Now the town does have its share of ghosts, including James Cain’s Chinese maid/mistress at The Cain house and the phantom children playing at The Mendocino House. This is an actual ghost town located in California. California; The Curse Of Bodie: An Empty Mining Town That Still Haunts California travelawaits.com - Evan Pagano. However, the ghost-town of Bodie holds more than just ruined buildings and the whispers of an age long gone. California has its share of creepy stories, and some center on an authentic Bodie, a forsaken gold town, is supposedly one of the most haunted places in the state. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own, and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers. It was a mining camp in 1859. Once known as the most lawless, toughest mining town in the West, Bodie California is now a deserted ghost town. One of the most unique aspects about Bodie is its reputation as not only a ghost town but one that has been cursed. Bodie is a ghost town in the Bodie Hills east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Mono County, California, United. News spread rapidly, and several individuals flocked to the area to get their chance at some of the buried treasure. Visitors can walk down the deserted streets of a town that once had a population of nearly 10,000 people. Also the weather in the mountains was harsh and took many lives. … Bodie sits nearly 8,400 feet up in the Bodie Hills in Mono County, California. The state of California keeps the town in “arrested decay.” Since 19622 it’s been classed as a state historic park, to be preserved in it’s current condition. You can just drive up to it. The gold ore mined in Bodie would eventually account for … Bodie, California. Photo credit left: flickr/lostamerica right: flickr/amylloyd. You weave up and up into the California … Stories claim the area terrifies visitors with ghosts, eerie sounds, and a curse - an alleged hex falling upon anyone who takes things from the site. While people love to visit, some say that when they leave, a curse … But, as time went on, things began getting worse and worse. However, tragedy began as early as the town founder. The history of Bodie, California is actually quite interesting. Bodie, once famous as the hottest gold prospect in California, stands now as one of the gold rush’s boom-bust casualties. THE CURSE OF BODIE!! Eventually, the town of “Bodey” was formed. From Interstate 395, seven miles south of Bridgeport, take State Route 270. The Curse of Bodie Ghost Town Perched on the eastern side of the Sierras, north of Mono Lake, Bodie is California’s Official Ghost Town. Located in California and discovered by W.S. With a slight boom thanks to factories opening up nearby, Bodie continued limping on until 1932. Bodie State Historic Park is a genuine California gold-mining ghost town. To be an off-season caretaker of Bodie, California (winter population: 5), you need a high tolerance for cold, solitude, and two-hour grocery runs. Bodie is a ghost town in the Bodie Hills east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Mono County, California, United States about 75 miles (121 km) southeast of Lake Tahoe, 12 mi (19 km) east-southeast of Bridgeport, at an elevation of 8379 feet (2554 m). Today Bodie, California is one of the few ghost towns in America to be preserved in “a state of decay” as a State Historic Park, and a designated National Historic site. Their desperation instilled a form of supernatural power here. It’s an iconic vision of the historic gold rush that has been preserved for decades. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across the site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). In the year of 1859, the ever-popular W.S Bodey visited this area and discovered gold. The historic gold mining town is spread across the high, remote valley of the Bodie Hills. Due to changing advisories, please check local travel guidelines before visiting. Once a bustling gold town, its boom was fantastically short-lived. The bad luck continued to get worse and when an earthquake hit the town, both girls decided to return their necklaces to Bodie...just in case. Supposedly, the curse can be lifted by returning the items to the town. You can just drive up to it. Bodie, California What had been just a ragtag collection of tents transformed immediately, with boarding houses, hotels, restaurants, saloons, and even a ballroom and opera house sprouting up rapidly, all to cater to the hordes of people descending upon them looking to get rich. The Evil Entity That Follows You Home From This Santa Barbara Park Will Make You Sleep With The Lights On. Bodie, a forsaken gold town, is supposedly one of the most haunted places in the state. Does a Demonic Servant Haunt the Chimes Antique Store in Lake Elsinore? Similar to Robert the Doll, who allegedly curses any who take his picture without asking for, whatever is in Bodie promises to curse any visitors who steal souvenirs from the houses, businesses, or even the surrounding nature. In Eastern Sierra Nevada, California, you can find a ghost town by the name of Bodie. He planned on creating a town around the mine but tragically