Bodie: The Town That Belongs to Ghosts

Abandoned: Towns Without People

by Kevin Blake

In 1880, citizens of Bodie, California, crowded onto Main Street to celebrate the Fourth of July. Among them were prospectors, miners, gamblers, and even gunfighters. They had all come to this dusty, remote spot in the mountains for one reason--to find gold. Within fifty years, however, the town's Main Street would be abandoned and filled with a ghostly silence. Where did everyone go? What happened to the once thriving town? The Town That Belongs to Ghoststells the amazing but true story of a once bustling gold-mining town that was suddenly abandoned. The captivating stories include the tale of Bodie's founder and the discovery of gold, as well as colorful accounts of real-life characters who once prowled Bodie's streets, such as Mike "Man Eater" McGowan, the baddest man in town. Large color photos, maps, and fact boxes enrich the exciting stories of saloon shootouts and grave robbers. Written in narrative format, this book is sure to keep readers hungry for more exciting real-life tales.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

32 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for children and adults. I learned a lot!

[Amanda Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1880 there was an estimated 10,000 people who lived in Bodie. During that time, Bodie and Los Angeles had nearly the same amount of people. Today almost 4 million people live in Los Angeles - and only a few park rangers remain in Bodie. Bodie has around 200 buildings left that you can visit today. Why did Bodie deteriorate the way it did?

Bodie was a product of the California Gold Rush! In 1848, gold was discovered and as a result, more than 300,000 people arrived to find their fortune. W. S. Bodey was one of them. A businessman from New York, Bodey and his partners went seeking gold. Unfortunately, Bodey froze to death after a terrible snowstorm hit. Bodie was known for its very bad reputation. Bad men, fights, shootouts, you name it! The story about "Man Eater", yes that was what they called one dangerous outlaw, is pretty crazy! Things changed quickly though. As fast as Bodie boomed, it went bust. It quickly became abandoned and little is left today. Now, did you think I'd leave without mentioning the "curse of Bodie"? Interested to know that this is about? You'll have to read and find out!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This interesting but poignant story of the rise and demise of Bodie, California, once the same size as LA, gives readers a peek into the Wild, Wild West. The twon was built during the Gold Rush back in the 1880s, but after the gold played out, the town became practically deserted. Today it's a State Historic Park, and many claim to have seen ghosts or to be troubled when they took something that belonged in the town. I really enjoyed looking at the photos that showed the remains of the town, and shelves full of ancient canned foods once for sale. This is another one of those books that might prompt a traveler to take a detour to see a piece of history for herself.

[Sami · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read, and I like that it presents history in an enjoyable way. I'm not sure where I stand on the descriptive violence. The way it is written makes the violence sound like it should be fun, and this is a book for 3-5th graders. I'm not 100% sure that is a good mix.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and unique topic related to the Gold Rush--the town of Bodie that is now considered a ghost town. However, there are a lot of gruesome descriptions of graverobbers, violent criminals, and death by hanging. Not sure how kids will like reading about this, but I was engaged!

[Wendy Quest · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book while I was researching gold rushes and what a poignant, photographic journey into the town of Bodie, California that bubbled to tens of thousands during the gold rush era and quickly fizzled to a ghost town.