Bodie California, one of the most well preserved Ghost Towns in the U.S. was also one of the roughest and toughest mining towns in U.S. history. It is said that one young girl wrote in her diary upon hearing that her family was moving to Bodie California, "Good bye, God, I'm going to Bodie."

Of course it was the desire for wealth that motivated people to move to Bodie. It did have one of the most productive and richest Gold mines of all the California gold rush history. At one time more than 10,000 people lived in this isolated place. The weather in Bodie could be very extreme. In the winter it could be 40 below zero with snow drifts as high as 20 feet. In the summer temperature would reach 120 degrees. Violence was a norm for the town of Bodie. Almost weekly someone was killed.

Bars were numerous and well patronized. But still there were a few churches in town to help give hope and some peace to the uproar and violence that was so prevalent.

Bodie was famous for having one of the first electrical powered mining facilities. The electric lines were run in a straight line, because it was believed at the time, that electricity could not turn corners.

Today Bodie can be visited most of the summer. In the winter it is periodically open if the snow has not socked it in. I happened to hit one of those times that it was open in the winter. Still a four wheel drive vehicle was necessary.

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