Hart, California, was a fleeting gold mining settlement in the remote northeastern corner of San Bernardino County, nestled in the Mojave Desert on the northeastern edge of Lanfair Valley, near the New York Mountains and close to the Nevada border. Today, the site lies within the boundaries of Castle Mountains National Monument, a protected area proclaimed in 2016 to preserve its unique desert landscape, biodiversity, and historical resources. The town, often referred to simply as Hart (or sometimes associated with the broader Hart Mining District, also known as the Castle Mountain District), exemplifies the classic “boom-and-bust” cycle of early 20th-century desert mining communities in Southern California.
Discovery and Boom (1907–1909)
The story of Hart began in December 1907, when prospectors Jim Hart (after whom the town was named) and brothers Bert and Clark Hitt discovered rich gold deposits in the rugged Castle Mountains. News of the strike spread rapidly during the waning years of the California Gold Rush era’s tail end, attracting hundreds of fortune-seekers to this isolated region. By early 1908, a tent camp had sprung up around the original claim, quickly evolving into a structured townsite.
The settlement grew explosively. Within months, Hart boasted a population that swelled to around 1,500 residents at its peak in the summer of 1908. Infrastructure developed hastily to support the influx: a post office opened, a weekly newspaper called the Enterprise was published (1908–1909), telephone and telegraph lines connected the town to nearby Barnwell, and a water pipeline was laid. The nearest railroad siding was at Hitt, about 3.5 miles away, facilitating supplies and ore transport.
Hart’s commercial district reflected the rowdy, opportunistic spirit of mining camps. Amenities included:
- Hotels such as the Norton House, Martin House, and the cheaper Star rooming house (a flophouse for transient workers).
- Two general stores (one being Hart-Gosney), a bakery, candy store, real-estate office, book and cigar store, and two lumberyards.
- Eight saloons with colorful names like Hart and Hitt, Arlington Club, Honest John, Oro Belle, and Northern Bar.
- A brothel, a miners’ union hall, and even a voting precinct and justice-court township.
The primary mines driving this prosperity were the Oro Belle (the original Hart-Hitt claim, sold in 1908 for $100,000 to the Oro Belle Mining Company of Duluth, Minnesota) and the Big Chief (formerly Jumbo), both operated by interests tied to the Hart brothers. A 10-stamp mill was constructed at the Big Chief to process ore. High-grade gold pockets yielded impressive early returns, fueling speculation and drawing investors.
Decline and Abandonment (1909–1918)
Despite the initial frenzy, Hart’s riches proved illusory. The gold deposits were in small, erratic pockets within silicified breccia zones hosted in Tertiary-age rhyolite and tuff, rather than large, consistent veins. By late 1909, production plummeted as easily accessible high-grade ore was exhausted. Most surrounding claims followed suit, yielding little profit. The Oro Belle Mine, the town’s flagship operation, never turned a substantial profit and ceased major activity around 1915, with final shutdown in 1918.
As mines closed, residents departed en masse for more promising strikes elsewhere. By the mid-1910s, Hart was largely deserted, joining the ranks of California’s many ghost towns. The post office closed, businesses shuttered, and structures fell into disrepair amid the harsh desert environment.
Current Status
Today, Hart is a true ghost town with no permanent inhabitants or active structures from its boom era. The townsite itself has been heavily impacted by later mining: in the 1990s, the area hosted the modern open-pit Castle Mountain Mine (operated by Viceroy Resources), a large-scale heap-leach gold operation that disturbed much of the historic footprint. Remnants of the original town—foundations, scattered artifacts, and mine workings—are faint or overwritten.
The entire area, including the Hart townsite and Castle Mountains, was incorporated into Castle Mountains National Monument in 2016, managed by the National Park Service within the Mojave National Preserve ecosystem. Access is limited to dirt roads (such as Hart Mine Road), requiring high-clearance vehicles, and the monument emphasizes preservation of natural and cultural resources. A historical marker, erected in 1984 by E Clampus Vitus chapters and the Bureau of Land Management, stands near the site (coordinates approximately 35°17.047’N, 115°6.883’W), commemorating the 1907 discovery and the town’s brief existence.
Visitors occasionally explore the remote area for off-roading, hiking, or historical interest, but it remains desolate—windswept desert terrain dotted with Joshua trees, creosote bushes, and distant views toward Nevada. No commercial facilities exist nearby (the closest services are in Nipton or Searchlight, Nevada). The monument’s protected status prohibits new mining or development, ensuring Hart’s legacy as a quiet relic of California’s gold-seeking past endures in one of the most isolated corners of San Bernardino County.
Ghost Town Summary
| Name | Hart, California |
| Location | San Bernardino County, California |
| Latitude, Longitude | 35.2888, -115.1033 |
| Elevation | 1393 meters / 4570 feet |
| Population | |
| GNIS | 1660728 |