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Quietly settled along Wysor Road in Draper is a hidden gem — literally. Three years ago and 177 years after the Gold Rush in California, David Stowers opened Appalachian Gem and Gold Mine, a small business designed to put locals and visitors in touch with their inner prospector.
“Our main purpose is to give people a place to come and find unique rocks, stones and minerals, and collect things that you can’t just go out and pick up,” Stowers explains. Under a large covered shelter equipped with a flume and sifting gear, anyone can learn how to discover precious gems and metals, including gold.
“You can find anything here,” Stowers cheers. ““You can find emeralds, rubies, sapphires—anything you can imagine. You can search for this stuff for a lifetime and never find it. I’ve seen some cool stuff come out of here.”
Visiting prospectors can purchase a bucket of pay dirt with a unique mix of materials sourced from mines both local and abroad in nations like Brazil, Peru and Madagascar.
Having such a wide variety of gemstones and precious metals in every bucket, even Stowers is shocked at what comes out of Appalachian Gem and Gold Mine. At the flume, which pours 3,000 gallons of water per hour, anyone of any age can get their hands dirty and sift through their pay dirt for nature’s treasures. Even Stowers doesn’t know exactly what his customers will discover.
“You never know what you’re going to find; it’s really a surprise,” he remarks. “I’ve seen people come out of here with pieces called Sanskrit, also known as calligraphy stone.”
The mine’s unpredictability is a big hit with customers, and Stowers does all he can to make everyone feel welcome. “We’ve created a safe place here for kids, teens, college students and grown-ups. I’ve done a lot of work with folks in special education, and we welcome and work with everyone from beginning to end.”
Inside the store, visitors enjoy eye-catching gemstone and fossil displays. Whether you’re looking for a woolly mammoth fossil, seeking a ruby ring for a loved one, or simply searching for sparkly stones, Appalachian Gem and Gold Mine checks all the boxes. Even the small cracks and bumps in the concrete floor are coated with shimmering golden paint.
Offering more than just a place for recreation, Stowers is actively working to connect Appalachian Gem and Gold Mine with family-owned Pine Run Cottages next door to create a more comprehensive tourist experience. “People who come from different areas can stay a few nights at the cottages, and we have some good ideas for the future. We want to create pathways with pretty plants, install fire pits and maybe even a pond.”
From field trips to birthdays and other special events, Appalachian Gem and Gold Mine is a place to relax and enjoy a new experience, attracting folks from across the United States and beyond. “One time a lady asked me what the furthest distance somebody had driven to come to my mine,” Stowers recalls. “I told her that Michigan was the furthest that came to mind. On the other side of the shelter, a woman said she and her family came all the way from the Netherlands just to visit my mine. I couldn’t believe it.”
A man of many interests and talents including flying, metal detecting, and Civil War relic hunting, Stowers enjoys sharing his love for exploration with his customers. “Prior to this, I worked in a lot of coal mines and did a bunch of dangerous stuff like hazardous material and waste remediation. Some of it was dealing with explosives and stuff like that. Being around all the mines like that, you have an attraction to adventure to begin with.”
With a mining background of his own, one of Stowers’ biggest goals is to showcase the importance of mines to communities, particularly in Appalachia, throughout history. “Every county in every state is built around some kind of mine, whether you realize it or not. If you look up the history of Pulaski, it was probably formed because of its coal and saltpeter.”
More than anything, Stowers finds it fulfilling to educate the public on the process of prospecting, and to provide a place for families to gather and have fun. “I think it’s fun to teach and get the knowledge out there. It’s super educational. Even if you don’t find gold, you can collect some pretty cool stones. If nothing else, you’ll create great memories.”
Text by Evan Hull | Photos by Jon Fleming
