North Carolina’s greatest discovery wasn’t just the gold nugget found in 1799—it was the potential to transform communities!
The North Carolina Gold Rush began in 1799, when a 12-year-old boy named Conrad Reed discovered a 17-pound gold nugget on his family's farm in Cabarrus County. This marked the first documented gold find in the United States and led to America's first gold rush. For over 39 years, North Carolina was the leading gold producer in the U.S. until the California Gold Rush started in 1848.
Just as the discovery of gold in 1799 brought new wealth, development, and opportunities to North Carolina, NNCP is committed to driving civic engagement and fostering economic mobility within bipoc communities.
