castle mcculloch

Last month, Anderson revisited the subject of the earth's rocks and minerals in science. He had originally studied this in the third grade, but since this is a topic which interests him, and since we were going to next study fossils, I thought this study would be a great precursor to that.

So, after studying the layers of earth, minerals, gemstones, and rocks, there was no better field trip for us to take than to the Castle McCulloch in Jamestown, North Carolina.

The Castle McCulloch was once a gold refinery built by Charles McCulloch who was inspired by the architecture of his native England. This refinery housed the latest technological development in that time--the steam engine. McCulloch Gold Mill was built in 1832 and operated for many years as an integral part of the history of gold mining in North Carolina and in the nation. The gold rush in California lured miners west, and the "castle" eventually became a hospital for injured soldiers in the Civil War. Over the years, the property was abandoned and left to deteriorate until a man named Richard Harris purchased it for $1,500 and refurbished it. Now, Castle McCulloch is a beautiful property, ideal for parties, weddings, tours, and events. The castle itself is stunning, and the surrounding property with its streams, pond, forests and landscaping is breathtaking. I think this property must be especially beautiful in the fall with all of its rich, deep hues and textures.

We were able to "round up" at least fifteen people to join us on the field trip. My sister, Anna, who researched this location and thought it would be an ideal place for a field trip, joined us with her son, Jackson. My sister, Laura, bravely brought her three children (ages four, twenty-one months, and nine months), too. Then, Paul's cousin's wife, Heather, joined us with her children and friends, and our friend, Dawn, brought her daughters and mom, too. Because we had a group, the castle was opened to us outside of normal operating hours for just $8 per person if you mined for gemstones and $4 per person if you did not. So, from 11 am to 2 pm, we had the full attention of our tour guide as we explored.

First, we met in the small rocks and minerals museum on site. We were all able to take home a stone as a souvenir. Anderson chose fool's gold (pyrite), I chose a piece of amethyst, and Bennett chose a peacock stone that was exquisite--bright royal blue with metallic flecks in it.

Next, our tour guide took us to a huge rock quarry whose property is adjacent to the castle's site. That was a highlight of the tour for me as we had just studied the layers of earth, so having a close-up view of layers of rock which reached over 450 feet tall was a treat. There was a lookout point with railings (still made me a bit nervous with the kids, though) where we could stand and watch the excavations and rock breaking that was going on below. The equipment looked like they were the size of match box cars from our view. Eventually, when they have removed all they can from this area, they will fill this gigantic hole with water. As someone who used to jump off cliffs in high school at an old quarry, I never realized how very, very deep that water was. I only knew that none of us could ever find the bottom!

Next we ventured back to the castle where we saw the adjacent building used for parties and entertaining. They were built as replicas of the queen of England's tents. The chandelier was the largest of its kind in North Carolina, made of thousands of hand-picked crystals, and the glass which surrounded most of the building was recycled and done by hand.

We then followed a beautiful trail over a large wooden bridge that stretched over the place where the pond empties into a stream. Beyond the bridge was another bridge (which looked like a draw bridge) that led to the huge double doors of the castle. The castle looks like it has a moat around it! We toured the inside of the castle, with its beautiful hardwood floors, suits of armor, ornate woodworking, iron chandeliers, stone, and high ceilings. We also watched a fifteen minute video on the history of the castle.

Next, we went mining! We all were able to mine for gold and gemstones. Playing in the sand and water and finding these treasures were such treats for the boys. They found all kinds of stones--from emeralds, to amethysts, to pyrite, to rose quartz, to a variety of other stones.

We concluded our trip with lunch out by the pond under one of the tents on the property that is just by the bridge. It was peaceful and relaxing. It had been raining most of the day, but by this point, the earth was wet and silent. The boys were lethargic and still. It was a much-needed rest from a very busy day. But what fun!

I hope to post pictures very soon....I just have to get them from my sister since my camera's memory card was not in it--a discovery I did not make until after we arrived at the castle.