History

The most famous treasure found in North Carolina's piedmont would have to be the first documented gold found in the United States.

It was a 17-pound nugget found in Cabarrus County (see above map). The nugget was found in 1700 by a 12-year old boy named Conrad Reed. It was used as a doorstop for 3 years until a Fayetteville jeweler identified and purchased it for $3.50.

The following year Conrad's father John started what would become the Reed Gold Mine. Before the end of the first year a slave named Peter had unearthed a 28-pound nugget.

 

Info on this page found on http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/reed/history.htm