Finding hidden gold by looking the other way: Underground Charlotte

Tunnel near downtown Charlotte.

I’ve always heard my city had historic gold mine shafts in unexpected places.

But some poking around online opened my eyes to some intriguing hidden spots with amazing visuals in my city, and the people who explore them.

This photo is from aurelie, created on Sept. 13, 2009, and shows a drain that resembles a mine shaft in urban Charlotte, about 2 miles away from downtown Charlotte’s shiny new office towers. There’s much more, from across North America, at Urban Exploration Resource.

In my media bubble, I had no idea there existed such a network of underground and up-high creators on blogs and forums, seeking adventure.

It’s a good reminder that not everyone is broadcasting on the big social networks and that niche communities are creating amazing content in their own hidden gardens.

Those gardens aren’t even walled; they’re just niche.

Smart information curators and journalists will keep in mind they exist, and turn around occasionally from the direction where everyone else is looking, to find unique, interesting content and perspective.

See more for yourself, at No Promise of Safety.