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Today,
California
is the most
populous
state in the
Union. But,
a mere 150
years ago it
had very few
non-indigenous
folks. It
was a
sparsely
populated
agricultural
province of
Mexico
(Spain), and
few
Americans
ventured
here. On the
cold frosty
morning of
January 24,
1848 all
that
changed. In
the tailrace
of a saw
mill on the
American
River, a
tiny,
pea-sized
gold nugget
was
discovered.
John
Marshall,
foreman of
the
construction
crew
building the
mill, was
the one who
found it. A
few days
later he
took it to
his boss,
John Sutter,
at his ranch
headquarters
called New
Helvetia
(today's
Sacramento).
That gold
nugget
changed
California's
history,
American
history, and
world
history. The
floodgates
opened, and
tens of
thousands of
wannabe gold
seekers
descended on
the gold
fields. In
1850, "The
Golden
State",
California,
was admitted
to the
Union, and
it has never
looked back.
From the
western
Sierra
Nevada
Mountains
the miners
spread out
in search of
more gold,
silver, and
other
marketable
minerals.
Loggers,
farmers,
railroad
builders and
other
exploiters
arrived, and
followed
them,
building
towns and
small
communities
all over the
state.
Thousands of
these towns
or would-be
towns died,
but many
grew and
thrived,
some turning
into teeming
cities.
From
crumbling
desert ruins
to the
majestic
ghost of
Bodie, to
the remains
of hundreds
of transient
49'er gold
camps,
California
has much to
offer the
casual as
well as
serious
ghosttowner.
Here is
where I
began my
ghost town
chasing
career back
in 1968, and
here is
where my
first love
is.
California
has well
over 9,000
locations to
offer the
ghosttowner,
so obviously
only a few
will be
listed
Stop by and
have some
Sarsaparilla,
A Cooling
Thirsty
Drink on a
Hot Day
Voting.
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