History of the The Graves Mountain Rock Swap and Dig began in 1998 hosted by Clarence Norman Jr. (Junior). For the first couple of years, the vendors were not allowed to set up on the mountain. They would vend in the parking lot at Junior’s garage/junk yard up the road from the mountain. The diggers would go to the mountain to collect, then return to see what everyone had to offer for sale. Around 2000, the vendors were able to set up on the mountain and the show really began to grow at that point. I had been digging Graves since around 1993 and always attended the rock swaps with the MAGMA club. I began setting up to sell and swap around 2002. In the beginning, Junior and Melissa had the sign in tent on the right just before you reached the top of the hill in the parking area. That was the set up for many years until the covid-19 restrictions that were placed on the digs in 2020 and 2021 limited the amount of people that were allowed to attend. The digs went from hundreds of people visiting daily, to a limit of just 50 per day. Junior decided to set up the sign in area at the top of the hill on the left side for the first time. Since there were so few people coming daily, it made sense to keep everything in a general area. Because so many people wanted to attend the limited digs, Junior and Melissa graciously extended the digs from the normal three days, to ten days to accommodate as many as possible. This was a lot of work for them and it shows how much they truly care about the rockhound community. The new top of the hill sign in/welcome booth area appealed to everyone. It is also the location where Junior and Melissa cook up some fantastic food that they serve to the attendees daily for lunch. Here you can view many of the great rutile and iridescent finds that Junior has made over the years and purchase specimens from him. You can also get souvenirs, t-shirts and hats with Graves Mountain themes. It appeals to me because I set up next to them at the digs. I am right between Junior and Charlie Padgett, two of the greatest Graves Mountain mineral hunters ever! And I gotta be close to those burgers! Over the years, many people involved with the rock swap have come and gone. Many were dear friends that have passed and we always remember them while on the mountain. Their spirit is there with us. A few notable folks that have been supporting the mine through the decades are worth mentioning. Charlie and Greg Padgett have been at every swap for as long as I can remember, and I have been there over 20 years. Along with Junior and Melissa, they sell the finest specimens of Graves Mountain minerals you will ever see. You will never come to a dig and not see Jon Lee, Todd McGuire and Roger Jones. These three amigos are the iridescent hematite masters of the mine. They have opened more pockets of rainbow colored rocks than anyone. Having been fortunate enough to participate in this event since almost its beginning, I have witnessed some of the record breaking finds that have been made over the years. A few notable ones are as follows, and all the details of these finds can be found in the numerous trip reports at the end of this page. 2006 – 30 pound quartz crystal and 40+ pound quartz crystal cluster.
Above pictures, left to right: Nancy Seaver's 9.5 pound rutile found in 2006; 12 pound iridescent quartz crystal found by Junior, 2006; First documented hematite crystal found at the mountain, Junior Norman collection; Iridescent coated giant quartz point found by Jon Lee in 2008.
Above pictures, left to right: 36 pound rutile crystal found in 2006 by Hunter and Donnie Dunagan (Hunter is the boy peeking from behind the crystal); Lee Fleming holding his 30 pound quartz crystal found in 2006; Cluster of rutile crystals in matrix collected by Asher Hunter in 2022. This is just one of many specimens he collected and is one of the most recent significant finds at the mine.
Of course there have been thousands of pounds of lazulite, blue quartz and pockets of iridescent hematite found along with many single finds of decent rutile crystals. These are found like clockwork at every single dig. As significant discoveries are made, I will be adding them to this page. To view field trip reports of the past Rock Swap and Dig events, click here: I did not own a computer or build my web site until 2003, but, I do have numerous photographs I took with my 35mm camera stashed away in old photo albums. I will sort them out and scan them to add Rock Swap and dig reports dating back into the 1990s. Today, the Rock Swap and Dig is a bi-annual event which takes place every first weekend in October and the last weekend in April. For the rockhound experience of a lifetime, plan your trip to Graves Mountain today! |
