Bodie
A Ghost Town that Lives on

W.S. Bodie discovered gold here back in 1859. Unfortunately he died in a snow storm that winter and never saw the town that took on his name.

Over the years, Bodie has seen numerous booms…and busts. There were some huge gold strikes here and, at one point, the town had nearly 10,000 residents. By 1882 though, the big strikes were mostly history and the folks began to go elsewhere.

Today Bodie is one of the largest and best preserved ghost towns in the West. Over 170 buildings remain and what the California Department of Parks and Recreations calls a state of “arrested decay.” It is, without a doubt, a photographer’s paradise. History buffs and fans of the old West will find walking through Bodie a remarkable experience.