I am the grandson of one of the original owners of Gold Mountain. The park opened in June 1965. The original park did have a Spanish theme to represent the exploration of the NC Mountains by De Soto and Spanish Conquistadores looking for gold. I have an extensive collection of memorabilia and newspaper articles related to the development and opening of the park. The park was later sold to Archie Campbell (of Hee Haw fame). That was when the name changed to Gold City and they added a western theme to the park.
@TheCarpetbagger
6 жыл бұрын
That’s awesome I’d love to hear more
@phillipowens2451
6 жыл бұрын
I went here about 30 years ago with my parents when I was a kid. I was also like to hear more about it.
@stephenrudd2305
6 жыл бұрын
The original owners were Bill Simmons and NC Rudd from Greensboro. The park had actors that played out various parts of the story of De Soto throughout the day. A bullfight was held in the street with two people in a bull costume. They also held a donkey race down the street. For years, one of the donkeys lived on our farm. In addition to the chairlift, there was a giant slide (like what you see at a county fair) down at the bottom. An incline train ride was added later to take tourist down into an old mica mine. I have a stack of color postcards that promoted the park, an original bumper sticker, an invitation to the opening, several of the pamphlets you showed, and a stack of newspaper articles. I also have one of the prop swords used by the actors. I also have multiple family photos from the park when I was a toddler to a young kid.it was always a cool memory that my Grandparents owned an amusement park.
@phillipowens2451
6 жыл бұрын
Do you know why it went out of business?
@subarudork
4 жыл бұрын
@@stephenrudd2305 as a child it was.alrrady closed when I would pass by on family vacations. I very vividly remember a Santa clause statue and a Cadillac sedan with a Chicken head on it?! Being parked in the front corner of the lot. Everything else was closed at that time, but my parents snapped a few pictures of me by the Santa statue. It was probably 40 feet tall, but had fallen over. Does anyone remember this? It would have been in the early to mid 90s.
@1earlcatfish
9 жыл бұрын
Just watching you climb that hill had me sweating , I'm worn out, I got to take a nap and watch the other half later . LOL
@cowboy6591
8 жыл бұрын
I really appreciate your aggression to these videos, you are definitely NOT a lazy man.
@kathleenpatricia728
8 жыл бұрын
"The tremendously unsafe bridge". Proceeds to walk and stand on it anyway...
@bradmad8346
7 жыл бұрын
It is really amazing how fast the earth reclaims mans constructions, I am amazed my house doesn't look like this because it is older. I am glad you didn't have a heart attach making this video. Fun to watch.
@TrinlayK
6 жыл бұрын
from watching various ghost investigators and urban exploration, it looks l ike buildings are "mostly OK" as long as people are in them, cleaning up regularly, making sure the roof and plumbing don't leak, and the windows are closed during storms and not broken... Once water gets in... they go down FAST.
@TheCarpetbagger
9 жыл бұрын
+Earl IV It was exhausting and I was picking thorns out of my skin for weeks :)
@nsingleton1
8 жыл бұрын
+The Carpetbagger Where did you hear the information about getting the animated miners out of the mine?
@TheCarpetbagger
8 жыл бұрын
+Nick Singleton I believe it was from one of Tim Hollis's books
@Averageguy-qn4vp
8 жыл бұрын
Hey at 2:47 there's a creepy Halloween photo of a clown a zombie and evil Santa weird right?
@ZanZan72
7 жыл бұрын
The Carpetbagger this is some creepy shit
@gockinmyrari
7 жыл бұрын
The Carpetbagger where's it at
@OdyBeRidin
8 жыл бұрын
Thanks for making the trip to the top. If you pause at 15:36, it looks as though the ski lift might have actually been some type of rail car. See the mini rail road ties, stakes and you can see the actual rail at the lower bottom right of screen. Reminds me of the cog rail train we took to the top of Pikes Peak. Thanks again and keep exploring while I sit in front of my computer eating cheetoes!
