Bodie
By 1880, Bodie, California, had become what was arguably the wildest and wooliest mining camp that ever existed. During its prime, some 10,000 people, fueled by gold gouged from numerous mines in the
surrounding hills, kept the place hopping 24-hours a day. Saloons, dance halls,
a Chinatown, a red light district, everyday commerce in the normal necessities of life and business; all boomed along to the incessant pounding of stamp mills extracting precious metal from tons of ore. It was raw and exciting, but when the mines played out, so did Bodie's only reason to be.
Except for the wind playing around the old buildings, it's quiet in Bodie today. It's an almost constant blow across the high desert, kicking up dust and flapping a loose board here and there. The dilapidated remains are only 5% of what was Bodie at its height. The structures are maintained in a state of "arrested decay" as part of Bodie State Historic Park. It's one of those rare places where you can feel yesterday's atmosphere by walking the streets. If you bring a camera, you can duplicate a bit of it and take it with you.
View from inside the Standard Mill
Hoisting machinery
View down Green Street
Buildings on Prospect Street
Standard Mill and downtown Bodie
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