The Desert Gold Diggers is a club devoted to all aspects of recreational prospecting and mining, including panning, sluicing, drywashing, and metal detecting. In addition to promoting recreational prospecting, the club exchanges ideas and information on the various aspects of prospecting & mining.
In 1982, at the suggestion of George "Buzzard" Massie, founder of the Gold Prospectors Association of America, a small group of people interested in recreational prospecting met in Tucson, Arizona to form the Desert Gold Diggers. The club at that time comprised 23 members. Its membership currently totals over 300 families.
Over the years, the Desert Gold Diggers has changed and expanded in many ways. The club has obtained numerous unpatented mining claims where members can dig for gold at their leisure and keep all the gold they find without fear of working on unauthorized ground. Monthly outings scheduled on the claims provide an opportunity for those who are experienced to share their knowledge with novice gold hunters.
Additionally these outings are planned to give members a chance to dig for gold together as well as to socialize and exchange ideas about prospecting, mining, equipment and tools that can be used. Searching for gold can be an exciting and vigorous experience for the whole family.
The Desert Gold Diggers' main objective is to enhance this experience for those who wish to take part in Arizona's heritage, network with other prospectors, enjoy the great outdoors, and maybe just find some of that nice "Yellow" stuff.
Throughout the year, the club sponsors a family picnic, several overnight outings, an annual 1/2 oz. Nugget Raffle, an October steak fry, and a Christmas party to provide its members opportunities to socialize with friends and to network with other local gold hunters. Nugget Shoots and Treasure Hunts may also be scheduled.
The club recognized a need to be a steward of the environment and engages in the Adopt-a-Highway program as well as various cleanup campaigns in local gold bearing areas. The Desert Gold Diggers carries on a continuing dialog with the National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to enhance recreational prospecting in southern Arizona as well as to provide a conscientious caretaking of the environment.
Yearly dues for the Desert Gold Diggers are $30.00 per year plus $8.00 for a mandatory name badge, which will permit members to use DGD claims as well as participate in some nugget raffles.
Monthly meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) building located at 345 E. Roger Road, unless otherwise designated by previous announcement. Generally, the meeting consists of a guest speaker on topics about gold prospecting and mining, as well as related topics on the region, local history and environment, followed by a business section. Nugget & equipment raffles are held at the close of the meeting.
The Gold Diggers Gazette is published monthly and contains information about the monthly meetings and outings as well as activities, current news about members and coming events. Complimentary copies of the Gazette are available at the monthly meeting.
Now that you have taken time to read about our club we welcome you to visit us at our next meeting. Again, our meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month, at 7:00 p.m., at the VFW building (rear) 345 E. Roger Road, Tucson, Arizona. Families are always welcome!
The Desert Gold Diggers Inc.
6809 E. Hayne
Tucson, Arizona 85710
520-886-3275
For more information about the club and gold prospecting please browse the remainder of our web site.
Please send any comments and suggestions on these pages to the DGD Webmaster
This page was last updated on 26 August 2003.