@Kr8zeLibra
9 жыл бұрын
The sign said "Land of the Giants" and was surrounded by a bed of sunflowers and a statue of a bear with a straw hat. It was part of a playground at the top of the mountain. It didn't totally have a Spanish theme. It was in two areas. Gold City was a sort of old western mining town and El Derado was a Spanish themed area. The only rides were three kiddie rides, a ferris wheel and a scrambler. It was mostly a shopping village. It resembled a very cheap reproduction of Ghost Town in the sky.
@justinemccraw9537
7 жыл бұрын
I agree.
@SamanthaPortUkulele
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the info! Really cool.
@qte5530
5 жыл бұрын
Awesome thank you.
@TheSWolfe
8 жыл бұрын
I cannot imagine a time when that place was ever safe! It must've been one long, continuous battle between ownership/mgmt. & city/state code compliance inspectors. I always get a little twinge of sadness every time I see a trashed/forgotten piano.
@Angelicwings1
4 жыл бұрын
TheSWolfe I agree with the piano. It makes me so sad.
@Ultra_Fine_Point
9 жыл бұрын
So, just some more information on this place...I traveled through 441 with my parents a lot as a kid. And as of 1993, the lower part, the gem sifting portion, was still open to the public. I have a picture of myself, taken by my Mom, of me in front of this place. There used to be BIG oversized characters around this place to catch your eye as you drove by. Anyways, seeing that totem pole you walked by in the beginning of the video reminded me of a time my Mom stopped here with me. I'm honestly surprised that the buckets, sifters, and totem pole haven't been stolen...
@pollysshore2539
5 жыл бұрын
Ultra_Fine_Point Nobody would steal the totem pole. Locals were always fond of it and it was a good landmark
@glb6
8 жыл бұрын
Many years ago as a child my parents took me there and there was a chairlift that we rode up the mountain. But if I'm not mistaken it was then a western theme. I enjoyed the video!
@aknightthatsaysnee5259
3 жыл бұрын
This is the kind of video I like. Showing something that I never knew existed and will be very soon lost forever. Thanks for the hard work.
@zig_zagman
9 жыл бұрын
Great effort, Jacob, but please stay safe and don't overdo it! I seriously was holding my breath when you were out on that ski lift platform, but logic said you must have made it or you wouldn't have been able to post the video! ;-)
@TheCarpetbagger
9 жыл бұрын
J Zigman I admit, this is probably an example of how NOT to do things :)
@jasonj8470
8 жыл бұрын
I used to operate Skyway at Disney (Magic Kingdom) many years ago. That old control panel looked vaguely familiar. I remember to make the cable start moving you would have to slowly turn that large lever on the right until it was up to full speed. It went 3.14 mph.
@TheCarpetbagger
8 жыл бұрын
Cool thanks for the info
@JamesRobertSmith
8 жыл бұрын
Franklin has some really good mining places where you can pay a few bucks and dig. We took my son to one two years ago and he found about $200 worth of sapphires in about two hours of panning. A woman beside him found one that was enormous and would be worth about $2K. The place really is a gem bonanza.
@templeofflesh7310
7 жыл бұрын
I worked at 2 native mines in franklin, Sheffield and Mason mine and both have rubies in the ground they are called Native mines and they are a pretty good ways into the outskirts in the woods. Sheffield was used as a corundum mine for sand paper although it does produce star saphires or gem quality.
@pollysshore2539
5 жыл бұрын
TEMPLE of FLESH Yes it does. A lot of the mines are salted but there are some good & legitimate mines. My oldest nephew found a giant sapphire and ruby at Sheffield when he was little. He put them in a safe deposit box. Smart kid.
@HNXMedia
7 жыл бұрын
Reminds me of the ads in old papers and magazines where you could send away for "bags of dirt" to pan yourself. Most claimed they were "Direct from the Yukon." Love that kind of stuff!
@RancidYogurt
7 жыл бұрын
I was really hoping something more was up there for you, especially after the struggle to get up there! You poor thing!
@bamos76
9 жыл бұрын
That sign with the smiling sunflower looked like it said "land of the giants" I have passed through Franklin a few times and was always curious about some of those gold and gem places cool video...
