Szellemvárosok: Bodie

Bodie, California

The US has an abundance of ghost towns, mainly old mining towns that dried up after the gold rush. Here are two of them!

The ghost town of Bodie, California, is one of the most authentic abandoned gold-mining towns of the Old West. It sits not too far from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It rises out of the sparse landscape and gives a mirage effect. Now owned by the state and made into a historic park, this town has about 170 buildings still standing.

The town was founded in 1859 by W.S. Body, who was making his way with others further into California to mine for gold. What he and others found was the one of the richest gold discoveries the West has ever known, according to the California Parks Department. Eventually the town would produce $32million dollars in gold and around $7million in silver.

Body never got to luxuriate in his discovery as he froze to death his first winter, while out getting supplies. Mining started slow, but in 1875 miners made a huge discover after a cave-in. Mining reached its heyday from 1877 to 1881 as the town’s population grew to a massive 10,000. Sixty saloons and dance halls were built up and the town became known as the most lawless, wildest and toughest mining camp the far west has ever known. 

It was also very dangerous with killings happened in the streets often. But then mining slowed in 1881 and the miners moved on. In 1892 a deadly fire swept the town, destroying many homes and buildings.

The nail in the coffin came in 1932 when a 2-year-old lit a match that started another fire which destroyed all but 5-10 per cent of the town. Bodie was over. 

The town was turned into a State Historic Park in 1962, and tourists can visit the abandoned town year-round.