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Reed Gold Mine to open Sundays this summer
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Reed Gold Mine will open on Sundays this summer beginning June
14.
EXPLORE CABARRUS
MIDLAND — Visitors will have a new opportunity to explore North Carolina's first documented gold discovery site this summer as Reed Gold Mine joins a statewide pilot program offering Sunday hours at select historic attractions.
The North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites announced that Reed Gold Mine will be among 13 stateowned historic sites participating in an eight-week pilot program that adds Sunday operating hours from 1-5 p.m. beginning June 14 and continuing through Aug. 2.
Currently, most state historic sites, including Reed Gold Mine, are open Tuesday through Saturday. The temporary expansion is intended to gauge public interest and accessibility as state officials evaluate future operating schedules.
Located in Cabarrus County near Midland, Reed Gold Mine preserves the site where 12-year-old Conrad Reed discovered a 17-pound gold nugget in 1799, sparking the nation's first gold rush decades before the California Gold Rush. The site today features exhibits on North Carolina's gold mining history, restored mining structures and underground mine tours. The Sunday-hours initiative was mandated by the 2025 "mini budget" bill approved by the North Carolina General Assembly. Lawmakers selected 13 sites across the state to participate in the pilot program.
In addition to Reed Gold Mine, participating sites include Aycock Birthplace, Historic Bath, Bentonville Battlefield, Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson, Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum, Historic Edenton, Fort Fisher, Historic Halifax, Roanoke Island Festival Park, Somerset Place, the State Capitol and Thomas Day State Historic Site.
The Division of State Historic Sites said the program is intended as a time-limited effort to assess visitor demand for weekend access at stateowned historic attractions.
Reed Gold Mine is one of 27 sites managed by the Division of State Historic Sites and Properties, which oversees historic structures, artifacts and exhibits across North Carolina. The division's mission is to connect visitors with the state's history through preservation, education and public engagement.
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