Recession Proof Plan: Buy The Howie Gold Mine

As I was shelving in the stacks a few days ago, I noticed the broadside below. Then, it hit me! To avoid the pitfalls, trials, and tribulations of our current recession, I’ll just buy a gold mine. I wonder…is this one still on the market?

If I decide to follow through with this plan, I should probably check out the resources that we have on the Howie Mine:

Plans of levels of Howie Mine, Union County, North Carolina [cartographic material]

Geologic map of the surface workings and section of Howie Mine, Union County, North Carolina [cartographic material].

The Howie Mining Company : incorporated.

The item above has some very interesting images, which I’ll share below. Click on the images to see a larger version.

4 thoughts on “Recession Proof Plan: Buy The Howie Gold Mine”

  1. Through my research I believe that my great great grandfather lived in Union County and worked in this mine in 1850. He, Thomas Brown, was listed in the census as a gold miner. My great grandmother would have been the oldest daughter of Thomas and Sarah, Sarah jr. The Howie Mine was worked with slave labor. A corporation led by Commodore Richard F. Stoction bought the mine and installed machinery. That is when Thomas left Union County for Iowa where there was word that gold had been found in 1853. This was not the case and by 1856 Thomas isn’t listed in the Iowa census with his family. Stockton also modernized Brigg’s Kings Mountain Mine in Cleveland Co. Sarah jr. did not go to Iowa with the rest of her family. Somehow she met John W Quinn and in 1857 they married. In 1860 Quinn is listed as a manager at Brigg’s mine.

    Thanks for reading my story. The moral is, I guess, The land owners, Howie, Stocton, and Briggs started with land and ended with land until the war came along. The miners who chased gold just chased a dream. They never owned anything. You might want to think twice about investing in a gold mine.

  2. I just loved reading this article! My family just bought a section of land right next to Howie Mine. I spend most weekends out with my metal detector searching for gold. I’d love to get access to the above articles or whatever other information you can give me. Thanks!

  3. I checked out “The History of the Howie Gold Mine” from the Union County Public Library. It’s a paper on the mine but included some really interesting statistics and history. My next stop will be the Museum.

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