Did you know that Chatham County once had a salt mine? This 1862 clipping shows that the operators were exempted from military service for six months. Salt, was, of course, important for preserving meat and in short supply during the Civil War.

The location of the mine is suggested by an ad posted in November 1862 from Carthage, NC, advertising "mineral lands for sale." In it, John Morison offers for sale his one-third interest in "a tract of 500 acres on the waters of Deep River, on which have been discovered a salt mine and pure saltpeter, and an oil of good quality for greasing leather, well worthy of geological investigation." From the Semi-Weekly Standard 28 Nov 1862.

Chatham deed 292/147, tract 3 also mentions a 1.38 acre "Old Salt Mine Tract." Names mentioned in the deed are D.C. Holler, S.O. Dudley, and Jenks.

Clipping from 8 Mar 1862 Semi-Weekly State Journal.

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