Category: Ghost Towns

Ghost towns in the Western United States are abandoned settlements, often remnants of 19th-century mining, ranching, or railroad booms. Once thriving with prospectors, merchants, and families, these towns, like Bodie, California, or Virginia City, Montana, were deserted when resources depleted or economic shifts occurred, particularly after the 1860s gold and silver rushes. Characterized by dilapidated buildings, saloons, and mine shafts, they dot deserts and mountains, preserved by arid climates. Today, they attract tourists and historians, offering haunting glimpses into the West’s frontier past, shaped by ambition and transience.

Doble California – San Bernardino Ghost Town

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Doble California is a gold mining town and ghost town which is located off the western shore of Lake Baldwin in San Bernardino, California. The town began life as Bairdstown in 1873 when the Carter brothers filed a gold mine claim. The original town was named for Samuel Baird who was instrumental in securing financing from San Francisco and the capital to establish larger scale mining operations. Baird purchased the two richest claims from the Carter brothers in December of 1873 for a sum of $30,000. This “buyout” served as an impressive buyout for the short run of the Carter brothers.

One of these capitol investors was Elias Jackson “Lucky” Baldwin (April 3, 1828 – March 1, 1909)  and known as was “one of the greatest pioneers” of California business, an investor, and real estate speculator during the second half of the 19th century.

Baldwin moved to Virginia City during to rush on the Comstock Load. Opening a livery the savvy businessman soon acquired interests the Ophir Mine in the came from the Motherlode of Virginia City. Baldwin leveraged his profits from the Ophir Mine to acquire shares in the Hale & Norcross and Crown Point at the north end of the Comstock Lode.

Baldwin’s new company built a road from Cactus Flats to Big Bear. This new route allowed for the hauling in machinery and parts for the huge 40-stamp mill to process the ore from the mines. The town was establised on the valley floor almost directly below the new mill.  By September of 1874, the town boasts a blacksmith shop, a butcher, two boarding houses, and two saloons. Later, three general stores, two stables, three restaurants, two hotels, a bakery, a meat market, a Chinese wash house, tailor, shoemaker, and barber rounded our the businesses who serviced the miners and citizens of the small hamlet.

The mill was fired for the first time on March 6, 1875. The noise from the steam powered monster filled the valley of Big Bear as it processes 100 tons of ore per day. Despite this milestone, the town shutdown later in 1875 due to poor ore quality and the townsite is refereed to as Gold Mountain.

in 1894, Lucky’s son in-law, Budd Doble took invested $25,000 to reopen the mine and mill. The town was renamed in his honor and a small post office cemented this named into history. This town on Doble succumbed to poor profits and relegated to history in 1903

Today access to the Doble townsite is limited by the Forest Service due to recent fire damage.

Doble Mine, San Bernardino County, 1930 - Photography by Adelbert Bartlett, UCLA Library Digital Collections
Doble Mine, San Bernardino County, 1930 – Photography by Adelbert Bartlett, UCLA Library Digital Collections

Doble Town Summary

NameDoble California
LocationBig Bear, San Bernarino, California
Also Known AsBairdstown, Gold Mountain
Latitude, Longitude34.2986169,-116.8216958
GNIS270883

Doble Town Map

Referenes

Oreana Nevada – Pershing County Ghost Town

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Oreana Nevada is a milling town which was active from 1865 – 1885 in Pershing County Nevada and home to the Montezuma Smelting Works. The townsite is located on Interstate 80 / U.S. 95 about fourteen miles north east of Lovelock.

Smelting Works. Oreana, Nevada. ca. 1857 by Timothy H. O'Sullivan - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
Smelting Works. Oreana, Nevada. ca. 1857 by Timothy H. O’Sullivan – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

In 1865 a five stamp mill was relocated from Trinity and located on the eastern bank of the Humboldt River. This mill is used to process ore from the nearby Montezuma mine and the Arabia district.

In 1857 the Montezuma Smelting Works is built in Oreana, Nevada by the Trinity and Sacramento Company. The location of the smelting works is a bold choice for its Superintendent A. W. Nelson, who built the factory, which contained eight furnaces if a location with little fuel. The nearby mining districts of Arabia and the Trinity mining district were the primary source of ore to supply the plant with raw materials.

