Cabernet, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
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Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Cabernet is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located on the Southern Pacific Railroad 3 miles (4.8 km) south of McFarland.
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Calico, CA
County:
San Bernardino
Zip Code:
92398
Latitude / Longitude:
34°56′56″N 116°51′51″W / 34.94889°N 116.86417°W / 34.94889
Elevation:
2,283 ft (696 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Calico is a ghost town and former mining town in San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert region of Southern California, it was founded in 1881 as a silver mining town, and today has been converted into a county park named Calico Ghost Town. Located off Interstate 15, it lies 3 miles (4.8 km) from Barstow and 3 miles from Yermo. Giant letters spelling CALICO can be seen on the Calico Peaks behind the ghost town from the freeway. Walter Knott purchased Calico in the 1950s, architecturally restoring all but the five remaining original buildings to look as they did in the 1880s. Calico received California Historical Landmark #782, and in 2005 was proclaimed by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to be California’s Silver Rush Ghost Town.
Remains:
In 1881 four prospectors were leaving Grapevine Station (present-day Barstow, California) for a mountain peak to the northeast. Describing the peak as “calico-colored”, the peak, the mountain range to which it belonged, and the town that followed were all called Calico. The four prospectors discovered silver in the mountain and opened the Silver King Mine, which was California’s largest silver producer in the mid-1880s. A post office was established in early 1882, and the Calico Print, a weekly newspaper, started publishing. The town soon supported three hotels, five general stores, a meat market, bars, brothels, and three restaurants and boarding houses. The county established a school district and a voting precinct. The town also had a deputy sheriff and two constables, two lawyers and a justice of the peace, five commissioners, and two doctors. There was also a Wells Fargo office and a telephone and telegraph service. At its height of silver production during 1883 and 1885, Calico had over 500 mines and a population of 1,200 people. Local badmen were buried in the Boot Hill cemetery.
Current Status:
Today, the park operates mine tours, gunfight stunt shows, gold panning, several restaurants, the historic, 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge Calico & Odessa Railroad, a Mystery Shack, and a number of trinket stores. It is open every day except Christmas and requires an entrance fee. Additional fees are required for some attractions. Overnight camping is also available. Special events are held throughout the year including a Spring Festival in May, Calico Days in early October, and a Ghost Town haunt in late October.
Remarks:
The Calico Cemetery, which holds between 96 and 130 graves, has had burials in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Camanche, CA
County:
Calaveras
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
38°12′48″N 120°56′07″W / 38.21333°N 120.93528°W / 38.21333 -120.93528
Elevation:
220 ft (67 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Disestablished:
Comments:
Camanche (originally, Limerick; also, Clay’s Bar) is a former settlement in Calaveras County, California. It lay at an elevation of 220 ft (67 m). Once called Limerick, the town became Camanche (after Camanche, Iowa) in 1849. Gold mining at nearby Cat Camp, Poverty Bar, and Sand Hill brought its population to a peak of 1,500. Mokelumne River water was brought in by Lancha Plana and Poverty Bar Ditch. A fire on June 21, 1873, destroyed Camanche’s large Chinatown. Buhach, an insect powder made from a plant, was manufactured on the nearby Hill Ranch. Camanche is now inundated by Camanche Reservoir.
Remains:
The settlement is registered as California Historical Landmark #254. Its location is at 38°12’48″N 120°56’07″WCoordinates: 38°12’48″N 120°56’07″W A post office was opened in Clay’s Bar in 1861 and renamed Camanche in 1864 before closing in 1886; it was re-established in 1887 and closed for good in 1962.
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Cambio, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
35°05′40″N 118°07′59″W / 35.09444°N 118.13306°W / 35.09444 -118.13306
Elevation:
2,835 ft (864 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Cambio is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located on the Southern Pacific Railroad 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Mojave, at an elevation of 2835 ft (864 m). Cambio still appeared on maps as of 1947.
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Camp Spirito, CA
County:
Calaveras
Zip Code:
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Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Comments:
Camp Spirito is a former settlement and mining camp in Calaveras County, about 1 mile northwest of Bummerville. It was reached via rough road from West Point.
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Canebrake, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
35°43′54″N 118°04′43″W / 35.73167°N 118.07861°W / 35.73167 -118.07861
Elevation:
3,031 ft (924 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Disestablished:
Comments:
Canebrake is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California. It is located along California State Route 178 in the South Fork Valley, 5.3 miles (9 km) east-northeast of Onyx at an elevation of 3031 ft (924 m).
Remains:
Canebrake Creek, which State Route 178 follows down to Canebrake from the Walker Pass, was named by Robert S. Williamson in the fall of 1853 after he observed Indians there collecting the sugary reeds from a canebrake, or bulrush patch. The creek is a major tributary of the South Fork Kern River, which it flows into at Bloomfield Ranch, part of the Canebrake Ecological Reserve.
Current Status:
The original townsite was located about three miles further east on Isabella-Walker Pass Road. The area was the site of a speakeasy and alcohol still during prohibition, run by a local bootlegger named Victor Hugo. The Chimney Peak Back Country Byway splits off from Route 178 in Canebrake, leading to the Chimney Peak Wilderness and connecting to some of the most rugged and remote areas of the Southern Sierra Nevada.
Remarks:
Canfield, CA
County:
San Joaquin
Zip Code:
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Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Canfield is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located a little west of Old River. The place was laid out by Charles W. Canfield in 1874.
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Carnegie, CA
County:
San Joaquin
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
37°37′46″N 121°31′41″W / 37.62951°N 121.52797°W / 37.62951 -121.52797
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Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Carnegie was a town in Corral Hollow, in San Joaquin County, California from 1902 to about 1915.
