New Oregon Gold Rush?

As the economy continues to weaken and Americans are feeling the pinch of a tighter economy, millions of people across the US are searching for new ways to make money. Gold prices are surging and are now at an all time high of $1,000 per ounce. It turns out that we only needed to dust off our old history books for an answer. Some are calling it the gold rush revisited.

In Jackson County, Oregon the 1850's were a boon to the local economy. Jacksonville was the largest city between Portland and Sacramento. In 1851 the first gold was discovered in what was called Jackson Creek. Now local gold panning companies are reporting that they are seeing an ever-growing increase in people looking for gold panning supplies and say that there is new interest in finding gold in Oregon. They are trying to keep up with a windfall of sales.

Like most things, panning for gold takes more than equipment and practice; Uncle Sam wants his cut before you place your pan in the creek. If you stop by any branch of the Forest Services or any ranger station in Jackson County, you can get a map of where you can legally hunt for gold as well as obtain the proper permit for a mining claim. Some gold panning can be done for free, but you'll need their map to ensure you are doing everything correctly. The map is also essential since there are thousands of claims in Jackson County.

Locals say that there are areas along the Rogue River that will yield amounts of gold and that it is possible to find small nuggets in the streams. Some report that flakes are "plentiful" and with patience can add up to some cash. If you want to pan for gold, you'll quickly learn what so many old miners knew-it can be hard work.

Looking ahead it is difficult to forecast whether we will see another "gold rush" in Oregon, but one thing is clear. People will take chances and try new things in order to make ends meet and gold prospecting is another opportunity for people to try to eke out a living. If you're quiet and you listen closely to the sounds of the Rogue, you can almost hear the distant sounds of horses and the old miners of the late 1800's, and you'll know that everything happens in cycles.