froze to death before he could see his vision of a town created. Where Is Bodie, California? Bodie is an interesting ghost town for many reasons, including its state of arrested decay. The gold ore mined in Bodie would eventually account for over 30 million dollars in gold alone. Bodie, California is a town frozen in time, and preserved by California State Parks in a state of “arrested decay.” Bodie became a State Historic Park in 1962, and maintains the buildings just as they were found when the State took over the town – but they do not restore the buildings, instead choosing to simply preserve the buildings in their aged and weathered 1880s appearance. This image was taken by King of Hearts.This image is licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International. W.S. California State Parks took ownership of Bodie back in the 1960s. Sometime, the items are accompanied with an anonymous apology or letters detailing stories of bad luck. Perched on the eastern side of the Sierras, north of Mono Lake, Bodie is California’s Official Ghost Town. Here are four of these stories: So if you’re planning a visit to Bodie, keep your hands to yourself and, definitely, don’t pick up a souvenir! If you take anything from Bodie, you will be cursed with bad luck. The Curse of Bodie brings bad luck to artifact thieves who steal the things its former residents left behind, possibly frightened by a supernatural event or after a catastrophic medical event. The California State Parks and The Bodie Foundation, Co-administers of the park, welcome more than 200,00 visitors each year. While many people laugh off this curse as a way to keep the ghost town well preserved or others just think it is an old wives tale, the museum and staff of Bodie have letters and artifacts come in every day from those who broke the rules and left Bodie with more than what they came with. Bodie would never fully enjoy his discovery as he frozen to death during his first winter in Bodie while returning with supplies. Bodie California ghost town was one of the richest gold strikes in California. The cursed town of Bodie California The Golden Curse. Bodie -- established in 1859, claimed by the state parks service in 1962 -- lies hidden in the hills east of Yosemite, south of Lake Tahoe and north of Mono Lake. Backpackerverse.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. The spelling of the gold rush boomtown was later changed to Bodie is order to avoid mispronunciations. Many people had come to the old mining town in hopes of getting rich. Catherine Jones, the park interpreter, says “Pretty much every time the ranger goes to the post office to pick up our mail,” says Jones, “there's a cursed artifact in there.” The team has now received so many of these letters over the years that they’re now collected, on display, in the Bodie museum. They wore the necklaces often but after a few weeks the skin the rocks touched would turn rashy and red. While visiting Bodie, two teenage girls picked rocks from the area (not inside the houses or businesses) and decided to create necklaces with them. The Bodie Curse Today Bodie, California is one of the few ghost towns in America to be preserved in “a state of decay” as a State Historical Park, and a designated National Historic site. The spelling of the gold rush boomtown was later changed to Bodie is order to avoid mispronunciations. Today, the town is a State l park open to visitors and remains in a state of arrested decay. It is said that Bodie is also cursed. It’s over 15 miles from the nearest town, connected by a narrow winding highway that turns into an unpaved dirt road. Ed Warren, the expert on Demonology, curses and paranormal occurrences, believed that the curse is related to the town’s history. ! I mean, hey, who doesn’t have a spot of bad luck now and then? It is nearly impossible to visit Bodie without hearing about its bad luck and the curse. A still furnished room rotting away within the ghost town Bodie, California. Stories claim the area terrifies visitors with ghosts, eerie sounds, and a curse. Legend has it that the Bodie Curse will hit anyone who removes artefacts from the town Credit: AFP But by the 1880s promising booms in Arizona, Montana, and Utah had lured miners away, and the … Bodie is a testament to the wild rush of the West. Bodie saw a steady decline from 1880 onwards, when miners were lured to other nearby boom areas. Body in 1859. A very brief history helps shed light on the legacy of Bodie. At first, they encountered some bad luck that neither of them attributed to the curse. One of them ominous letters, received in 2002, reads: "Fair warning for anyone that thinks this is just folklore -- my life has never seen such turmoil. This National Historic Landmark, located on a 7395 ft (2254 m) high hill, is visited by 200.000 people each year. Rick Paulas May 6, 2019, 8:00 AM EDT But don’t even think about taking something from Bodie home, because the curse of Bodie … In 1892, more disaster struck as a fire raged through the town and burned many homes and businesses. With that in mind it will remain as a ghost town for the foreseeable future. Bodie became a boom town in 1876 after