Montezuma Silver Works. Oreana, Nevada. ca 1857 by Timothy H. O'Sullivan - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
Montezuma Silver Works. Oreana, Nevada. ca 1857 by Timothy H. O’Sullivan – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

A hotel, boarding houses, post office, restaurants, meat market and general store kept the citizens feed and houses. In addition to mining and smelting, a livery and blacksmith and kept them working. The Oreana Jockey Club kept them entertained by sponsoring horses races. So long as the mines produced ore, the smelters processed it 24 hours a day.

At the time, Oreana is the largest in the Humboldt Valley. This title would later be taken by Lovelock, Nevada. Despite its solid foundations, Oreana found itself in financial trouble. Debt and Taxes caused a shutdown in 1869. And again in 1871. Today not much remains to indicate a town.

Oreana Town Summary

NameOreana Nevada
LocationPershing County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude40.310833, -118.370556
GNIS
Elevation4160 Feet
Post OfficeFebruary 1867 – July 1869
February 1870 – September 1873
October 1873 – March 1883

Oreana Map

References

Hedges California – Imperial County Ghost Town

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Hedges, later renamed Tumco, is a ghost town in Imperial County, California, situated in the Cargo Muchacho Mountains at an elevation of 617 feet. Once a bustling gold mining town, its history reflects the broader narrative of late 19th and early 20th-century mining communities in the American Southwest, characterized by rapid growth, cultural diversity, and eventual decline due to economic shifts.

[Circa 1905] Tumco Historic Mining Town, California - Hedges California
[Circa 1905] Tumco Historic Mining Town, California – Hedges California

Early Development and Mining Boom

The history of Hedges began in the late 19th century with the discovery of gold in the Cargo Muchacho Mountains. By 1894, the town, initially named Hedges after its founder, consisted of approximately two dozen unpainted wooden structures scattered in a narrow desert canyon near the Colorado River. The town was a hub for gold mining, with the Tumco Mine (originally called the Golden Cross Mine) serving as the economic backbone. By 1905, Hedges had grown significantly, boasting a population of around 500 residents, with as many as 3,000 in the surrounding mining district. The town supported essential community amenities, including a school, a church, two cemeteries, a library, and various businesses, reflecting its temporary prosperity.

Cultural and Architectural Significance

Hedges was notable for its diverse population, particularly the significant role of Hispanic pioneers and prospectors, whose contributions to the region’s mining history are often underrepresented. The town’s architecture blended Mexican and American folk traditions, with simple wooden structures adapted to the harsh desert environment. These buildings, often unpainted due to the arid climate and resource scarcity, were practical yet reflected the cultural influences of the miners who settled there.

Decline and Transformation to a Ghost Town

The prosperity of Hedges was short-lived. By the early 20th century, the gold deposits in the Cargo Muchacho Mountains began to deplete, and the high costs of operating in such a remote desert location led to the decline of mining activities. By the 1910s, the town was largely abandoned, earning its status as a ghost town. The name changed to Tumco (an acronym for The United Mines Company) during later attempts to revive mining operations, but these efforts were unsuccessful in restoring the town’s former vitality. Today, the site remains a historical landmark, with remnants of structures and mining equipment preserved as part of the Hedges/Tumco Historic Townsite.

Legacy and Modern Relevance

The history of Hedges/Tumco provides insight into the transient nature of mining towns in the American West. Its story highlights the economic boom-and-bust cycles driven by resource extraction and the cultural contributions of diverse communities, particularly Hispanic miners. The site is now a point of interest for historians, archaeologists, and visitors exploring California’s mining heritage. It stands as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of early settlers in the face of challenging environmental and economic conditions.

Conclusion

Hedges, California, encapsulates the rise and fall of a desert mining community. From its peak as a vibrant gold mining town to its current status as a ghost town, Hedges reflects the broader historical patterns of the American frontier. Its legacy endures through its historical significance and the physical remnants that continue to attract those interested in the rich history of Imperial County.

Town Summary

NameHedges, California
AliasGold Rock, Tumco
LocationImperial County, California
AliasTumco – Hedges – Ogilby
Latitude, Longitude32.8793891573, -114.837144612
GNIS243332
Elevation575 Feet
Population3200

California Historical Landmarks

NO. 182 TUMCO MINES – Pete Walters of Ogilby discovered the first gold vein at Gold Rock on January 6, 1884. From his Little Mary Claim began a gold camp which reached its peak development between 1893 and 1899 as Hedges, with 3,200 residents. Nearly closed, 1900-10, it was reopened as Tumco, 1910-13, and worked intermittently until 1941. Tumco has long been a California ghost town.

