Thank you James for showing some of the minerals in this museum. As a long time collector of NC minerals I have good memories of going to this museum as a child many years ago in late 70's. Back then, this museum like many had wonderful NC minerals on exhibit but over the years, most have down-sized their collections and have made the museums with more "interactive" displays. The Natural History and Science Museum in Raleigh use to have some amazing things but they too seem to have less and are more "interactive". Regardless, there are still many nice pieces in these museums. That NC geological map that you showed was always one of my favorite things because they had those little "nail" figurines made to look like little miners and samples of rocks with them. There use to be many more of them at that museum and I have often wondered what happened to them. The one that says galena, pyrite and quartz from Montgomery County, NC is at a location that I tried to find just because I saw that display as kid. Many of the piece of NC minerals on display in museums are from old finds that are no longer accessible, depleted and some simply covered over with development. Do they still have the large clear quartz crystal from Ashe County, NC on the floor? Other museums that I use to love to go are the Grandfather Mountain Museum, they have excellent minerals on display, the Colburn Museum in Asheville, The Henderson County Museum in Hendersonville, the Schiele Museum in Gastonia, The Natural History Museum in Raleigh are all excellent places to see good NC minerals on public display. Anyway, thanks again for taking the time to show us inside this museum. Really enjoyed it.
Thank you so much for your sharing your memories and information! The giant quartz crystal is there but there was no information on where it was from, no plaque, they didn’t know, a shame. Lots of interactive and not as many rocks for sure! I love North Carolina.
Every mineral that is commercially mined anywhere in the US is also found in commercial quantities here in NC. The largest sapphire was found at the Old Pressley Mine west of Asheville. I have smaller ones from there.
Excellent advice, you give hope with your attitude
Thank you that means so much to me!
Thank you James for showing some of the minerals in this museum. As a long time collector of NC minerals I have good memories of going to this museum as a child many years ago in late 70's. Back then, this museum like many had wonderful NC minerals on exhibit but over the years, most have down-sized their collections and have made the museums with more "interactive" displays. The Natural History and Science Museum in Raleigh use to have some amazing things but they too seem to have less and are more "interactive". Regardless, there are still many nice pieces in these museums. That NC geological map that you showed was always one of my favorite things because they had those little "nail" figurines made to look like little miners and samples of rocks with them. There use to be many more of them at that museum and I have often wondered what happened to them. The one that says galena, pyrite and quartz from Montgomery County, NC is at a location that I tried to find just because I saw that display as kid. Many of the piece of NC minerals on display in museums are from old finds that are no longer accessible, depleted and some simply covered over with development. Do they still have the large clear quartz crystal from Ashe County, NC on the floor? Other museums that I use to love to go are the Grandfather Mountain Museum, they have excellent minerals on display, the Colburn Museum in Asheville, The Henderson County Museum in Hendersonville, the Schiele Museum in Gastonia, The Natural History Museum in Raleigh are all excellent places to see good NC minerals on public display. Anyway, thanks again for taking the time to show us inside this museum. Really enjoyed it.
Thank you so much for your sharing your memories and information! The giant quartz crystal is there but there was no information on where it was from, no plaque, they didn’t know, a shame. Lots of interactive and not as many rocks for sure! I love North Carolina.
Every mineral that is commercially mined anywhere in the US is also found in commercial quantities here in NC. The largest sapphire was found at the Old Pressley Mine west of Asheville. I have smaller ones from there.
Oh wow! Can you show me your sapphires? I would love to come dig with you!!