Masonic, California, looked...
Masonic, California, looked promising. Rumored to be the next Bodie or Virginia City, Masonic's gold ran out quickly and forced closure of mining operations. A site plaque describes the local history. Remaining mines and structures have decayed. Approach them with caution.
Bodie had several banks, among them the Mono County Bank organized by Timothy Hopkins in 1877. Rivaling the mine-owned Bodie Bank, the Mono County Bank operated successfully for seven years before Hopkins moved on. Timothy Hopkins' father was Mark Hopkins of Central Pacific Railroad fame. These were times of stark individualism in America. From robber barons and capital financiers to prospectors, merchants, saloonkeepers, restaurateurs, ice house owners, blacksmiths, "ladies of the night," schoolteachers and hard rock miners - places like Bodie offered opportunity and, yes, chance fortune.
Late 19th-Century technology and enterprise created a blacksmith shop large enough to stable a hundred horses. A kiln operation at nearby Mono Lake produced charcoal for running the mines. The local icehouse froze pond water in the frigid, bone-chilling Bodie winters to supply the town with ice year round. Nearby ranches furnished beef and other foodstuffs. A local hospital emerged to meet residents' health needs. Hotels, saloons, clothing shops, mercantile stores and horse-and-mule freight companies flourished in this captive market. Today's closest comparison would be the prospect of a "boomtown" on the North Slope of Alaska.
In the nearby Nevada ranges,...
In the nearby Nevada ranges, pine nut gathering is possible in the fall. The area has some creeks and cool spots to stop en route. Bring plenty of drinking water and sunscreen. Avoid dehydration and UV exposure in this high altitude desert. Flash flooding can occur in canyons during - and after - rainstorms.
Going to 'See the Elephant'By the late 1850s, hordes of California prospectors poured east over the Sierra Nevada in search of gold and silver. They came by horse, stage and foot. In the colorful parlance of the period, such a venture was to "see the elephant." Today's adventurers and visitors can reach the Bodie Hills and town of Bodie by several driving routes.
Bodie became an official National Historical Site and California State Historic Park in 1962. This gesture saved the remaining town. By the late 1950s, the abandoned site became a scavenging area for Southern Californians seeking abandoned cars, artifacts and even buildings. Unprotected, Bodie would not have survived.
The California State Parks system, in a wise move, elected to keep Bodie in a state of "arrested decay." Through careful restorative and preservation measures, the buildings have been kept in their original "ghost town" or abandoned state. Bodie's buildings and mine sites appear just as they did when the town's remnant of residents left after WWII. No building will be allowed to fall off its foundation - nor will any building be restored to appear as new.
Assay office and other buildings...
Assay office and other buildings of the Standard were intact and in use until the eve of WWII. Bodie is a relatively "new" ghost town. A few hardy residents occupied homes into the early 1950s. In this region of California and Nevada, there are many families with strong roots at Bodie, Masonic, and Aurora. Mining is still underway in the Aurora district.
Bodie is readily accessible in summer and early fall from U.S. Highway 395. Seven miles south of Bridgeport, California, turn onto California Route 270. Travel 10 miles on paved road, then 3 miles of washboard gravel to the state park tollbooth. Admission is inexpensive (currently $3 per person). Other routes into Bodie include dirt road access from Nevada Route 338, Nevada Route 359 and the Masonic Road near Bridgeport Reservoir. Before traveling the area, secure a detailed local map. Always check local road conditions relating to U.S. Forest Service or B.L.M. routes.
In winter, Bodie is accessible only by snowmobile or snowshoes. Always check weather conditions before traveling the area. Snowdrifts cling to north slopes well into June and sometimes July. Drifts can be deceptive and deep, creating problems even for lifted four-wheel-drive vehicles. Route 270 is more predictable and usually opens by late spring.
Bodie State Historic Park offers drinking water and bathrooms, but no no fuel available - so fill your tank before visiting. For details, call the Bodie State Historical Park at (760) 647-6445 or visit the Bodie SHP website at http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509.
The Ghosts Of BodieArrested decay presents a genuine look at the past. How genuine? Visit Bodie, walk the streets in the late afternoon or evening light, and you decide. Whether ghosts "live" in town or not, Bodie is alive with imagery, memorabilia and an exciting glimpse of history. Go see for yourself.