The Bechtler House 130 West 6th Street, Rutherfordton, NC 28139

"Posted hours are Friday 10-2 but closed when we got there :("

"I took my 4 grandchildren to learn about Christopher Bechtler. We watched a brief 20 minute video which told us about his life and background. Everyone should check it out. It is free to the public but donations are accepted."

"Awesome spot to visit! The tour was not incredibly long but was very interesting and informative. Great for anyone who enjoys good history, especially local history. The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, which added a lot to the experience. They run on donations so we were happy to give a little to help keep the place in operation even though we weren't asked or otherwise pressured. There may not be a whole lot of genuine pieces to see but the few that are there are well worth the time to stop. You can tell the town is proud of the history surrounding the place and that is a good thing. I would even go back!"

"This is a tiny museum dedicated to the work of Christopher Bechtler and his sons who are known for minting the first $1 gold coins in the US. The Bechtler coins were known to be pure and held their value during the civil war when other winter's coins contained other metals. The museum features his house, some of his mining and minting equipment, some of his gold coins and the only Bechtler rifle known to still exist. There is a related site a couple miles down the street where they believe one of his gold mines used to be. It has been turned it into a park. There is a 30 minute movie you can view on site or at home called "Gold Fever and the Bectler Mint." There is no entrance fee for either location. There is no obvious parking around the house, but there is a big parking lot at the mine park. Definitely worth a quick stop to see."

"The Bechtler House is a growing attraction and was the residence of Christopher Bechtler, a German immigrant who minted the first one dollar gold coin in the U.S. The house was recently purchased through efforts of the Rutherford County Tourism Asset Foundation, Town of Rutherfordton, and private investors from its prior owners who hoped to preserve the Bechtler legacy. The house features exhibits that describe the coin minting process and visitors can actually see the press that was used to mint the Bechtler coins, which are among the most rare coins in the U.S. Stop in for a guided tour on weekends. The house can also be toured by appointment during the week if a volunteer guide is available. Great for school groups interested in NC history."