The late 1920' and early 1930's was the time of the Great Depression. Little or no work was available so people could earn money for survival. All mountain families grew vegetables, kept a milk cow and raised some hogs. Those who owned their mountain farms lived well by working hard and managing well. They cut timber to sell and earn a little money necessary for clothing and other things they couldn't grow. It was widely known that gold had been found in the mountains. Men would put in endless hours panning for gold in the small mountain streams. Now and then, someone would find a gold nugget. Most of the time, it would be the size of a pea or maybe the size of a marble. Gold was a symbol of wealth. When someone found a nugget and word got around, everyone would be talking about Uncle Ben striking it rich. However, I never knew of anyone selling his gold for a pile of money. One day, I realized that gold nuggets were not only present in these mountains, but that there were golden nuggets in the experiences of my life in these mountains. It is with great joy that I share these stories with anyone who cares to read them. Fred Lunsford
