There’s something oddly beautiful about a place left by its inhabitants to brave the elements. When you find yourself alone, standing in the middle of a quiet, crumbling town, you can’t help but imagine its golden years: people bustling about, laughing, sitting around a table with family, enjoying the industry and comfort awarded by discovering a valuable local resource. California grants a typical example of what can be left behind in a boom and bust economy, having witnessed years of people “rushing” toward the promise of these seemingly bottomless natural resources. Hundreds of towns were built and railroad tracks veined the landscape far and wide, only to wither with the dwindling supply of, most commonly, gold. Today, some of these still stand, along with a few newer additions, and they are simply breathtaking. We’ve taken a moment to compile a list of five of the most spectacular, and urge you to take a look for yourself.
Bodie, California
1. Bodie
Considered to be “The Last Great Ghost Town”, Bodie sits in the eastern slopes of the Sierra, located down a winding dirt path 13 miles off of Highway 395. Once a thriving population of nearly 10,000 inhabitants at the turn of the century, this boom and bust gold rush town is still in remarkable shape. Volunteers have stocked the homes and buildings with antiques relevant to the times, so that when you wander around, peeking into each aging structure, you get an impressively vivid sense of how the town lived. A must have journey for the history lover.
The Salton Sea
2. The Salton Sea
Mapped about hour out of Los Angeles is one of the most peculiar remnants of old Hollywood’s fast and luxurious lifestyle. Once a beautiful local paradise, the Salton Sea was a destination enjoyed by many of LA’s most affluent characters. Sadly, the lake water’s salinity became deadly to the wildlife, and it slowly began to turn barren. Aside from a community of people who reside in “Slab City” just next to the lake, the area is abandoned and frozen in a thick case of salt. Be sure to stop by Leonard Knight’s to witness his technicolor home.
Calico Ghost Town
3. Calico
In San Bernidino, California, resides the beautifully preserved mining town of Calico. In it’s hay day, it brought in around $20 million in gold revenue. Located in the heart of the Mojave Desert, visitors are greeted by a lively parade of gun fights, gold panning, and other various reincarnations of the good ol’ days. It’s a family friendly version of one of California’s real “ghost towns” in action. An adventure you won’t forget.
China Camp
4. China Camp
If you find yourself in the Bay Area, take a day trip to San Rafael, just of the shore of San Pablo bay to the China Camp State Park. Once a thriving shrimp and fishing village in the late 1800’s, China Camp suffered a major blow when shrimping bag nets were deemed illegal. Many of the original structures still stand and are protected and preserved by the state, lending to an excellent educational opportunity via descriptive historical markers and maps. A number of hiking trails through the grassy hills grant visitors an opportunity to view the land as it has remained since the birth of the town. It is a peaceful location, rich with early Asian American history.
Shasta City, California
5. Shasta
Pinpointed at the base of Mount Shasta, just 16 miles off of Highway 299, lies an old shipping town that was put out of business during the growth of California’s railroad system in the late 19th century. Historically referred to as the “Queen City” of northing California’s mining industry, it used to be the most “happening” place in the area. Many of the original structures still stand, but haunt the few restored buildings with their swinging cast iron gates, crumbling roofs, and flanking cemeteries. Truly one of the most “romantic” of California’s ghost towns, as it perpetually sits on the fine line between today and what no longer is.
Photo Credits: “Bodie, California” by George, “The Salton Sea” by Jimi Spatharos, “Calico Ghost Town” by , “China Camp” by G. Frank Peterson, “Shasta City, California” by Larry Myhre,
