Gold was first discovered in what would become the town of Gold Hill in southeastern Rowan County in 1824. $6 million in gold was mined here prior to the Civil War and a mint was located in Charlotte as a result. In the 1840s, Gold Hill was "a raucous mining camp town with a considerable number of saloons and brothels." The Barnhardt shaft, named for Col. George Barnhardt of the Reed Mine (NC State Historic Site) family, was opened in 1842 and reached a depth of 435 feet…