Remains:
It was discovered that the San Francisco & San Joaquin Coal Company’s Tesla coal mines in Corral Hollow contained a rich deposit of clay. Fueled by California’s rapid population growth and the subsequent demand for building materials mine owners James and John Treadwell of the Treadwell gold mine formed the Carnegie Brick and Pottery Company in 1902. The Treadwells named the company after philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. In 1904 the plant to make brick and architectural terra cotta was built near the Alameda and San Joaquin Railroad line, four miles east of the coal mining town of Tesla. A town was in place with over 300 inhabitants (mainly Italian artisans) and the town’s brick factory was producing upwards of 100,000 bricks per day. In 1904, the Pottery sewer pipe plant was built between Carnegie and Tesla.
Current Status:
Today only the foundation of the brickworks can be seen within the Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area. Materials from Carnegie Brick and Pottery were used to build the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the Oakland Hotel, and the Carnegie libraries in Livermore and Lodi, California. The site of the former town is registered as a California Historical Landmark.
Remarks:
In 1911 a flood destroyed bridges, roads, and buildings which the company could not afford to rebuild. The towns of Carnegie and Tesla were abandoned. The rail line from Carbona was abandoned by the Western Pacific Railroad in January 1916. In 1916 the company was sold to Gladding, McBean of Lincoln, California. The new owners, in an effort to reduce competition, sold off the factory’s equipment and destroyed what remained of the town’s buildings. On May 27, 1917, the tall smokestacks at the plant were dynamited.
Carthage, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
36° 35′ 0″ N, 117° 25′ 0″ W
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Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Comments:
Carthage is a former settlement in Inyo County, California. It was located 2.5 miles (4 km) north-northwest of Olancha. Nearby Cartago, California was named after it, in Spanish for Carthage.
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Carson Hill, CA
County:
Calaveras
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
38°01′42″N 120°30′24″W / 38.02833°N 120.50667°W / 38.02833 -120.50667
Elevation:
1,447 ft (441 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Carson Hill (also, Carson Flat and Melones and Slumgullion) is a ghost town in Calaveras County, California. It sits at an elevation of 1447 ft (441 m) above sea level and is located at 38°01’42″N 120°30’24″W, about 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southeast of Angels Camp. It was one of the most productive mining camps in the state, with nearly $26 million in gold and quartz found in the area. Carson Hill is registered as California Historical Landmark #274. The town was served by the Sierra Railway’s branch line to Angels Camp until 1935.
Remains:
Unlike most of the places with “Carson” in their names in the American West, Carson Hill is not named after explorer Kit Carson, but instead, it is named for Sgt. James H. Carson, a member of Colonel Jonathan D. Stevenson’s Regiment of First New York Volunteers. He happened to be in Monterey when the California Gold Rush started. Carson first made his way to Weber Creek near Placerville and then moved south with the Angel and Murphy brothers (founders of Angels Camp and Murphys, respectively). After splitting up at what is now Angels Camp, Carson’s group headed south and panned at a small tributary of the Stanislaus River, which they found incredibly rich in gold. They named this portion Carson Creek.
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Cerro Gordo, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
36° 32′ 15.76″ N, 117° 47′ 42.11″ W
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Disestablished:
Comments:
The Cerro Gordo Mines are a collection of abandoned mines located in the Inyo Mountains, in Inyo County, California. Mining operations were undertaken from 1866 until 1957, producing high-grade silver, lead, and zinc ore. Some ore was smelted on-site, but larger capacity smelters were eventually constructed along the shore of nearby Owens Lake. These smelting operations were the beginnings of the towns of Swansea and Keeler. Most of the metal ingots produced here were transported to Los Angeles, but transportation difficulties hindered the success of the mines. Mining of silver and lead peaked in the early 1880s, with a second mining boom producing zinc in the 1910s.
Remains:
The Discovery of the silver ore is credited to Pablo Flores, who began mining and smelting operations near the summit of Buena Vista Peak in 1865. Due to hostile Indian activity, early mining efforts were rather limited. When hostile Indian activity subsided following the establishment of Fort Independence, mining efforts increased. These early miners employed relatively primitive techniques of open pits and trenches and used adobe ovens to smelt the ore. Businessman Victor Beaudry of nearby Independence, California, became impressed by the quality of silver being taken out of Cerro Gordo and opened a store near the mine. He soon acquired several mining claims to settle unpaid debts and proceeded to have two modern smelters built. Beaudry continued acquiring mining rights from debtors until he soon owned a majority of the richest and most productive mines in the area, including partial interest in the Union Mine.
Current Status:
Cerro Gordo is privately owned by Brent Underwood and currently a ghost town and tourist attraction. It still has several buildings including the general store and the American Hotel. The American Hotel burned down in 2020, but there are plans to have it rebuilt. Permission to visit must be obtained. For more information visit cerrogordomines.com.
Remarks:
In 1868 Mortimer Belshaw arrived in Cerro Gordo, attracted by the rich deposits of galena ore. After establishing a partnership with another stakeholder in the Union Mine, he brought the first wagon load of silver from Cerro Gordo to Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, he was able to secure financing to build his own smelter that was superior to all other smelters at Cerro Gordo, as well as to build the first wagon road up the mountain. This road became known as the Yellow Road from the color of the rock that it had been cut through. By operating the Yellow Road as a toll road, Belshaw was able to earn income and control the shipments of silver from the mountain.
Cerro Gordo Landing, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
36° 35′ 0″ N, 117° 25′ 0″ W
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Cerro Gordo Landing is a former settlement in Inyo County, California. The port for steamboats crossing the lake from Carthago was located on the west shore of the Owens Lake 1 mile (1.6 km) south-southeast of Keeler. It served the Cerro Gordo Mines.
