BELLVILLE, Ohio - s4story -- Since 1849 many Americans have been stricken with gold fever. Some found their fortune but all who have quested for the precious metal have found adventure!
Today, many have discovered gold prospecting is a great way to escape from the grind of everyday life to get out and enjoy nature with friends and family, and maybe take home some golden souvenirs as mementos of their adventure.

In 1968 George "Buzzard" Massie founded the Gold Prospectors Association of America (GPAA) to preserve and promote the great heritage of the North American Prospector. The GPAA has properties and local chapters across the nation where members and their families are enjoying treasure hunting in the spirit of the 49ers.

One group, the Ohio Buckeye Chapter, has been gathering together on the banks of the Clearfork river near Bellville, Ohio since 1996 in an area where gold was found and saw its own gold rush in the 1850s. The chapter hosts monthly meetings and annual events, all of which are times when the property they call home is open the non-member visitors to visit and discover the thrill of finding that first bit of the yellow metal.

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This year on the third weekend of June the chapter is hosting our annual Invitational Fossick, an Australian-themed celebration of treasure hunting. The event is open to the public and admission is free. Activities will include gold panning demonstrations and lessons by seasoned gold miners, competitions, raffles and drawings, food vendors, ducky races for gold nuggets, and vendors with all the equipment needed to begin your own family adventure. Most popular are the common digging operations where participants gather to work on larger equipment to split the resulting gold concentrates and take them home to pan down to the gold and the after-dark hunt under the UV lights where people bring their metal detectors to seek coins, trinkets, and prize tokens. The beautiful property also boasts a nice children's playground and many activities for the little ones, and there's plenty of room to just relax and take in the beauty of nature.

We hope to see you there and guarantee a great time for treasure hunters of all ages and abilities. Visit https://buckeyegold.com for more information and details.