Conrad Reed
son of John Reed, found 17-pound gold nugget in 1799
son of John Reed, found 17-pound gold nugget in 1799
In the record (2)
1799
Conrad Reed, the 12-year-old son of German immigrant John Reed, found a 17-pound gold nugget while fishing in Little Meadow Creek on his family's farm in what is now Cabarrus County, an event now recognized as the first documented gold find in the United States.
Reed Gold Mine State Historic SiteJohn Reed
Source · checked 2026-08-14
1799
The nugget Conrad Reed found in 1799, and the mine his father subsequently developed, are widely described as having started the first documented gold rush in United States history — predating the California Gold Rush by roughly 50 years.
Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site
Source · checked 2026-08-14