Bodie

State of arrested decay

Bodie is the name of a ghost town not too far from Yosemite National Park in California, USA. In 1879, the town had a population of well over 10'000 people thanks to the discovery of gold ore in the surrounding hills.
Only a fraction of the original buildings stood the test of time though. Today, the town remains in a state of arrested decay and seems to be frozen in time.

Golden Times

Bodie began as a mining camp of little note following the discovery of gold in 1859 by a group of prospectors, including W. S. Bodey. Bodey perished in a blizzard the following November while making a supply trip to Monoville, never getting to see the rise of the town that was named after him.

In 1876, the Standard Company discovered a profitable deposit of gold-bearing ore, which transformed Bodie from an isolated mining camp comprising a few prospectors and company employees to a Wild West boomtown.

An eerie experience

An eerie feeling of unease coupled with curiosity can overcome the visitor while wandering through the runis of this once bustling town. You can't help but wonder who its inhabitants were and what harsh live they must have led in this remote area high up in the mountains.

Remains of civilization

In 1962, the town was turned into a State Historic Park. Thanks to the preservation work of the Park Rangers, the visitors not only can discover the bone-dry wooden buildings but also all sorts of remains ranging from glass shards in all possible colors, over a rotten wooden globe in the classroom of the local school to a well preserved gas station.

a true Treasure trove

The town of Bodie represents a long gone time when industrialization was still in its infancy.

Old cars and bulky mining equipment are authentic witnesses to the fact that time has stood still here. The further a visitor forays into the town by following one of the overgrown streets and alleys the more of these artefacts can be discovered and the more eager one gets to discover what lays around the next corner.