@AdamAntiumtv
8 жыл бұрын
I guess those places are everywhere! I went to one when on a trip in NC, and we've got a few scattered around Indiana.
@sergiom603
8 жыл бұрын
Kudos to you hiking up that mountain...you look exhausted!
@116dcj
Жыл бұрын
I grew up about 5 miles from Gold City. I worked there in the late 60’s. Very little Spanish, as I recall. Mostly a Western Town with gun fights. I ran the popcorn wagon. Harold Cason was one of the old Gun Fighters.
@Moonflower52
8 жыл бұрын
Thank you for taking the time to share with us....I enjoy your journeys..
@trishmoore6767
3 жыл бұрын
You took one for the team! God bless you! Thank you so VERY much for the footage & info. Safe travels!
@theanimatronicfollower929
8 жыл бұрын
I usually do gem mining at campgrounds!
@TheCarpetbagger
8 жыл бұрын
Better than a mountain top
@amunra7979
7 жыл бұрын
to Carpetbagger, will you come out to Northern California? Plenty to see here.
@graciemeadors3114
7 жыл бұрын
you are my favorite youtuber. i love going on these interesting & hilarious adventures with you!! i work two jobs & am in college and at the end of my day i always watch these. in high school, my friends & i loved to explore abandoned farmhouses & odd shops etc round my town in Indiana but don't much get to now. keep being awesome!
@dandyzinc
8 жыл бұрын
I'm really interested in Gold Mountain now, being from NC! I'm gonna have to see if my family has any brochures about it in storage. My parents and grandparents used to own a motel and restaurant here in NC from the 60s to the mid 00s. (Gas prices, resulting in less travel, killed it.) There was a wall specifically for brochures advertising cool places in the state; hopefully they all weren't thrown away over the decades. Gotta give you major props for that climb and for braving those stairs. That poor piano, though. :( Thanks so much for the video and info about it!
@TheCarpetbagger
8 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Gold mountain stuff is hard to find, let me know what you come up with
@dandyzinc
8 жыл бұрын
+The Carpetbagger Keeping my fingers crossed! And will do!
@DruTubeyt
8 жыл бұрын
+The Carpetbagger your a really awesome youtuber
@enzothegreat1584
7 жыл бұрын
+The Carpetbagger hard to fine its rare from what I can tell no building in tract few objects from the park like it never exist its sad
@jimterryh1983
7 жыл бұрын
A big climb! Sad condition. Cutie pie at the end. Thanks Carpetbagger!
@qte5530
5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for taking the hike for us all.
@mr.funnyguy1164
7 жыл бұрын
hey carpetbagger i really love your work and i wish you could get more attention for it. keep up the great work!
@SusieSynth
8 жыл бұрын
i cant believe you climbed that lol thank you so much for the footage. i would have never seen it otherwise.
@firejackrabbit
7 жыл бұрын
This is one of the best videos on KZitem 👍🏼
@lynnmoore2664
9 жыл бұрын
Man Jacob that was one heck of a hike up the mountain! Great effort and video! Thanks for taking me along!
@TheCarpetbagger
9 жыл бұрын
It about killed me, but it was worth it to soothe my nagging curiosity :)
@lizlocher3612
2 жыл бұрын
You have a lot of guys climbing all the way up Gold Mountain n walking on those rickety stairs n bridges. Attaboy, Carpetbagger,!!!!
@nadiamarsile3049
4 жыл бұрын
Some Time After .Happy Christmas for you ,familly and Friends ,dear monsieur Jacob.yhank you for your vidéos sée what I just imagine before !! 🎄🌟😀💛🌹
@waynegrant8982
6 жыл бұрын
Great video..very well done...keep it up... Western Canada
@toystorylover5257
3 жыл бұрын
Wow! This is so cool! I'm glad you didn't get hurt. I was afraid you were going to fall and hurt yourself. Well, thanks for sharing! Have a great day!
@johngodwin7902
5 жыл бұрын
Great video
@HistoryHappens
9 жыл бұрын
I like all your videos but this one is my favorite by far! It was absolutely hilarious and I know you you weren't trying to be!