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Chambless, CA
County:
San Bernardino
Zip Code:
92319
Latitude / Longitude:
34°33′41″N 115°32′41″W / 34.56139°N 115.54472°W / 34.56139
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Chambless is a ghost town in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, United States, south of Interstate 40 on the historic Route 66. Chambless is east of the Bullion Mountains and Ludlow and ten miles east of Amboy Crater and Amboy, California. The ZIP Code is 92319, and the community is inside area code 760. It is 3 miles north of the railroad town of Cadiz.
Remains:
Chambless, originally known as Chambless Station, is one of the “alphabet towns” located along U.S. Route 66 that provided water towers to service the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. It became a popular motorist and tourist stop for Route 66 travelers but has essentially disappeared since the opening of I-40 in 1973.
Current Status:
In 2005, the population of Chambless was 6 residents and one dog, as posted on a sign entering the town. There is a Historical Landmark Marker just east of the town that explains the history of the alphabet towns.
Remarks:
Also located in Chambless was the ‘Roadrunner Cafe’ with its large and tall sign, which finally closed its doors in 1995.
Chanz, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
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Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Comments:
Chanz is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located on the stagecoach line 37 miles (60 km) north of Mojave.
Remains:
A post office operated at Chanz from 1906 to 1909. The name honors George A. Chanz, its first postmaster.
Current Status:
Remarks:
Cherokee, CA
County:
Butte
Zip Code:
95965
Latitude / Longitude:
39°38′47″N 121°32′18″W / 39.64639°N 121.53833°W / 39.64639
Elevation:
1,306 ft (398 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Cherokee is a census-designated place in Butte County, California. It is an area inhabited by Maidu Indians prior to the gold rush, but that takes its name from a band of Cherokee prospectors who perfected a mining claim on the site. The population was 69 at the 2010 census. It lies at an elevation of 1306 ft (398 m).
Remains:
Possibly the site of the historic gold mine, on the 1994 Cherokee, California 7.5-minute quadrangle, a feature named “Cherokee Placer Mine” exists about 0.65 miles southwest of the above coordinates. USGS identifies Cherokee Flat and Drytown as historic variant names for the community. The town is located on Cherokee Road off State Route 70.
Current Status:
Today, Cherokee now consists of a museum and a Cherokee cemetery, as well as a few houses. The Cherokee Heritage and Museum Association maintain both.
Remarks:
The area that is now Cherokee was once populated by the Maidu. Around 1818 Spanish explorers found gold on Cherokee’s south side near Table Mountain. In 1849 Cherokee came from Oklahoma. Welsh miners came in the 1850s, naming the town after the Cherokee and constructing many buildings in town.
Chichi, CA
County:
Calaveras
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Chichi is a former settlement in Calaveras County, 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Mountain Ranch.
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Chinquapin, CA
County:
Mariposa
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
37° 39′ 0″ N, 119° 42′ 19″ W
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Chinquapin (also, Chincapin and Chinkapin) is a former settlement in Mariposa County, California. It was located 8.5 miles (14 km) north-northwest of Wawona. It is located within Yosemite National Park, adjacent to the community of Yosemite West. Chinquapin is the midway point between Yosemite Valley and Wawona, a community inside the park.
Remains:
Chinquapin was built as a junction of the Old Glacier Point Road, which was built in 1882. Previously it was a bridle trail to Glacier Point (the current Glacier Point Road, which starts immediately north of the old road was built in 1940). On an 1896 U.S. Cavalry map, it is marked as “Chinquapin Station”
Current Status:
Remarks:
It was named Chinquapin after Chinquapin Creek, which is immediately northwest of Chinquapin. Chinquapin Creek is today called Indian Creek. Chinquapin Creek (and therefore Chinquipin) was named for the Sierra Chinquapin (Chrysolepis sempervirens) brush that grows in the area (with spiny seeds).
Chinese Camp, CA
County:
Tuolumne
Zip Code:
95309
Latitude / Longitude:
37°52′13″N 120°26′1″W / 37.87028°N 120.43361°W / 37.87028
Elevation:
1,273 ft (388 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
A Chinese Camp is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 126 at the 2010 census, down from 146 at the 2000 census. It lies in the grassy foothills of the Sierra Nevada near the southern end of California’s Gold Country.
Remains:
Wilderness near Chinese Camp is the location of the last remaining known population of the federally listed threatened plant species Brodiaea pallida, the Chinese Camp brodiaea. Chinese Camp is the remnant of a notable California Gold Rush mining town. The settlement was first known as “Camp Washington” or “Washingtonville” and one of the few remaining streets is Washington Street. Some of the very first Chinese laborers arriving in California in 1849 were driven from neighboring Camp Salvado and resettled here, and the area started to become known as “Chinee” or “Chinese Camp” or “Chinese Diggings”. At one point the town was home to an estimated 5,000 Chinese.
Current Status:
The Chinese Camp post office was established in the general store on April 18, 1854. This building is currently vacant, and a post office is in operation on a plot of land rented from a local resident.
Remarks:
An 1892 Tuolumne County history indicates that, in 1856, four of the six Chinese companies (protective associations) had agents here and that the first tong war (between the Sam Yap and Yan Woo tongs) was fought near here when the population of the area totaled several thousand. The actual location is several miles away, past the ‘red hills’, near the junction of Red Hills Road and J-59.
Chloride City, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
36°42′24″N 116°52′56″W / 36.70667°N 116.88222°W / 36.70667 -116.88222
Elevation:
4,770 ft (1,454 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Chloride City is a ghost town in Inyo County, California, USA. It is located 8.5 miles (14 km) north-northeast of Beatty Junction, at an elevation of 4,770 ft (1,450 m). The former settlement is now in Death Valley National Park.
Remains:
The town was established in 1905 when the Bullfrog, Nevada, gold discovery brought people into the area.
