Why Should You Visit?
Remember as a kid, learning about the Wild West and panning for gold? What kid wouldn’t want to uncover their own sparkling treasure? Here, in a small town in east Texas, you can mine for gems, fossils, and arrowheads in a sluice.
Great Field Trip for These Topics:
Geology
Paleontology
The Gold Rush
Where to Begin Your Field Trip
This attraction is part of the Made in the Shade Boutique. Head inside to choose your bag of mining rough and pay at the counter. There are 3 options to choose from:
Pay Dirt – $10
Arrowhead Find – $10
The Motherload – $25
Now, head outside to the shop’s courtyard.
What Can You Expect to See & Do While Here?
The shops in Jefferson have plenty of charm, and this one is no exception. During its heyday, Jefferson was the busiest river port town in Texas, and it has held on to its historical feel well.
The Made in the Shade courtyard, where you will find the sluice, has an eclectic, quirky vibe. On occasion, they have live music and food available.
Time to start panning and mining! Grab one of the wooden boxes with screened bottoms to pour the dirt into. Pour some in, dip, shake, and watch the gems appear.
You will find varying items depending on which batch you chose. We went with the motherload and after several rounds of sifting and panning, ended up with the following; 1 huge piece of quartz, around 100 rocks and minerals from the gemstones category, (including pyrite/fool’s gold,) about 50 fossils, and 1 arrowhead.
This was a big hit for our lover-of-all-gift-shop-rocks kid.
Now you get to figure out what you’ve collected. They have large charts posted to help you identify your gems and fossils, and a map of locations around the world they can be found. You will also get 2 postcard sized identification charts to take home for reference.
The Basics
118 E.Henderson st.
Jefferson, Texas 75657
Monday-Saturday: 10am-5pm
Sunday: 11am-4pm
No Fee to Enter (Located at a Boutique Shop)
Mining Activity Supplies: $10-$25
Tips for Visitors
A short walk away, at a small nature center, is “Bigfoot Alley.” You can go on an impromptu Bigfoot hunt and look for the 4 Bigfoots hiding in the woods.
Caddo Lake State Park is nearby and worth a visit (and boat ride!)
Fun Facts
Jefferson is the Bigfoot Capital of Texas.
Jefferson is said to be one of the most haunted places in the state.
During its peak, you could travel to Jefferson by steamboat.
Additional Resources
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit
Rock Collecting for Kids: An Introduction to Geology by Dan R. Lynch
Fossils for Kids: Finding, Identifying, and Collecting by Dan R. Lynch
ROCK ON! Geology Game with Rock & Mineral Collection
What Was the Gold Rush? by Joan Holub and Tim Tomkinson
The Gold Rush by Monika Davies
