For more information on Allatoona Gold Panners,send email to: rrkelly@bellsouth.net.
On a perfect Saturday afternoon, Rob Kelly plopped his collapsible stool in the middle of Cherokee County's Blankets Creek, shoveled some quartz gravel into a green pan and proceeded to find gold. That's right, real gold. There wasn't much. And you had to look ever so closely to see the miniscule speck. But sure enough, there it was, plenty big enough to thrill curiosity seekers accompanying Kelly, founder of Allatoona Gold Panners.
Kelly began panning Georgia’s gold-laden creeks two decades ago. The Woodstock resident wasn’t looking to get rich. In fact, in all those years panning, he’s probably collected only an ounce of gold.
But the mostly retired chemical engineer was looking for an interesting way to relax. Now Kelly spends his Saturdays and lots of other days of the week educating the masses, and at no charge, about Georgia’s rich gold history and showing them where and how to find the lovely metal.
Q: What is everyone’s fascination with gold?
A: I don’t know but it starts early. I’ve talked to third graders who know all about gold. Seems people are born with the idea that gold is great stuff, that it will make you rich.
Q: Do people come to you expecting to strike it rich?
A: Yes, but I try to play that down, that this is recreational panning, not a way to get rich. Don’t quit your day job! But there are always a few dreamers.
Q: Speaking of getting rich, why doesn’t your group charge to show people where the gold is?
A: We just enjoy sharing what we do. It is fun to teach people and get the kids outdoors.
Q: How did you get into panning?
A: About 20 years ago, I went to the Gold Rush Days festival in Dahlonega and saw a demonstration. The fellow found some gold in his pan. I was really quite skeptical. He did it again. That convinced me panning really does work, but it took me two years to figure out where and how to find my first gold.
Q: Where is the gold?
A: The gold belt around here was formed millions of years ago when the Appalachian Mountains were formed. It runs diagonally from Helen through Dahlonega then down towards Carrollton and Villa Rica. There are many other little belts around, too.
Q: Do you think folks, even Georgians, are surprised to learn about gold being here?
A: They are. They know about the California gold. The gold here is 95 plus percent pure, more pure than California or Alaska gold or anywhere else in the United States. You have to go to Australia to find purer gold.
Q: What is the biggest nugget you have ever found?
A: Probably the size of a BB. Anything bigger is very rare.
Q: So what is the draw for you and other experienced panners?
A: Some people like to pan the same spot to see how much gold they can collect. Some like to socialize. I like being out in the woods and working the creeks. I also get a kick out of finding gold. It is like going on a treasure hunt. Me against nature.
Q: Do you get more satisfaction out of finding gold or helping someone find gold?
A: Now it’s sharing how to do it. I have panned about 40 creeks and have found gold in about 30 of them. When I do presentations, I ask people if they have a creek on their property. I offer to check it out for half the gold.
Q: Have you thought about going elsewhere to pan?
A: There are some members in the group who go to Colorado or Alaska. Some have a claim in California, just like in the old days. For me, I can just go down the street from my house to a nearby creek and find gold.
The Sunday Conversation is edited for length and clarity. Writer Ann Hardie can be reached by email at ann.hardie@gmail.com.
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