Current Status:
The ghost town contains numerous adits, dumps, and the grave of James McKay, of whom nothing is known. The town also holds the remains of three stamp mills.
Remarks:
Chrysopolis, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
36°57′38″N 118°11′48″W / 36.96056°N 118.19667°W / 36.96056 -118.19667
Elevation:
3,819 ft (1,164 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Chrysopolis (Greek for “city of gold”) is a former settlement in Inyo County, California. It was located on the east bank of the Owens River south of Aberdeen, at an elevation of 3819 ft (1164 m).
Remains:
Ever since the town was founded, Chrysopolis made its industry and economy based on mining. The area prospered briefly, but the population quickly declined because of both troubles with natives living in the region and its geographic isolation. These troubles were eventually resolved with the construction of a nearby fort, but by the time of its completion, more people were interested in the west side of the Owens Valley and left Chrysopolis behind. Although the town was abandoned, mining persisted in the region.
Current Status:
Most of the town is gone, but there are still several stone walls and structures and some mining tunnels.
Remarks:
The town was revived in the 1900s when a boom in mining swept through the region. During this boom, more people got focused on the old Chrysopolis mining area. The event was short-lived, however. It had reached its end by 1910, and again people packed up and left.
Clark, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
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Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Comments:
Clark is a former settlement in Inyo County, California. It was located just south of Furnace, near the Funeral Mountains in Death Valley.
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Clarkson, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
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Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Comments:
Clarkson is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located 16 miles (26 km) northeast of Bakersfield. A post office operated at Clarkson from 1890 to 1891.
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Remarks:
Code, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
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Comments:
Code is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located on the Southern Pacific Railroad 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southeast of Terese.
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Coleman City, CA
County:
San Diego
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
33°05′10″N 116°38′42″W / 33.08611°N 116.64500°W / 33.08611
Elevation:
3,601 ft (1,098 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Coleman City, also called Emily City, is a ghost town in San Diego County, California. It lies at an elevation of 3,601 ft. It is located on State Highway 78 where it crosses Coleman Creek, about four miles west of Julian.
Remains:
Coleman City was founded in the early months of 1870 by the first placer miners who rushed to Coleman Creek, following the news of the discovery of gold thereby A. E. Coleman who first discovered gold there in January 1870. Coleman, with earlier experience in the gold camps in Northern California, subsequently formed the Coleman Mining District and was its recorder. He also established the Emily City mining townsite. This mining camp later renamed Coleman City in his honor, served the placer gold miners along Coleman Creek in the Coleman Mining District. The San Diego Union reported on February 17, 1870, that the camp had 75 miners inhabiting it. On March 17, following the discovery of the Washington Mine, it reported Coleman City consisted of a dozen tents with a population of 150 men, many sleeping on the ground in the open.
Current Status:
After the discovery of the lode gold deposits near Julian the Julian Mining District was formed and with the depletion of the placer deposits, Coleman City was abandoned.
Remarks:
Copperfield, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Comments:
Copperfield is a former settlement in Inyo County, California. It was located about halfway between Greenwater and Furnace, near the Funeral Mountains in Death Valley.
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Coso, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
36°10′40″N 117°38′45″W / 36.17778°N 117.64583°W / 36.17778 -117.64583
Elevation:
3,369 ft (1,027 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Coso is an unincorporated community in Inyo County, California. It is located on the Southern Pacific Railroad 3 miles (4.8 km) north-northwest of Little Lake, at an elevation of 3,369 ft (1,027 m).
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Remarks:
Cox & Clark Trading Post and Steamboat Landing, CA
County:
Zip Code:
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Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
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Comments:
Cox & Clark Trading Post was an adobe building on the west shore of Tulare Lake. It was at that time the only building on that side of the lake and was located on the lakeshore 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of the modern Kettleman City
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Current Status:
Remarks:
Established in 1870 by the meat market and cattle business of Cox and Clark as a trading post for the Indians it also served as a landing place for steamboats on the west side of the lake. Cox & Clark held extensive holdings in Tulare, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Sutter, and Yuba counties, as well as in Lake County in Oregon. In the vicinity of the trading post, they owned land along the shoreline of Tulare Lake, where the tule marshes were pasture for cattle in dry years.
Coyote, CA
County:
Santa Clara
Zip Code:
95013
Latitude / Longitude:
37°13’00″N 121°44’26″W
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Coyote, originally Burnett, is an unincorporated community in a narrowing of Santa Clara Valley astride Coyote Creek, between San Jose and Morgan Hill, in Santa Clara County, California. Part of Coyote is inside the city limits of San Jose. Its ZIP Code is 95013; there is a small U.S. Post Office. It is inside telephone area codes 408 and 669.
Remains:
Current Status:
Once the site of the Twelve Mile House a stagecoach station on the Butterfield Overland Mail, Coyote is notable for its historic Grange Hall, close to the Post Office and the Metcalf Energy Center. The town’s name was changed from Burnett to Coyote because residents saw many coyotes in the area. The town nearly disappeared after U.S. Route 101 was rerouted as a freeway about one kilometer (0.6 miles) east of the town. The community was nearly absorbed by San Jose’s urban sprawl until the collapse of the dot-com bubble canceled the city’s plans. San Jose, however, still owns much of the land in the area after purchasing it prior to 2001.
Remarks:
Craft, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Craft is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located 7 miles (11 km) south of Ricardo. A post office operated at Craft from 1909 to 1911.
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Remarks:
Cuttens, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Cuttens is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located 10 miles (16 km) west of Lost Hills. A post office operated at Cuttens from 1911 to 1913, when the service was transferred to Lost Hills. The name honors Charles R. Cuttens, its first postmaster.
