Gold was discovered in Gold River, then later in Chester Basin around 1861 during the time of the Nova Scotia gold rush. Hundreds of men and dozens of companies looked for the precious metal and it is estimated well over 7000 ounces had been mined. Some insist the big mother load has never been found and is known as the “Swamp Angel Lead.” Gold mining was a huge part of this area’s character and some local families can trace their roots to these enterprises.
At one point, the Lacey Mine in Chester Basin became a school of sorts with the Mine Apprentice Program and hundreds of miners were taught the craft under the watchful eye of more seasoned miners such as Wilfred “Billy” Lohnes (see photo below).
The last mine was dug by former Oak Island treasure hunter James Troutman (1966) who caught the gold bug while he was here with fellow treasure hunter Robert Dunfield. James’ son Paul has been a regular cast member with the Curse of Oak Island.
The Chester Municipal Heritage Society has a small display at the Train Station chronicling some of this history. Photos, actual gold, miners lamps and artifacts can be seen including part of a handmade wooden ladder the miners used to get to the bottom of the Fox Lead Mine, 75 feet deep.
No Trespassing: We would like to remind everyone that all of these old gold mines are on private property. You MUST have permission from any land owners before you go exploring. If you want to pan for gold or crack open some rocks, be sure you know who owns the claim. Many legal claims are still valid today.