@twilolight
8 жыл бұрын
I saw this last night as I was trying to fall asleep. I was really shocked you ran up that hill like Kate Bush. It was certainly nice to see what was up there but it was really scary when your foot fell through that control tower! Be safe man!
@ohmeowzer1
8 жыл бұрын
Great videos
@XXXSHARONOXXX
9 жыл бұрын
That was really lucky you did not hurt yourself....When you had that bit of dirt on your forehead or whatever it was i thought it was on my laptop first and wiped it ...Hahahaha!!....Thank-you so much for sharing :0)
@geoffjacobs1898
7 жыл бұрын
I thought I remembered that being sort of a Western-themed street scene up there, Sir. Thanks for checking it out, I've been curious for a while as I go by there a million times. When my parents were living up there, I drove over that mountain in the fall when it was just sprinkling a bit. When I got to the top of the mountain passing Gold City (Cowee Mtn.), it was snowing!! Pretty cool!
@chickenpermission9585
7 жыл бұрын
this is the most relatable video i've ever seen i love it so much
@husqv5147
8 жыл бұрын
How long did your leg cramps last that night?
@MrMyst
8 жыл бұрын
I'm sure it said "Land of the Giants"
@BobbyCoggins
7 жыл бұрын
In the late 80s and early 90s, there were giant fiberglass attractions at Gold City. The only two I remember are the Inspector Clouseau and the Pink Panther.
@alabamabigfootsociety4427
8 жыл бұрын
I'll have to say, You have a set of balls on you for climbing on those rotten steps and walk ways.. Looked pretty dangerous to me . I like your videos
@mrdarkeed8246
7 жыл бұрын
Place must have been riddled with spiders and ticks
@grigoriyefimovichrasputin7897
5 жыл бұрын
A good way to avoid ticks in to keep moving when in tall grassy areas And when you get back home take a cold shower ticks hate the cold.
@philowe
7 жыл бұрын
You need to go back to Gold Mountain and use your drone to look around it would be more safe. I remember Gold City when I was little in the 80's. I remember riding on a donkey named John Henry.
@robertdees1595
6 жыл бұрын
The old man will run you off if you have a drone. Even if you've been inside to purchase things. He's very hateful
@sarahmaria3405
7 жыл бұрын
you should definetly explore the U.P of Michigan we have tons of abandoned buildings and tourist traps which I know you love
@sandraakin3097
3 жыл бұрын
I remember seeing some of your pictures on Flikr, several years ago. But I lost my email address when bellsouth quit, so I had to start over with a new email address, so I lost all of my content, and all of the pictures you had on Flikr. I found several old brochures saved on my old computer from Gold City, but they are lost now. My family and I used to got to Gold City, when I was a young teen, sometime between 1969 until 1974 or 1975, In fact I remember being in Junior High school and my family planning a trip there the following weekend, but was informed by a classmate they had a fire, and we never went back. When we first went there, it wasn't a spanish theme, but more like Ghost Town. And their mascot was a mule with a straw hat, like the one used on Hee-Haw. One brochure I found said if i remember correctly, that Buck Owens owned a part in it, and he used it to find new talent, which I think is where the mule came into it. And It was called Gold City and also Lost Mine. One of the brochures I found on the internet several years ago, called it Lost Mine, and had the mule mascot on the cover. : I thought my father had some old slides we had made when we went there, but I didn't find any.
@fcontitwo
7 жыл бұрын
✨🇺🇸Love your style !!!😎✅✨.
@fcontitwo
7 жыл бұрын
✨🇺🇸Love your style !!!😎✅✨
@WeAreAllAlexJones2024
6 жыл бұрын
You are a cool dude. You have some very good videos.
@stephaniekingery5746
7 жыл бұрын
I just stumbled upon this! I went there all the time as a kid. We have many photos, I rode the skilift as a kid. I was curious if it was still up there, so now I know. My parents actually live on the other side of the ridge.
@TheCarpetbagger
7 жыл бұрын
+Steph Kingery I'd love to see pictures
@davidgates4266
9 жыл бұрын
yes that is a sunflower and yes it is laughing at you..l o l.you crazy man !!you gonna pop that heart ,!! but on the other hand, one hell of a hike you must be Healthy...
