  Bodie State Historic Park
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 73 Bodie State Historic Park Tips.159 Bodie State Historic Park Photos.0 Bodie State Historic Park Videos. Bodie State Historic Park Pages by ClarkRB
| Page Views: 687 Last Visit to Bodie State Historic Park: May, 2007 I Visit Here Frequently | The best CA town is one where nobody lives by ClarkRB - last update: Jun 5, 2007 |
Bodie, California (page under construction) | ClarkRB at Dechambeau Hotel and I.O.O.F. in Bodie |
William Bodey found gold in them hills. A town quickly sprung up that consisted of folks that wanted the same luck, and those who could make money by catering to services needed. A man making a sign couldn't spell, and Bodey became Bodie. That was the first of many many things that went horribly wrong here.
Bodie was a rough and ready town. Folks here had to be gritty. The weather saw blizzards every winter, heatwaves that wouldn't end, and wind that whipped fires into a frenzy. Miners worked hard for meager pay, and took out frustrations on each other in the form of murder. The average was a murder a day here. Life was lawless in a town of 10,000 inhabitants. People feared going through Bodie, let along moving here. A little girl writes in her diary: "Goodbye God, I'm going to Bodie." (Bodie folks claim she said "Good! By God, I'm going to Bodie!") |
| California Historical Landmark - Bodie, CA |
|  | And today, only a mere 5% of the buildings still stand from a town that florished in 1879. The town is in a state of arrested decay, meaning it will never become commercial or restored like Calico, but efforts will be made to stop further deterioration of what is left.
However, human effort won't be able to save this place. The elements in one of the harshest weather conditions will eventually collapse every building here; efforts are only stalling the inevitable. Until that time, Bodie is by far the best ghost town in the USA. The mood is captured as a creaking weathervane makes the place feel a bit haunted as you look inside at a house that once had life. |
| | Bodie is an incredible spot located in one of the most remote spots in California. One of the reasons the town died is the same reason it is preserved today. Life was harsh here on a high plateau. No trees meant no blocking of the constant wind that would easily help spread fire from one side of town to the other. And yet, the fact that its difficult to get to has kept the California gang members from putting their grafitti all over things. They normally don't go to places that require travel on a rough dirt road.
My goal here is to make you enthusiastic about a different type of travel all-together: the search for ghost towns. Ghost towns are everywhere across the USA, but you have to know where to go. Many have nothing left; some have few remains. When you come across one that is well intact and yet left alone, its an extra treat. That's what Bodie will most likely do for you. |
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| Pros: | "A true ghost town, 100% more so than Calico" | | Cons: | "Some area too hazardous to explore" | | In A Nutshell: | "Bodie is incredible, and should be a top 10 for CA visits" |
ClarkRB's Bodie State Historic Park Travel Tips
 Comments for ClarkRB about Bodie State Historic Park | | | | |
ozalp Tue Mar 18, 2008 14:19 UTC
Warehouse tip is very exciting. I dreamed about it for a while. Great page. | 807Wheaton Sun Aug 12, 2007 00:42 UTC
Loved looking at your Bodie pics. We enjoyed the schoolhouse too. Actually, many of the places on the globe/map are once again accurate - borders come and go! Marcia | goingsolo Sun Jun 17, 2007 21:21 UTC
i've wanted to visit bodie for some time but never have the chance when i'm out in the sierras. Looks like I'd better hurry up and do it soon. Great page! Thanks for sharing | weed6886 Mon Jun 11, 2007 14:05 UTC
Great page! You got some really good pics. Wow, I didn't think anybody knew Aurora was out there. Did you get a chance to see Masonic? I miss those places! |
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