Monday, June 13, 2011

Bodie Ghost Town

On Wednesday we headed for Bodie Ghost Town. Our route took us the back way to Bodie from just north of Mono Lake on a gravel road.  



Our first look at Bodie from the South

At its peak Bodie had a population of 15,000 people and over 2,000 buildings. The town was created when Bodie discovered gold in the area. From 1860 into the 1930s gold and silver was mined here in ungerground mines where gold and silver laden quartz was hauled out of the ground in mines over 400 feet underground.  The quartz was then reduced to sand in stamping mills and the gold and silver removed.


Our first look at Bodie's remaining 120 buildings.



A 1927 Dodge truck at the filling station.


Bodie buildings.


Old Truck and Buildings


Bodie Main Street


Stamp Mill


Stamp Mill

The stamp mill was originally powered by steam created by wood fueled furnaces but later used electric power. The electricity was generated by hydro generaters located on a stream in the eastern Sierras and brought to Bodie over one of the first overland transmission lines in the country. 


No efforts are being made to restore Bodie. They just want to keep it in a state of arrested decay.




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