At Bodie Historic District, immerse yourself in an age when California was populated by gold-seekers trying to get rich. This former mining boom-town has survived as a ghost town since the 19th century in remarkable condition. Tour this national historic landmark and California state park to learn about heroes and outlaws of California’s Wild West.
Bodie was founded as a mining camp in 1859 when W.S. Bodey discovered promising gold ore deposits in the Bodie Hills. During your visit, learn about the town’s gold-fueled boom period toward the end of the 19th century when population grew to about 10,000 people. By 1940, the decrease of mining profits left the town an empty shell of its former glory. Some remnants of the gold rush period still stand today.
Walk along Main Street, a long stretch through the center of Bodie. Imagine a wild time when shootouts, stagecoach holdups and saloon brawls were commonplace. During Bodie’s peak years, there may have been 65 barrooms along this street. Today, explore some of the historic district’s 100 buildings preserving this era.
Inspect the Miners’ Union Hall, once a meeting place for unions, town gatherings and musical performances. See the quaint wooden fronts of Sam Leon Bar and Barber Shop before inspecting the well-stocked shelves of the Boone Store and Warehouse. Among an array of 19th-century tools and knickknacks, see familiarly branded products including “Kellogg’s Tasteless Castor Oil” and “Colgate Medicated Powder.”
See the remains of the Bodie Bank, which was destroyed by a fire in 1932. Inspect old-fashioned classrooms at the Bodie Schoolhouse. Admire the wooden spire of the resilient Methodist Church, which was built in 1882. Explore what remains of Bodie’s Red Light District in the northern part of town and learn about Rosa May, a kind-hearted prostitute who cared for ailing townsfolk during an early 20th-century epidemic.
Drive to Bodie Historic District in about 1 hour from Lee Vining. The site is open daily and has a state park access fee. During winter, heavy snowfalls often block the entrance roads, so access may be limited to skis, snowshoes and snowmobiles.
