The township of Hiddenite, NC situated west of Taylorsville in Alexander County, was established in 1913. The name alone highlights its geologic claim to fame. The town is named after a rare gem found in the area. To this date, the mineral known as hiddenite has only been found in its true form in this spot within the Piedmont region of NC, nowhere else in the world. Scientists are still trying to understand what makes this area so unique geologically. But hiddenite is not the only high coveted mineral native to the area, the state gem (emerald) also hails from Hiddenite. In fact, some of the largest intact emeralds in the world (such as the LKA emerald and the Stephenson emerald) have been found in mines in the area, as well as the famous Empress Carolina, an 858 carat emerald found in the North American Emerald Mine in 1999.

This website will take you on an educational journey into the fascinating geology found in this special nook, at the foothills of the Brushy mountains.