im in california and apparently theres quite a few- but i want reccomendations for good ones- not lame with like dressed up wackadoodles talking and walking around in fake period dress
just like, a cool abandoned ghost town would be good
2006-08-10 17:48:56 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Los Angeles
There are a lot of truely abandoned ghost towns out there (I am in Arizona where there are over 200), but visitors new to exploring them should beware that very few look like the ghost towns on TV or movies with whole rows of buildings still standing and a deck of cards sitting on the table in the saloon.
Time and vandalism have taken their toll. A few have been turned into protected historic sites (like Bodie) or turned into tourist attractions (like Calico), but many once ghost towns have been ressurected as summer home and vacation communities. Completely abandoned ghost towns rarely have more than a half dozen or so still standing buildings and many have nothing more than faint foundations and scattered rubble.
Some of the best CA ghost towns are all or mostly empty of residents include:
- Bodie (Mono County) - Mining camp with over 2 dozen buildings in pretty mountain setting. All authentic structures. One of the best historic mining camp sites in the US. Now a State Historic Park.
- Calico (San Bernadino) - Was a mining ghost town, but has been restored into a tourist attraction (some of the structures are original, others are not). Interesting, but touristy (or as you say, 'whackadoodle' :) ).
- Reilly (Inyo) - Truely abandoned mining camp with several partial buildings, mill ruins, and mines (rough road).
- Montgomery City (Mono) - Completely abandoned mining camp with many ruins of old stone buildings.
- Randsberg (Kern) - Still has a few residents, many old and empty historic buildings.
- Just across the Colorado River in Arizona near Parker is the excellent old copper mining ghost town of Swansea that has smelter remains, a cemetery and over a dozen building ruins.
There are many more depending on where you live and what sort of vehicle you have. See sources below.
2006-08-11 12:24:02 · answer #1 · answered by sascoaz 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, you can go and check out Calico ghost town (in Yermo, CA). There, you can actually go by yourself and see some of the mines, shops, and a small schoolhouse. I think it's a good ghost town, but it's not totally abanandoned. You can go to their website at calicotown.com. Whenever I go on long trips from Los Angeles to Sacramento or San Fransisco, I always make a stop there; it's really neat!
2006-08-10 18:01:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Follow Hwy 49 through the gold country. There are a lot of old towns up there, some rebuilt and some deserted or nearly so. Some are now built up like Auburn and Hangtown. Coloma is where gold was discovered. Have fun in your search. Columbia you would think is like wacka . . . but nearby Jamestown is much better. I like Murphys on Hwy 4. Lots to see.
2006-08-13 15:30:29 · answer #3 · answered by gtoacp 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Calico ghost town
2006-08-10 18:02:24 · answer #4 · answered by Carol H 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Calico's an interesting trip, but definitely commericialized. If you get the chance, definitely check out the Winchester House. It's fantastic.
2006-08-15 10:09:49 · answer #5 · answered by lcraesharbor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every ghost town is a tourist trap.
2006-08-10 17:53:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know a few in colorado, but I heard there is a house in san jose that is worth checking out the winchester house. if you find any lrt me know. ttyl.
2006-08-10 17:55:38 · answer #7 · answered by macki4 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hte serious ghost town called the haunted ghost town.......... ive been there and theres no people at al!! not even a single one!! maybe it does have ghosts................ but htis place is actually in massachusettes
2006-08-10 17:53:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no but watch house of wax...man crazy
2006-08-10 17:58:20 · answer #9 · answered by alwayzatemptation69 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