Posted by David A. Wright on February 16, 1999 at 23:37:14:
In Reply to: tour of ghost towns posted by richard on February 16, 1999 at 13:57:52:
: i am a history teacher in Florida. I would like to spend a week this summer visiting ghost towns with my students. (8 to 10 of them) I dont want a commercial version of a ghost town, but rather one we can poke around in and get our hands dirty examining the remains of past. would also like to take them gold panning, looking for a guide. thanks, richard
REPLY:
If you get to California, check out Bodie ghost town. There are many photos of Bodie on this website. The town of Bodie was once a fairly large town, though two major fires in 1892 and 1932 decimated it to 10% of what it once was. Bodie thrived during its heyday between 1879 and 1882, although it was an active town between 1859 and WW2. The majority of the population of the town was gone by WW2, but the town eventually became part of private holdings, what was left was quite well preserved. In 1962 the California State Parks began to operate the townsite as a State Park after owners donated the townsite to the State in 1959, and keeps the town in a state of "arrested decay" (if it's going to fall, then it will be allowed to do so, but if it's intact and in reasonable shape, the State maintains it, but does not rebuild it). There are no commercial facilities at Bodie, and if you contact the State Parks Department at Bodie, perhaps you may be able to work out something so that your students can have more of a personal tour of the town. Bodie is open year around, though the only way in during winter is to snowshoe, ski in or snowmobile. Rangers staff the park year around and have living quarters there in some of the better kept homes. Bodie State Park can be reached at:
BODIE STATE PARK
P.O. Box 515
Bridgeport, CA 93517
(760) 647-6445