14 Pro Max, & 16 Pro Max
Locations Vary: 1-4 & 7-8) South Carolina; 5-6) North Carolina
God Bless. Coleman has my heart. Who has yours? Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy from Life lessons hosts The Numbers Game . She has chosen the number 204 for this week’s #82” Numbers Game challenge. To play along, go to your photos file folder and type that number into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find that include that number and post a link to your blog in my Numbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title. This prompt repeats each Monday with a new number. If you want to play along, please put a link to your blog post here.
Here are my contributions to the album.
Germany Faires/Coltharp Cabin#SimplyRedNornal, Dalline, & Eddie WatersAlonaAlona & ColemanAtlantic Ocean Alex Marina Murrells Inlet, South CarolinaAmerican PekinDiscovery Center Creation Museum Abilene, TexasHylotelephium cauticolaAnne Springs Close Greenway Coleman McDowell Nature Preserve New Braunfels Railroad Museum Greenville ZooThe Schiele Museum of Natural History
Forage King Bale Wagons/Retrievers are used for efficiently moving and stacking hay bales. At the Greenway Stables Entrance where a vast number of horses are stabled and pasteurized a huge amount of hay is needed to feed the horses.
The Greenway grows its own feed for the horses and other farm animals living in the Greenway. The Bale Wagon/Retriever helps the staff to load and unload hay at various locations in the Greenway. They minimize manual handling of bales, saving time and labor.