Remains:
Current Status:
Remarks:
Cuyamaca City, CA
County:
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
32° 56′ 46″ N, 116° 34′ 34″ W
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Cuyamaca (Kumeyaay: ‘Ekwiiyemak) is a region of eastern San Diego County. It lies east of the Capitan Grande Indian Reservation in the western Laguna Mountains, north of Descanso and south of Julian. Named for the 1845 Rancho Cuyamaca Mexican land grant, the region is now dominated by the 26,000 acres (105.2 km2) Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Within the park is the prominent Cuyamaca Peak, the second-highest mountain in San Diego County at 6,512 ft (1,984.9 m).
Remains:
The name is a Spanish corruption of the Kumeyaay phrase “‘Ekwiiyemak”, which means, according to Margaret Langdon’s translation, “Behind the clouds”. It has also been translated as “the place where it rains”, a reference to the region’s higher average precipitation than San Diego County’s low coastal areas. Cuyamaca is a popular toponym lending its name to streets, businesses, and a community college in the San Diego area.
Current Status:
The modern community of Cuyamaca, later developed on the north side of the lake. Before the Cedar Fire of 2003, the community of Cuyamaca consisted of approximately 145 homes on a mountain (North Peak) north of the reservoir. In October 2003, most of the Cuyamaca region was consumed by the Cedar Fire. Nearly 25,000 acres (101.2 km2) in the state park and 120 homes in the community of Cuyamaca were incinerated. The historic Dyer Ranch house in the center of the state park, which functioned as a museum and the park headquarters, was also destroyed.
Remarks:
During the Julian Gold Rush, a quartz gold mine the Stonewall Mine was found on the south side of what is now Lake Cuyamaca. First, a mining camp called Stonewall (1873–1876), then the mining company town of Stratton (1887–1888), renamed Cuyamaca City (1888–1906), at its peak, had a population of 500 and served the Stonewall Mine. In 1906 the post office was closed and service moved to Descanso. The town was abandoned after mining operations ceased, and few traces of it exist. The site of the town now lies within Cuyamaca Rancho State Park at 32°59’05″N 116°34’15″W.
Darwin, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
93522
Latitude / Longitude:
36°16′05″N 117°35′30″W / 36.26806°N 117.59167°W / 36.26806
Elevation:
4,790 ft (1,460 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Darwin is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. Darwin is located 22 miles (35 km) southeast of Keeler, at an elevation of 4,790 ft (1,460 m). The population was 43 at the 2010 census, down from 54 at the 2000 census.
Remains:
It is named after either Charles Darwin or Dr. Darwin French. According to Erwin Guide, Dr. French of Fort Tejon was with a party of prospectors in the area during the fall of 1850. Dr. French also led a party into Death Valley in 1860 to search for the mythical Gunsight Lode via the local wash, lending his first name to the wash, canyon, and future town.
Current Status:
In 2011, the town was the subject of a documentary film, titled Darwin. In April 2012, BBC News featured a video of local residents describing their wishes to replace dial-up Internet access with broadband.
Remarks:
Silver and lead discovery at the place led to the founding of a settlement in 1874. A post office opened in 1875, closed for a time in 1902, and remains open. The town prospered when Eichbaum Toll Road opened in 1926, opening Death Valley from the west. When Death Valley became a National Monument in 1933 it was decided to buy the toll road to allow free access to the new park. In 1937 a new cutoff bypassed Darwin, isolating the town.
Deadwood, CA
County:
Placer
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
39°04′50″N 120°41′22″W / 39.08056°N 120.68944°W / 39.08056
Elevation:
4,000 ft (1,000 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Deadwood is a ghost town in Placer County, California. Deadwood town was founded in 1852 after the gold was found in the surrounding areas.
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Current Status:
Remarks:
Denny, CA
County:
Trinity
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
40°56′38″N 123°23′12″W / 40.94389°N 123.38667°W / 40.94389
Elevation:
1,480 ft (450 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Denny is an unincorporated community in rugged northwest Trinity County, California, United States. The area is known for its rich mining history and is additionally popular for the isolation and seclusion that the Trinity Alps Wilderness offers. The community has no business that is currently open to the public, but there is still a strong residential community of people who maintain gardens, farmlands, and livestock.
Remains:
Current Status:
Currently, there is a Denny Campground near the south end of the community that is maintained by the US Forest Service. In the 1970s there was a mining war between civilians and the Forest Service in which two people died. Actor Ed Flanders died there in 1995. More recently, the River Complex Fire of 2015 devastated a large part near and around Denny.
Remarks:
Desert Spring, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Desert Spring is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of Cantil. The place, with natural springs, was important as a source of fresh water to the Native Americans, explorers, prospectors, and others in the Mojave Desert. The site is now registered as California Historical Landmark #476.
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Current Status:
Remarks:
Dogtown, CA
County:
Mono
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
38°10′13″N 119°11′51″W / 38.17028°N 119.19750°W / 38.17028
Elevation:
7,057 ft (2,151 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Dog Town (also, Dogtown and Dogtown Diggings) is a ghost town in Mono County, California. Today, Dog Town is a defunct gold rush-era town in Mono County, California. It is located at 38°10’13″N 119°11’51″W, on Dog Creek, near the junction of Clearwater and Virginia Creeks, about 6 miles (10 km) south-southeast of Bridgeport, at an elevation of 7057 ft (2151 m).
Remains:
The town was established in approximately 1857 by Carl Norst as a placer mining camp. By 1859, a group of Mormons had arrived as miners at the site and a mining camp arose. Dog Town became the site of the first gold rush to the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada. Prospectors rushed here after hearing rumors of gold being washed out near Mono Lake. A small camp and trading center sprung up immediately. Dogtown did attract attention to the area as a whole, including the subsequent discoveries of much richer gold deposits in nearby areas such as Bodie, Aurora, and Masonic.
