In my thoughts of places to travel during Halloween and October, my mind went to hayrides and ghost towns. Since I cannot in good conscious write to you about a pulled wagon, I chose a charming abandoned town that time and travel has forgotten. Here are some travel trips and a little history of this former California Town.
Nestled an hour northwest of glorious Yosemite National Park just before the California/Nevada State line, you will find a town that will take you back to a time long forgotten. Many parts of the town of Bodie, CA will seem a bit strange because it seems as if the residents just picked up and left. It is a town that time stands still in.
During the gold rush, things were bustling in Bodie, however, not everything was peaceful and happy. Lawless men ruled the town, and life expectancy was not as long as it was in other California towns. At one time Bodie had up to 10,000 people. However, after the gold rush ended, the town became barren and then by the 1940's all residents had left the town.
The lack of commercial buildings and modern structures is one of the things visitors like about Bodie. Bathrooms are available near the parking lot, but other than a museum, the site is as it stood in the mid 1900's.
Visitors can travel to this Ghost Town by venturing off Highway 395. The town is supposedly open year round, but if you are heading up by car or SUV you might want to stick to arriving in the summer or fall. The elevation causes the area to be accessible by snow craft during the winter. Please note there are seasonal road closings in the area due to ice and snow.
Most of the towns 70 buildings are locked but windows provide a look into a life long ago forgotten. Some buildings are open and tours are available. Cost to enter the park is $3 per person over 17.
Here is a list of things to make sure you have available before you arrive.
- Bottles of water and drinks
- Lunch and Snacks
- Windbreaker or Sweater if you stay for the evening
- Batteries for your camera
The State Park Board preserved the site "as it stood" when it became a protected site, and should provide a great history lesson for all members of the family, for the near future. As far as historians are concerned, that is what makes it one of the best-maintained "Ghost Towns" in the United States.
Other places found within 5 hours of Bodie State Historic Park are the towns of Reno, Lake Tahoe, Fresno, and Sacramento, and 1 hour from Yosemite National Park.
If you happen to find yourself in this beautiful Northern California area and consider heritage a thing to be treasured then this is a part of America that you should not bypass.
Bodie was also host to the filming of the movie "Hell's Heroes" in 1929, starring Charles Bickford.
For more info on Bodie's history and tour information contact the State Park Office. (760) 647-6445
Look here for more info on the Ghost Town.
http://www.bodiehistory.com/index.htm
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509
Derek Bailey is the founder of Bizness Lists, which operates the site [http://www.theworldsconcierge.com] The site provides a way for Travel related businesses across the globe a way to meet the travelers they are seeking.
This is the first in a series of articles concerning "Forgotten Places" by the author.
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