California Historical Landmarks 

Hedges Town Map

References

Potholes California – Colorado River Steamship Landing

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Potholes California is a former gold mining camp and ghost town located in Imperial County, California. The town is located on the western side of the Colorado River near the present day Laguna Dam. The location was first mined by Spanish Miners in 1871. These early workings and miners were lost during the Yuma War, 1850 – 1853.

Potholes California

From 1852 through 1909, Colorado Steamships ferried people and supplies up and down the Colorado River to mining camps and outposts. Following the discovery of gold in California, westward expansion of the United States was on the mind of most people seeking their fortune of livelihood. Wagon trains, horses and trains all brought people deep into the new county seeking their fortune. Lesser known is the role of the steamships, which brought supplies and people up the Colorado River from Baja California to the Green River in Wyoming.

There has been some little excitement in this part of the, country, caused by the discovery of new gold fields on the Rio Colorado, some fifteen miles above Fort Yuma, on the California side. I have just returned from the diggings, and find, after a careful examination of three days, that gold exists there in paying quantities, for many miles on both sides of the river. While at the newly discovered diggings, a considerable quantity of the oro has been taken out, considering the short time- they have been worked. From the claim of Messrs. Crandell & Co., $200 per day have been dug daily for the past six days. The manner of working is the same at at Jila city, heretofore described. The earth must be carried on the back a distance of one mile, and washed in a cradle. It is said that the total amount of the gold taken from Crandell & Co ‘s claim is about $4,000. – They have now constructed a cart-road from the mine to the river, and hereafter will be able to work at better advantage. Several other claims in the vicinity are paying from $10 to $16 per day; but most of the claims — for a good manner have been located — will not pay more than $2 per day to the hand, by the present process of working. If water could be obtained and sluice* used, from $40 to $100 per day might be washed. [We had news of these diggings in oar San Diego correspondence, published this morning, and the corroborating testimony of .our Fort Yuma correspondent is of much value, as confirmatory of the reports from San Diego. — Eds. Alta.]

I think, however, that the Gila mines are much more valuable, or will yield much more gold than these new diggings on the Colorado. Th« former have the advantage of being easily supplied with water, works for that purpose being now in progress.

Mining operations resumed again in 1859 with the rediscovery of gold. Placier mining operations proved successful in the 19th century. A steamship landing was established to ferry people and supplies to the location 15 miles up river from Yuma, Arizona.

The town of Potholes California was established during the building of the All American Canal and Laguna Dam.

Daily Alta California, Volume XI, Number 42, 12 February 1859

Town Summary

NamePotholes, California
LocationImperial County, California
Latitude, Longitude32.8289329, -114.5046713
Elevation160 feet
GNIS247730
Post Office1905 – 1909, 1920 – 1922

Potholes California Map

References

Nivloc Nevada – Esmeralda County Ghost Town

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In 1907, Gold was discovered at the town site which would be known as Nivloc Nevada by a Native American prospector. The town derived its name from for the former owners “Colvin” who operated the site in 1923. The name spelled backwards was Nivloc and such is the haste in the Nevadan desert.

Nivloc mine and camp - Tonopah Times-Bonanza - Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps - Paher
Nivloc mine and camp – Tonopah Times-Bonanza – Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps – Paher

The original mining operations were short lived. The town experienced a bit of a resurgence in the 1930s. The town never amounted to much boasting only one saloon. At its height of operation from 1940 to 1943 the town could claim a post office. Between 1937 and 1943 the small town produced between $2 and $3 million dollars of Gold and Silver. The 400,000 tons of ore was pulled from mines reaching depths 440 feet and 600 feet of below the surface. During this time, the mines of Nivloc ranked as Nevada’s number one silver producer.

Nivloc Today

We have not made a trip to Nivloc, however the townsite is very high on my ghost town “to do” list. There are several standing structures and buildings intact. The mine headframe is still standing at and a rail trestle bridge which is one hundred and twenty feet in length and forty feet tall.

Town Summary

TownNivloc, Nevada
LocationEsmeralda County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.71583, -117.75722
Elevation6,170 feet
GNIS851592
Post OfficeOctober 1940 to November 1943

Nivloc Map

Resources