Book Description

This updated paperback edition of Virginia Gold Mines - The Golden Piedmont, A Historical Perspective from Virginia native Ben Beydler traces the roots of gold in the Commonwealth all the way back to one of the nation’s founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, who was responsible for the first gold discovery in the state. Certainly, California is at the top of the list for most folks when talk turns to gold, but Virginia’s history with the precious metal is just as colorful and entertaining. Jefferson, Alexander Spotswood, Henry Ford, and Commodore Robert Stockton are just a few of the historical figures who at one time or another had their hands on some of Virginia’s gold. The book not only traces the history of gold discoveries in Virginia from the 1800s to the present, but it details the many different mines that have been open and operating during that time period from the Potomac to the Piedmont. Everything from geology of the state to the evolution of mining practices is addressed. Virginia Gold Mines – The Golden Piedmont – A Historical Perspective is both educational and informative, and the images it conjures up just might make you want to run out and buy a metal detector, or do a little panning by the river the next time you’re on vacation.