I never knew about Virginia's gold mining history until my road trip down Marsh Road (Highway 17) from Bealeton to Fredericksburg. There, in the town of Goldvein, I came across Monroe Park and the Gold Mining Camp Museum. more.
Sometimes I come across a place that is a bit of a detour off of Highway 17, but so worth it. One such detour is Penn Center (formerly called Penn School) which is located in the Penn School Historic District, near Frogmore, South Carolina more.
If you find yourself driving down Highway 17, near McClellanville, SC in northern Charleston County - you might want to stop at The Village Museum. Here more.