@kiningroseburg9288
9 жыл бұрын
You should really take someone with you, what would happen if you fall and break something?
@TheCarpetbagger
9 жыл бұрын
Koning Rosekraans Probably not a bad idea, but I can't find anyone stupid enough to go with me :)
@Skittle-do7cc
9 жыл бұрын
Every video, I end up saying to myself how badly I'd love to join you! ... & how badly you need at least one more person :) can't be too careful! Thank you for all the awesome exploring you share with us! I desperately miss doing this!
@grigoriyefimovichrasputin7897
5 жыл бұрын
@Shawn Haynes me too brother👌👍
@Nutty_Dave_Does
7 жыл бұрын
When I lived there this was up n running ...
@TheCarpetbagger
7 жыл бұрын
+David Nutty love to hear about it
@niklass1641
2 жыл бұрын
I'm far more curious about the large, very modern building 9:25 with functioning outdoor lights and satellite dishes surrounded by a razor wire fence that's right behind him up there.... but he never addresses at all.
@saramoneer380
7 жыл бұрын
Love ur videos that evil sunflower monster had me lol
@thelittlepinkdino234
7 жыл бұрын
You're from Milwaukee! That's awesome! I lived there for 4 years, I'm from Prarie Du Chien, WI.
@nilz9397
3 жыл бұрын
Fantastic video, its been a good few years and so I trust you have made it down, ok so horray! When you got to the sunflower I was wondering if you thought its best to turn back especially being a parent. But you made it up there that was pretty awesome and you're not scared either all kinds of things would have been going round in my head, I would be wondering if anything evil deadish would be happening, crazy imaginations! as they say in for a penny in for a pound! Well done 👏✔
@feraloracle8239
7 жыл бұрын
Carpetbagger! This Is the Scariest Video of Yours By Far!! You Frightened Me when You stepped on the Dangerouss Bridge !
@iiatargetanalyst3046
6 жыл бұрын
Have you toured my state of South Dakota? Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse monument (a place bring ur family) You will not regret the trip. Blackhills has rich history of gold rush. Promise its up to code 😂 (safe to explore) I like watching ur vids. Too funny.
@beccad4408
3 жыл бұрын
I drive by this place quite a bit going up Cowee Mountain, and I’ve always wondered what was up there! Never noticed the flower sign either.
@alangick4237
6 жыл бұрын
Actually visited Gold City in the 70’s By then it had a western theme along with Archie Campbell’s training ground for country music The scary bridge led to a short incline railway to a supposed real gold mine (looked like a big cavelike hole to me A real dud
@spacecest.slimes9944
7 жыл бұрын
Weird thing I noticed, a lot of the abandoned amusment parks he visits all have sky lifts. o-o
@rockytop228
7 жыл бұрын
Dang Jacob!! You are the BOMB!!
@starrfisher
7 жыл бұрын
if I followed you I would hurt myself. mom always told me to be careful where I go. even though I think you go to interesting places I could not go where you go. I do hope you have your shots
@Espaidelman
8 жыл бұрын
Man, you've got a huge set of balls.
@yankeesfaninfl
7 жыл бұрын
Kudos for walking up that mountain !!!
@dawnmarie8550
7 жыл бұрын
lmao the old rotten piano haha
@Listersmate2
8 жыл бұрын
9:14 What's the deal with the big satellite dish?
@SaltyNationalist
7 жыл бұрын
That's what they used in the old days for satellite tv. #RipleysBelieveItOrNot
@Listersmate2
7 жыл бұрын
R Boyd No duh! The reason why I asked was because it was said no one was up there, the big satellite dishes show that clearly it's being used for something. I didn't know if they were used for tv reception or a radio or tv station was using the mountain for its broadcasting equipment.
@SaltyNationalist
7 жыл бұрын
Listersmate2 I think the red brick building he only showed a glimpse of with the fence around it may have been a cel tower yes. But they don't use land based satellite structures like that. That is old and way out dated..