Current Status:
As of 2005, the surviving remnants of Dogtown are the walls of several stone huts, a few roof timbers, and a single gravesite. The ruins have been mildly vandalized. All that remains of old Dogtown are scattered building foundations and a few wooden structures on the verge of collapse. Surrounding ranches and three homes of relatively recent vintage along French Gulch Creek occupy what once was a riotous mining camp. People today still continue to search for gold in Dog Town. While the older miners gave up on striking riches there, prospectors insist that not all the gold was taken and some still remain in those hills and old diggings. The site is registered as California Historical Landmark. A landmark plaque by the side of nearby U.S. Highway 395 marks the location. Dog Town’s ruins and its commemorative plaque is located on Highway 395 at post mile 69.5 (7 miles south of Bridgeport.)
Remarks:
The name “Dogtown” was often applied by miners to camps where living conditions were miserable. It was derived from a popular miner’s term for camps made of huts. A cemetery and ruins of the makeshift dwellings that once formed part of the “diggings” here are all that remain of this rugged, yet historically significant town; making the name “Dogtown Diggings.” It was also said that the town got its name from the number of dogs there actually were in the town. According to passed down history, a woman had come to the town with her three dogs which began breeding. Then as she found that the male miners felt alone without their families, she sold them the puppies for pinches of gold. This then led to even more puppies being born and populating the town, hence the name Dog Town.
Domino, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Domino is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located 8 miles (13 km) west-southwest of Willow Springs. A post office operated at Domino from 1913 to 1929.
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Current Status:
Remarks:
Drawbridge, CA
County:
Alameda City
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
37°27′59″N 121°58′30″W / 37.46639°N 121.97500°W / 37.46639 -121.97500
Elevation:
7 ft (2 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Drawbridge (formerly Saline City) is a ghost town with an abandoned railroad station located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay on Station Island, now a part of the city of Fremont, California, United States. It is located on the Union Pacific Railroad 6 miles (10 km) south of downtown Fremont, at an elevation of 7 ft (2 m). Formerly used as a hunting village, it has been a ghost town since 1979 and is slowly sinking into the marshlands.
Remains:
Drawbridge was created by the narrow-gauge South Pacific Coast Railroad on Station Island in 1876 and consisted of one small cabin for the operator of the railroad’s two drawbridges crossing Mud Creek Slough and Coyote Creek Slough to connect Newark with Alviso and San Jose. At one time 10 passenger trains stopped there per day, five going north and five going south. The drawbridges were removed long ago. The only path leading into Drawbridge is the Union Pacific Railroad track.
Current Status:
After the turn bridge drawbridges were removed and most of the residents had left, the San Jose Mercury News for years incorrectly reported that the town was a ghost town and that the residents left valuables behind. As a result, the people still living there had their homes vandalized. The town’s last resident is said to have left in 1979, and Drawbridge is considered to be the San Francisco Bay Area’s only ghost town. Drawbridge is now part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and is no longer open to the public due to restoration efforts, though it can still briefly be viewed from Altamont Corridor Express, Capitol Corridor, and Coast Starlight trains.
Remarks:
In the 1880s, on weekends nearly 1,000 visitors flocked to the town. By the 1920s, although the town had no roads, it did have 90 buildings, and was divided into two neighborhoods: the predominantly Roman Catholic South Drawbridge, and the predominantly Protestant North Drawbridge.
Drum, CA
County:
Mariposa
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
39°14’57″N 120°45’13″W
Elevation:
4,655 ft (1,419 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Drum is a former settlement in Placer County, California. Drum is located 5 miles (8.0 km) east-northeast of Dutch Flat. It lay at an elevation of 4655 ft (1419 m). The Drum post office operated from 1913 to 1915.
Remains:
Current Status:
Remarks:
Drytown, CA
County:
Amador
Zip Code:
95699
Latitude / Longitude:
38°26′28″N 120°51′16″W / 38.44111°N 120.85444°W / 38.44111
Elevation:
197 m (646 ft)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Drytown (formerly, Dry Town) is a census-designated place in Amador County, California. It is located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Plymouth on Dry Creek, at an elevation of 646 ft (197 m). The population at the 2010 census was 167. The town is registered as a California Historical Landmark. The community is in ZIP code 95699 and area code 209. Today Drytown is home to a population of fewer than 200 people and about 5 antique stores. But once before it was a well-known hotspot thanks to the gold mines with a population of 10,000 people.
Remains:
Drytown is the oldest community in Amador County and the first in which gold was discovered. It took its name from Dry Creek, which runs dry during the summer. However, it was certainly not “dry”, as stories tell of there being up to 26 saloons, of which just one remains, The Drytown Club.
Current Status:
In the early 1960s, the Claypipers purchased a “fire engine” for Drytown — a well used but serviceable Red Ford 1-Ton pickup truck with built-in 400-gallon water tank and pump — and constructed a “fire station” (garage) building to house it on the west side of the ‘T’ intersection of Spanish St and New Chicago Road. In 1963, the 3 man volunteer Drytown Fire Department, under then-Fire Chief (and San Francisco peninsula transplant) Bob Brown, was called out three times and saved two of the three homes involved. The third was fully engulfed in flames before the call came in, but they were able to prevent the adjacent propane tank from erupting as well as the spread of the fire to the very dry surrounding grassy fields. In January 2010, the “fire engine” was nowhere to be found, and the “fire Station’ building had been fitted with man-doors and had a ‘For Rent’ sign on it.
Remarks:
The gold started to peter out by 1857 and when a fire destroyed most of the town that year, most of its inhabitants packed up and moved to more successful mines elsewhere in the county. The town was only saved by the construction of State Route 49, which went through it, in 1920. See the Drytown, CA website for additional history and current information.
