Visit Bodie State Historic Park

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, we made a trip to the Eastern Sierra and stopped at this bonafide, beautifully preserved ghost town of Bodie! Located in the high desert east of Bridgeport, CA, this state historic park is 13 miles down a dirt road, nestled in the hills. 

These hills were once a booming ghost town in the mid 1800s, yielding about $15 million in gold and silver ore. At its height, Bodie had a population of approximately 8,500 people and more than 2,000 buildings. Besides the gold, Bodie was also known for its infamous violence from armed robberies to frequent shootouts.

But the township declined as the mining slowed down, and two devastating fires hastened the abandonment of the town so that by 1940, it faded into a ghost town. 

Today’s park comprises only about 10% of the original town. We enjoyed strolling the wide streets, imagining what this or that building was once, and admiring how well preserved these buildings are. Looking through the windows, you could see into the school house, abandoned homes with peeling wallpaper, and even a demolished bank. 

We noticed on one building the letters IOOF and looked it up afterwards. It stands for Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which apparently still exists as a social club for men. Lots of former presidents were members, including FDR, Ulysses S Grant, William McKinley, Rutherford B Hayes and Warren Harding. It was interesting to know that such a grand club made its way to little Bodie. And on the drive home as we passed through Oakdale, I spotted IOOF on a few buildings there. Now you know what it stands for if you ever see the letters. 

We visited right before the road closed for the winter. While snow blocks the road for vehicles, the park is still open year-round for cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobiles. I think traveling overland to a ghost town would actually be a fun winter activity! But in any season, this little mining town is a great hidden gem if you want to discover a piece of history and explore a picturesque place that time forgot.