Hart, California, San Bernardino County is a ghost town that once thrived in the early 20th century during a brief gold rush. Nestled in the vast Mojave Desert, it captures the imagination with its stories of fortune seekers and a bustling community that vanished as quickly as it appeared. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: San Bernardino County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 35.1667° N, 115.1333° W
Elevation: Approximately 4,000 feet (1,219 meters)
Time Zone: Pacific Time Zone (PT)
Established: 1908
Disestablished: 1915
Comments: Hart was founded after gold was discovered in the nearby hills in 1907. The town quickly grew to accommodate the influx of prospectors and entrepreneurs keen to capitalize on the gold rush. At its peak, Hart boasted a population of around 3,000 people, with amenities including a post office, hotels, saloons, and various businesses. However, the gold deposits proved to be less abundant than initially thought, leading to a rapid decline in economic activity.
Hart was a short-lived gold mining town located in the Mojave desert, in San Bernardino County, California Ghost Townlifornia. It existed between 1908 and 1915 and was located on the northeastern edge of Lanfair Valley near the New York Mountains. The area is now in the Mojave National Preserve, directed by the National Park Service.
Remains: Today, Hart is a ghost town with very few remnants of its past glory. Visitors can find scattered ruins of old foundations, rusted mining equipment, and traces of the once-thriving community. The desolate landscape and abandoned structures offer a stark reminder of the fleeting nature of boomtowns.
In late 1907, while a depression gripped the nation, three prospectors from Goldfield – James Hart and the brothers Bert and Clark Hitt – found pockets of rich gold ore in the Castle Mountains, approximately four miles south of the Barnwell & Searchlight Railroad. The strike was touted as the “Second Goldfield bonanza.”
In early 1908, prospectors swarmed to the strike. During the next few months, 700 people arrived, a camp was established, a telephone line was strung to Barnwell, the weekly newspaper Enterprise started up, a voting precinct and justice-court township were created, and a post office was established.
Current Status: Hart is currently uninhabited and primarily serves as a historical site for those interested in exploring ghost towns and the history of mining in California. It is accessible to adventurers and history enthusiasts who respect the land and its story.
All the other mines had the same fate. The pockets of high-grade ore proved small, and mining declined as soon as 1909. The largest mine besides the Oro Belle was the Big Chief, originally called the Jumbo, also owned by the Hart brothers.
A 10-stamp mill was built at this mine. Other mines included the Twin Peaks, the Flyer, the Florence, the Zinc-Graf property, and the Todd Hunter lease.
Remarks: Hart’s brief but vibrant existence is a tribute to the optimism and determination of those who sought prosperity in the unforgiving desert environment. It is a place where the echoes of the past linger, offering a poignant reflection on the impermanence of human endeavors and the relentless passage of time.
The Enterprise and other businesses closed. A fire wiped out much of the business district (largely deserted); the leading mines suspended work and the miners’ union was disbanded. The court district and voting precinct were abolished, and the post office closed in late 1915.