Dunmovin, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
36°05′19″N 117°57′40″W / 36.08861°N 117.96111°W / 36.08861 -117.96111
Elevation:
3,507 ft (1,069 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Dunmovin (formerly, Cowan Station) is an unincorporated community in Inyo County, California. It is located 4.8 km (3 mi) north of Coso Junction and 21.6 km (13.5 mi) south-southeast of Olancha, at an elevation of 3507 ft (1069 m).
Remains:
A post office operated at Dunmovin from 1938 to 1941. The place was originally called Cowan Station in honor of homesteader James Cowan. Cowan Station was a freight station for silver ingots being transported from the Cerro Gordo Mines to Los Angeles. When Cowan sold out in 1936, the name was changed to Dunmovin. It was a roadside service station, cafe, and store along U.S. Route 395. Dunmovin has been noted for its unusual place name.
Current Status:
Remarks:
Eagle Mountain, CA
County:
Riverside
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
33°51′27″N 115°29′14″W / 33.85750°N 115.48722°W / 33.85750 -115.48722
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Eagle Mountain, California, is a modern-day ghost town in the California desert in Riverside County founded in 1948 by noted industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. The town is located at the entrance of the now-defunct Eagle Mountain iron mine, once owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad, then Kaiser Steel, and located on the southeastern corner of Joshua Tree National Park. The town’s fully integrated medical care system, similar to other Kaiser operations in California, was the genesis of the modern-day Kaiser Permanente health maintenance organization. Eagle Mountain is accessible by Riverside County Route R2, twelve miles (19 km) north of Desert Center, midway between Indio and the California/Arizona state line along Interstate 10. The town’s relative youth and a brief time of abandonment make Eagle Mountain among the country’s best-preserved ghost towns.
Remains:
Founded in 1948 by Kaiser Steel Corporation, Eagle Mountain is located at the entrance of the now-defunct Eagle Mountain iron mine. As the mine expanded, Eagle Mountain grew to a peak population of 4000. It had wide, landscaped streets lined with over four hundred homes, some with as many as four bedrooms. Two hundred trailer spaces and several boarding houses and dormitories provided living space for Kaiser’s itinerant workforce. Other amenities included an auditorium, a park, a shopping center, a community swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, and a baseball diamond. Businesses included a bowling alley, two gas stations, eight churches, and three schools.
Current Status:
As of July 18, 2007, the town of Eagle Mountain is no longer openly accessible. The perimeters of both the town and mine have been fenced and gated, with a site manager appointed to handle access requests.
Remarks:
The Eagle Mountain mine is currently the location of a proposed 1300 MW hydroelectric plant by Eagle Crest Energy. The company agreed to buy the land from CIL&D (the new name of Kaiser Ventures) in July 2015. The Eagle Mountain Pumped Storage Project would pump groundwater from the Chuckwalla Valley aquifer into two reservoirs comprising former mining pits, where water would be pumped from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir during low electricity demand, and pumped back down through turbines during high electricity demand. In November 2016, NextEra Energy announced their partnership with Eagle Crest in the project. The project is praised by supporters for the purpose of bringing more renewable energy to California, while also being criticized by environmentalists for potential damages to plant and animal life in and around Joshua Tree National Park.
Eastwood, CA
County:
San Diego
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
33°05’15″N 116°36’40″W
Elevation:
4,160 ft (1,270 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Eastwood, is a ghost town in San Diego County, California. It was located a mile northwest of Julian, near Eastwood Creek.
Remains:
Eastwood was a town site planned by Joseph Stancliff, as a rival to Julian. His attempt failed and his town only survived in the name of Eastwood Creek and Eastwood Hill above it to the north.
Current Status:
Remarks:
Eaires, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
34°55′49″N 118°08′59″W / 34.93028°N 118.14972°W / 34.93028 -118.14972
Elevation:
2,562 ft (781 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Eaires is a former settlement in Kern County, California. It was located 5 miles (8 km) north of Rosamond, at an elevation of 2562 ft (781 m).
Remains:
Current Status:
Remarks:
Echo, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Echo is a former settlement in Inyo County, California. It was located on the crest of the Funeral Mountains above Death Valley, halfway between Lee and Schwaub. The site of Echo is within Death Valley National Park.
Remains:
Current Status:
Remarks:
Eightmile, CA
County:
Mariposa
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Eightmile is a former settlement in Mariposa County, California. It was located 3 miles (4.8 km) south-southeast of Chinquapin.
Remains:
Current Status:
Remarks:
El Dorado Bar, CA
County:
Calaveras
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
El Dorado Bar is a former settlement in Calaveras County, between Coyote Creek and McLeans Ferry.
Remains:
Current Status:
Remarks:
Eldoradoville, CA
County:
Los Angeles
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
34°13′47″N 117°46′11″W / 34.2297°N 117.7698°W / 34.2297 -117.7698
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Eldoradoville was a gold mining town, in Los Angeles County, located in the San Gabriel Mountains. Established in 1859, Eldoradoville at its height of population had three stores and six saloons.
Remains:
The site of Eldoradoville is on the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, on the north side of East Fork Road, where the Eldoradoville Campground is located at an elevation of 1866 ft.
Current Status:
It was washed away on January 18, 1862, in the Great Flood of 1862.
Remarks:
Elevenmile, CA
County:
Mariposa
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Elevenmile (also, Eleven Mile Station and 11-Mile House) is a former settlement in Mariposa County, California. It was located 1 mile (1.6 km) south-southeast of Chinquapin and 11 miles (18 km) from Wawona.
Remains:
Current Status:
The place had a stagecoach stop and travelers rest.
