HISTORY& HERITAGE RUTHERFORDTON Bechtler House and Mint Site Park contact info pg. 56 EXPERIENCE NORTH CAROLINA GOLD HISTORY! Tour the home of Christopher Bechtler who minted the first $1 gold coin in 1832 - 17 years before the U.S. Mint made one of its own. Watch the documentary, tour the exhibits, and see the only Bechtler rifle known to exist. Then, head three miles north to the site of Bechtler's mint and peak inside the mine or walk on the Hidden Floor of Gold. Historic Downtown Walking Tour contact info pg. 56 THE LARGEST CLUSTER OF ANTEBELLUM HOMES IN THE SOUTHWEST REGION are just a few of the things you will see on this walking tour of downtown Rutherfordton. This self-guided tour will take you on a trip through history with the Overmountain Men, a church with original Tiffany stained-glass windows, and a Civil War graveyard with some of the oldest gravestones in western North Carolina. D OW N T OW N R UTH ER F O R DT N.C. Gold Trail O N 189 contact info pg. 56 ALMOST 50 YEARS BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH, THERE WAS THE NORTH CAROLINA GOLD RUSH and N.C. led the country in gold production. In fact, the first $1 gold coin was minted right here, in the Town of Rutherfordton by Christopher Bechtler. In celebration and recognition of these historical events, a heritage destination trail spanning across the state has begun to develop called the N.C. Gold Trail. The purpose of this trail is to highlight attractions and historical sites that contributed to the North Carolina Gold Rush and educate visitors about the gold history within the state and the significance it played in the history of the U.S. B EC H T LER H OUSE VISITNCSMALLTOWNS.COM | 800.849.5998 39 5http://www.VISITNCSMALLTOWNS.COM