Striking It Rich at The Smith House

At the turn of the last century, the Airbnbs of the day were known as boarding houses, where a traveler or migrant worker could find room and board packaged for a relatively small fee.

The boarders would gather at communal tables and share a home-cooked meal before retiring to their rooms or continuing on their journey across the rural South.

You can still fill your plate and your stomach at one of the few remaining original boarding houses in the country. The Smith House Restaurant & Inn in the foothills of North Georgia has been hosting families, travelers, and aspiring gold miners since 1922.

GOLD IN THE BASEMENT

Located in Dahlonega, the Hallmark-movie town that became the site of America’s first Gold Rush, the Smith House is an ideal destination for dining and lodging. It sits just one block from the town’s historic downtown square, where visitors from near and far come to experience the small-town charm and relaxed hospitality of a Georgia mountain town.

Read more about North Georgia’s city of gold here!

The original house was the result of a true story of the American dream – Frank W. Hall arrived in Dahlonega in 1868 to oversee local gold mining production for a company in Boston.

He grew from a poor working man to becoming the richest land baron in Lumpkin County by the end of his life, acquiring many acres of property, several businesses and a general store.

While digging the basement of his new house just off the square in 1899, Frank found evidence of a gold vein, and petitioned the city of Dahlonega for permission to dig a mine. As the location was too close to downtown for comfort, permission was denied.

So, Frank did what any stubborn gold miner would do – he dug a mine shaft in secret, building his home around the shaft during the day and expanding his secret mine at night, by candlelight.

Although Frank eventually struck a rich vein of gold ore 24 feet into the ground, he never saw the riches from his efforts, dying of typhoid fever before he could mine it.

A NEW KIND OF TREASURE

The house was purchased by a couple who began offering rooms and meals for guests. Believing the hole in their basement floor was an old trash receptacle, they used it as such, and a later owner covered the hole with concrete.

Only in 2006 was the mine shaft discovered during renovations and Frank’s secret brought to light.

Since the town forbids mining within city limits, the gold in the hidden mine shaft will stay put. Visitors to the Smith House can walk down a flight of stairs to the basement and, with the help of mirrors, see deep into the earth where the shaft descends.

You can also watch a video of an experienced miner exploring its recesses and explaining the nuances of gold mining.

Visitors spending the night in Dahlonega can enjoy a stay in the newly renovated guest rooms located in the main house and the attached carriage house. Guests who opt for a longer stay can book a villa located at Chestatee Village on the Dahlonega square.

It was the food that cemented the Smith House’s legacy as a Dahlonega historical landmark. When Henry and Bessie Smith bought the property in 1922, they converted it into a boarding house and guests were blessed to dine on Bessie’s almost-famous buttermilk fried chicken. 

The food at the Smith House became a major draw for travelers, and subsequent owners continued the tradition of family-style meals while also adding new dishes to the menu.

Dining is an experience at the communal tables, where you sit with whoever may be visiting at the time and get to know them personally. You exchange stories of your visit as you pass bowls heaped with Southern favorites like fried chicken, seasonal side dishes, fresh bread, and yummy desserts.

Many of the dishes are made with recipes from yesteryear that you won’t find in cookbooks or online.

BETTER COME HUNGRY

The Smith House menu varies slightly depending on the season or availability of certain foods, but you can depend on receiving more food than you can possibly eat in one sitting.

The bread basket arrives filled with soft yeast rolls and tiny cornbread muffins. There are two meats each day, always fried chicken and another selection like pulled pork, ham or pot roast.

Southern staples such as creamed corn, collard greens, candied yams, and fried okra are often included in the lineup of side dishes. Sweet tea and lemonade are the main beverages of choice to go with your meal.

Dessert is usually strawberry shortcake, peach cobbler or another down-home, satisfying confection.

In today’s world of fast food and instant gratification, the Smith House stands as a reminder of the days when you were expected to linger over a good meal and enjoy a conversation with fellow diners.

Old-fashioned rocking chairs on the front porch beckon you to sit a while and contemplate life with a full belly. Even with the growth Dahlonega has experienced over the last few decades, dinner at the Smith House remains pure country.

Have you enjoyed a meal at Dahlonega’s iconic Smith House? Tell me about it in the comments!

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