@BobbyCoggins
7 жыл бұрын
Morris Broadband has a satellite receiving station up there . Link to Google Maps goo.gl/maps/bG7uGSm9Q2U2
@pollysshore2539
5 жыл бұрын
That’s depressing. I have memories of visiting Gold City as a child but I barely remember it. I think it had more rides for small children. I can’t even remember the last time I was it running & operational. I know they kept the gem stone mining going at the bottom for several years after the park closed.
@naarahjanemorris3121
4 жыл бұрын
Stay safe God Bless you climbing all the way up Gold mountain I'd like to see before & Now photos of what this place was like please just interested
@xpandorasboxx
7 жыл бұрын
I went to something like that gem mine thing before, but it was in Tennessee. I got some Garnet chunks I think, and there was an old man there that snuck a large chunk of amythst and some other gem in my bucket for me since I didn't get much
@aepfelchen_7945
7 жыл бұрын
yayy im the 50.000 abbo Girl from you^^
@deborahdesanto2313
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video, how do you find all of these places that you visit?
@sherrielong6795
5 жыл бұрын
Piano building was a saloon.
@artisankatstudios7902
5 жыл бұрын
I actually found a few cloudy rubies in a non-salted ('Salted' meaning when a mine adds non-native gems) mine. It was a quite nice trip but a loooong drive.
@poodlenme
6 жыл бұрын
Man, that's too steep! I thought you might pass out! Kinda hard to see you suffer. BRAVE JACOB!
@suzyjacuzzi6791
8 жыл бұрын
Collab with ADAMTHEWOO! Even if he is crazy and probably would have army crawled the whole way. Haha.
@Mokujo
8 жыл бұрын
He's collabed with Adam a lot already. Two videos I can think of off the top of my head are the first Chic-Fa-Le and the Tupac Shakur Memorial Garden.
@qte5530
5 жыл бұрын
Beautiful views !-_•
@rushellealexandra5243
6 жыл бұрын
I've been there on the way to Florida yrs ago as a kid they sold carved stone animals I still have a white quartz cat and a pink granite dog
@troysharpe9039
6 жыл бұрын
I thought I was going to lose it when you made the found-footage comment..lol
@SamanthaPortUkulele
7 жыл бұрын
"This is quickly turning into a found footage documentary" 😂 Glad you made it out okay!
@Daniel28021991
8 жыл бұрын
Great video, be careful! ;)
@salmanbinjumah8013
4 жыл бұрын
Your a legend 😎👍🏼 I hope the redo gold city
@Freddysdrawings
7 жыл бұрын
I'm telling you I'm not a huge fan of abandoned places but I might be interested in this stuff and I have seen some abandoned places where I live they creep me out but I'm curious in what it looks like inside they are all houses though abandoned houses
@Freddysdrawings
7 жыл бұрын
Also be careful when it comes to abandoned amusement parks they're the most dangerous above any Abandoned places
@wvubee
7 жыл бұрын
You are awesome
@tycholorenzo
4 жыл бұрын
That was for sure a piano, cause it has strings and a system for hitting them
@user-fq3hb7ef1f
12 сағат бұрын
Me I would go up there I am a very adventurous 😊
@AbandonedExplorationUrbex1979
8 жыл бұрын
It's a shame that u hiked all the way up that hill/mountain and there wasn't much to see. remember, going back down is easier then going up as long as u don't trip and fall on the way down.
@weshammer8906
6 жыл бұрын
I've been gem mining here a couple of times, but I had no idea that there used to be an amusement park up there. I would love to have seen it when it was opened.
@friendshipranger
6 жыл бұрын
Time to pull out the drone.
@kessler_could_not_care
9 жыл бұрын
awesome
@spacecest.slimes9944
7 жыл бұрын
Breathing heavy just from talking isn't a good sign..
@TheCarpetbagger
7 жыл бұрын
+Just rose I walked up a damn mountain
@doesmatter3770
7 жыл бұрын
10:50 behind the light switch...is there a finger? it looks like a dismembered finger! it could be part of an old statue or something but omg creepy.
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