Vanderbilt, California, in San Bernardino County, was once a bustling mining town during the Gold Rush era. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: San Bernardino
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 35.5681° N, 115.5142° W
Elevation: Approximately 4,000 feet
Time Zone: Pacific Time Zone (PT)
Established: 1893
Disestablished: 1900
Comments: Vanderbilt was established during the Gold Rush after rich gold deposits were discovered in the area. It quickly grew, attracting miners and entrepreneurs hoping to strike it rich.
The town was part of the Vanderbilt Mining District and was known for its significant contribution to the gold mining industry of the time. Vanderbilt was a short-lived gold mining town located in San Bernardino County.
It existed between 1893 and 1895. At its peak, it may have had about 400 people. In January 1891, an Indian named Robert Black struck gold ore on the north slope of the New York Mountains, about 40 miles north of Goffs, California, on the Santa Fé Railway.
A mining camp was soon established near Vanderbilt Spring. In the fall of 1892, additional gold-rich veins were discovered, setting off a rush to the area.
Remains: Today, Vanderbilt’s remains are sparse, with only a few foundations and mining remnants visible. The site is mostly overgrown, and the desert environment has reclaimed much evidence of the bustling town.
By January 1893, 150 people lived at Vanderbilt camp, which contained 50 tents, two stores, one saloon, three restaurants, a lodging house, a blacksmith shop, and a stable. A post office was established in February 1893.
In May, W. A. Nash was appointed justice of the peace. Rail service to Manvel, five miles to the south, commenced that August. Vanderbilt probably peaked in 1894 with a population of about four hundred.
The business district contained three saloons, two barbers, a Chinese restaurant and two other eating houses, two meat markets, a stationery and fruit store, one lodging house, two blacksmiths, and three well-stocked general stores.
William McFarlane, one of the pioneers of Ivanpah, owned an interest in one of them. He also ran the post office and a drugstore.
Current Status: Vanderbilt is a ghost town with no current residents. It is accessible to those interested in exploring historical sites and ghost towns but remains undeveloped.
In 1894, two ten-stamp mills were constructed to serve the district’s two principal mines, the Gold Bronze and Boomerang. Water was struck in the mines nearly at the same time the mills were completed.
After hitting the water, the character of the ore changed, and because the mills could not recover the gold in the ore, they were shut down. By the end of 1895, most businesses were closed, and most of the population had abandoned Vanderbilt.
Remarks: Vanderbilt reminds visitors of the fleeting nature of boomtowns during the Gold Rush era. Its history reflects the challenges and volatility of mining towns, where fortunes were made and lost in a matter of years.
Visitors can reflect on the town’s brief but vibrant past while appreciating the quiet solitude of the desert landscape. According to Earp Historians, Virgil Earp, famed brother of Wyatt Earp who was also involved in the Gunfight behind the OK Corral, they have owned the only two-story building in this town.
It operated as a hotel and saloon, and according to Allie Earp, Church services and Dances were also held inside.