the discovery of a profitable line of gold; by 1879 it had a population of 7,000–10,000. Body in 1859. The town is named for Waterman S. Body (William Bodey), who had discovered small amounts of … So that’s the story of Bodie, California. However, Bodie is famous for its Curse. The population of California soared and within ten years the prospectors were searching for new sources for gold mining. THE CURSE OF BODIE GHOST TOWN. California has its share of creepy stories, and some center on an authentic Wild West ghost town. Kept in a state of arrested decay, it’s a … Legends about Bodie abound, including the Bodie Curse. Bodie is a testament to the wild rush of the West. Updated 2/10/2020 – After a fire destroyed much of the town in 1932, Bodie lost its population slowly until it was declared a state park in 1960. The town grew rapidly to contain approximately 2,000 buildings and supporting up to 7,000 people by 1879. Hesitant to change, the spirits that now seem to inhabit Bodie have made one thing clear: don’t take from us. Bodie is California’s official state gold rush town. Park Rangers report receiving items from Bodie in the mail every year. The ghost town of Bodie is managed by the California State Parks system; it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961 and has 110 preserved buildings. The cursed town of Bodie California got its start during the gold rush, a man by the name of William Bodey discovered a mine full of gold near a place called Bodie Bluff. The History of Bodie, California. When you visit, you can still see homes full of furniture with sinks full of dishes. Bodie was founded in 1876 after gold was struck nearby and soon became a popular place for prospectors. When the winter snows come, this place often becomes impassable. Bodie has long been a ghost town tourist destination, and though it might reside in California, we in Northern Nevada still claim its lore as our own, since we are familiar with all … Advertiser Disclosure: Backpackerverse.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. Please take my warning and do not remove even a speck of dust.". Then one of the girls sprained her ankle while wearing the necklace. Though it became renowned for having abundant gold reserves, it was equally infamous for its lawlessness as gamblers, stage robbers, and gun-fighters made their way to town. The Curse Of This California Ghost Town Will Give You Goosebumps Bodie, California is a ghost town in the truest sense of the term. When mining began to decline along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, prospectors began to cross the eastern slope in search of their fortunes. Bodie, a forsaken gold town, is supposedly one of the most haunted places in the state. Today, the settlement appears much the same as it did more than 65 years ago when the last residents left. Misfortune and tragedy are heaped upon the victim until the stolen item is returned. The Bodie Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the town’s history and its structures that still stand today. Supposedly, if visitors take anything from this old ghost town – even a pebble, they will be cursed with bad luck. Bodie is located in Central California, just east of Yosemite National Park. The first gold nuggets in California were discovered in 1848 in the foothills of the Western Sierras. According to the Bodie State Park website, “2½ year-old "Bodie Bill" was blamed for starting the 1932 fire which destroyed all but 5-10 percent of the town.”. You weave up and up into the California hills; things get dustier and dustier until the road below you is dust, and just when it seems like your future is dust, you’re in Bodie. By the 1980s Theft was such a big problem that one of the park rangers decided to make up a fake curse for the town. Bodie, California is a genuine gold-mining ghost town located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Mono County, California. One of my favorite curse tales is from the early 2000s. As I mentioned earlier, many robbers used to live in Bodie, and they often had bar fights or shootings like in the wild west. California has its share of creepy stories, and some center on an authentic Wild West ghost town. Paranormal Evil in San Diego: The Hidden Path That Stirs Up Demons, Prepare Yourself For What Lurks In The Cold Shadows Of This Pasadena Trail. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for many of the products and services listed on the site. And as an increasingly notorious attraction,who knows how many more will fall victim to it’s curse. It’s an hour northeast of Yosemite National Park.Once home to around 10,000 people -- then fewer and fewer until it was home to none -- it’s now called Bodie State Historic Park.. Visiting Bodie is an adventure in itself as it’s way off the beaten path. SUBSCRIBE!!! By the early 1880s, mining had significantly diminished and homes and businesses were abandoned in favor of other towns. The people in Bodie didn’t just pack up and leave...they fled. As a result, everything left behind in Bodie draws the spirits of its owners and others who refuse to move on. 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