Dahlonega Courthouse Gold Museum

North Georgia


If you have a thing for coins, currency or financial history, pop into this museum. Dahlonega has gold-mining roots and the town prospered with each strike. In 1838 the federal government opened a mint in the town square, where more than $6 million in gold was coined before the operation was closed at the dawn of the Civil War.

Don't miss the handmade bricks in the stairwell of the 2nd-floor courtroom (someone will need to open it for you) – they're flecked with specks of gold. The museum will be getting a major face-lift in 2018.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby North Georgia attractions

1. Wolf Mountain Vineyards

4.25 MILES

Wolf lures a hip and trendy 30-something crowd to its gorgeous, 30-acre winery that frames epic sunsets over Springer Mountain from its tasting-room…

2. Three Sisters

7.66 MILES

A wonderfully unpretentious vineyard where Cheetos, overalls and bluegrass tunes – or fine cheese and great views – pair just fine with the wine.

3. Frogtown Cellars

8.46 MILES

This beautiful winery has a killer deck where you can sip libations and nibble cheese. It bills itself as the most awarded American winery not in…

4. Amicalola Falls

15.01 MILES

The tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast is a spectacular sight. It tumbles 729ft through protected North Georgia mountain scenery within…

5. Helton Creek Falls

16 MILES

On a good day, this double waterfall barrels out of the woods over a rocky outcrop, tumbling 100ft into a moss creek valley below. But on a rainy day, it…

6. Vogel State Park

16.61 MILES

Located at the base of the evocatively named Blood Mountain, this is one of Georgia's oldest parks, and constitutes a quilt of wooded mountains…

7. Habersham Vineyards & Winery

18.93 MILES

One of Georgia's pioneering wineries dating all the way back to 1983. Winemaker Andrew Beaty trained at the University of California, Davis, and wineries…

8. Hardman Farm

18.96 MILES

This 1870 Italianate farmhouse set on 173 acres, 2 miles southeast of downtown Helen, is Georgia's newest state historic site. The nearby gazebo-topped…