The area around Dahlonega, Ga. was the site of the first major gold rush in the US in 1828 and remnants of the mining activity are still evident throughout the area. The Consolidated Gold Mine, once the largest gold mining operation east of the Mississippi is opened for daily underground tours and gold panning. The tunnel entrance shown here almost completely covered in kudzu is part of the original Consolidated Mine but is considered unsafe and is not a part of the tour.   Entrance to a nearby mining tunnel almost hidden by kudzu (also not part of the daily tours).