Remarks:
Elkhorn, CA
County:
Mariposa
Zip Code:
95012
Latitude / Longitude:
36°49’28″N 121°44’26″W
Elevation:
10 ft (3 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Elkhorn is a census-designated place (CDP) in Monterey County, California, United States. Elkhorn was a stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad 13 miles (21 km) northwest of Prunedale, at an elevation of 10 ft (3 m).
Remains:
Because Elkhorn is not incorporated, not all residents call the place they live Elkhorn. Some residents refer to Elkhorn as Castroville, Prunedale, Watsonville, or Salinas on mailed documents because Elkhorn shares ZIP codes with them. Other residents refer to Elkhorn as north Monterey County of which Elkhorn is a part. The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, located in the area, promotes education about and preservation of the largest tidal salt marsh outside of San Francisco Bay, Elkhorn Slough.
Current Status:
The population of Elkhorn was 1,565 at the 2010 census, down from 1,591 at the 2000 census. Elkhorn was named after the elk in the area that have since gone extinct.
Remarks:
Elna, CA
County:
Inyo
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
37°05′38″N 118°13′28″W / 37.09389°N 118.22444°W / 37.09389 -118.22444
Elevation:
3,878 ft (1,182 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Elna is a former settlement in Inyo County, California. It was located on the Southern Pacific Railroad 6.5 miles (10.5 km) southeast of Big Pine, at an elevation of 3,878 ft (1182 m). Elna still appeared on maps as of 1913.
Remains:
Current Status:
Remarks:
Empire City, CA
County:
Stanislaus
Zip Code:
95319
Latitude / Longitude:
37°38’39″N 120°54’27″W
Elevation:
118 ft (36 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
1850
Disestablished:
1896
Comments:
Empire is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stanislaus County, California, United States.
Remains:
In 1854, the town of Empire City was founded on the south bank of the Tuolumne River, one mile south of the present-day Empire. It was reputedly named after New York City, the “Empire City”. However, some sources indicate that the town was founded as early as 1850. The town shows on the 1852 Gibbes map as Empire. It is alleged to have been almost destroyed and deserted twice, in 1852 and 1855. The town served as the head of navigation for steamboats on the Tuolumne River. Empire City became the county seat of Stanislaus County and was flooded in the Great Flood of 1862. In 1896, the town relocated one mile north of the river and was renamed Empire for the Santa Fe Railroad.
Current Status:
The population was 4,189 at the 2010 census, up from 3,903 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. Influenced by the Mexican culture, Empire is agriculturally active and is home to the new Empire Community Park.
Remarks:
Downtown Empire is situated in the second town layout. It includes a small post office, a Church of the Brethren church, and the Empire Community Park with the Empire City Historic Landmark.
Emory, CA
County:
Mariposa
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Emory (also, Richardsons) is a former settlement in Mariposa County, California. It was located on the Yosemite Valley Railroad 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Clearing House. Emory still appeared on maps as of 1934. The name honors A. Emory Wishon, head of Yosemite Portland Cement Company, which mined limestone at the place.
Remains:
Current Status:
Remarks:
Eric, CA
County:
Kern
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
35°06′42″N 118°19′42″W / 35.11167°N 118.32833°W / 35.11167 -118.32833
Elevation:
3,924 ft (1,196 m)
Time Zone:
Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments:
Eric is a settlement in Kern County, California with a population of 14, as of the 2012 census. It is located on the railroad 7 miles (11 km) east of Tehachapi, at an elevation of 3924 ft (1196 m).
Remains:
Current Status:
Remarks:
Essex, CA
County: San Bernardino
Zip Code: 92332
Latitude / Longitude: 34°44′1″N 115°14′42″W / 34.73361°N 115.24500°W / 34.73361
Elevation: 1,732 ft (528 m)
Time Zone: Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
Established: 1915
Disestablished:
Comments: Essex is a small unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California. Essex lies on Old National Trails Highway – part of the old Route 66 – just south of Interstate 40 in the Mojave Desert. Essex, a former oasis along historic Route 66 in California, was allegedly founded when a motorist suffered a flat tire only to discover there were no garages for miles. It also lies along the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway.
Remains: The town of Essex had no television reception until 1977. The signal from Los Angeles, 150 miles away, was too weak, and the signal from Las Vegas, 110 miles away, was blocked by hills. A device called a translator, costing several thousand dollars, could solve this problem, but the town voted against spending the money. Johnny Carson found the town’s lack of television interesting and invited the entire town’s population (about 50 people at the time) to attend the taping of the March 25, 1977 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He talked to 5 different townspeople about what it was like and whether they missed it. All but one said they preferred it that way. Shortly after the Tonight Show appearance, executives at Electronics, Missiles, and Communications (Emcee), which makes television transmitters, offered the town a translator at no cost.
Current Status: Many of the homes and buildings in Essex have completely disappeared, almost 50 lie in abandonment, and of what was once a bustling roadside hub, only the post office, Caltrans maintenance yard, schoolhouse, and outdoor telephone are still operational. There are no facilities in town. By 2013, the population had declined to 8-10 people. Essex has only one close neighbor, the equally abandoned Goffs, located to the north, just across I-40.
Remarks: With an estimated population of just 89 people in 2005 (down from 111 in 2000), Essex is on the verge of becoming one of many ghost towns scattered throughout the Southwestern United States displaced by the creation of Interstate 40. Essex Elementary school (founded 1937), which once served the educational needs of both Essex and its neighbor Goffs, has closed. It was once taught by a single teacher. Its location remote even with today’s technological capabilities, Essex lacks many comforts of modern-day life and was unable to receive television service until the end of 1977. Three miles northeast of Essex, just north of Goffs Road, the remains of Camp Essex Army Airfield are still visible. This uniquely configured airfield has two parallel runways and twelve “hardstands,” where aircraft could be parked.
