LUMPKIN COUNTY. 395 



Towns. — Dahlonega, the capital of this county, is situated 

 14 miles from the Blue Ridge, on a high hill, commanding a 

 view of Walker's, Mossy Creek, and Yonah mountains. 

 It is 141 miles from Milledgeville, 25 from Gainesville, 30 from 

 Clarkesville, 30 from Gumming, 35 from Blairsville, and 35 

 from Ellijay. The court-house is constructed of brick, the jail 

 of logs. It has eight or ten stores, four groceries, two capital 

 hotels, three churches, Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian, 

 one market-house, one engine-house, one academy, one ma- 

 sonic lodge, one printing office, in which the Dahlonega Watch- 

 man is published, &c. Dahlonega is a thriving place. The 

 amount of goods sold is stated to be $75,000 per annum. 

 The character of the population has undergone a great change 

 within a few years. Religion and morality have warm 

 advocates ; and a more orderly population cannot be named. 

 Gold is often found in the court-house square, particularly af- 

 ter a shower ; and the little boys often pick up pieces of gold, 

 weighing from ^ of a dwt. to one dwt. Population about 

 1,000. The town was incorporated in 1833, and became the 

 seat of the public buildings in 1835. The U. S. Branch Mint 

 establishment is located in this town. The building is quite 

 large, and cost $70,000, and the machinery $30,000. Dr. 

 Singleton was the first superintendent appointed by General 

 Jackson. The Indian name for Dahlonega was Tau-lau-ne- 

 ca, meaning yellow money. 



Auraria, alias Nuckollsville, is situated six miles from Dah- 

 lonega, on the road leading to Gainesville. 



Leather's Ford is situated on the Chestatee river, 11 miles 

 below Dahlonega, inhabited mostly by persons engaged in mi- 

 ning operations. Population about 30. 



Minerals. — Besides gold, magnetic iron exists in great 

 quantities on the head waters of Amicalolah creek ; native cop- 

 per in Singleton's mines ; small particles of silver are some- 

 times found ; also lead, antimony, cyanite, rubies, asbestos, 

 sulphate of iron, quartz, granite, pyrites, &c. 



Roads, Bridges. — When the nature of the country is 

 taken into consideration, the roads may be said to be good, al- 

 though there is room for great improvement. There are seven 

 or eight bridges in the county. 



