Images of America: Bodie, 1859-1862

By Terri Lynn Geissinger, Arcadia Books 

Book Review by Craig MacDonald

The author has done a masterful job of explaining the past of what some call, "The Largest Un-restored Ghost Town in the Country." Many period photos from the Bodie State Historic Park Archives, the Mono County Museum and family scrapbooks help place the reader in the unique camp to relive the rip-roaring times.

Today, as a state park, it's in "arrested decay," which keeps the structures in the condition they were in when California purchased it over 60 years ago. Rangers & Maintenance Supervisors live there.

By 1879, Bodie, named for gold discoverer William S. Bodey, had nearly 10,000 souls & was (briefly) the third largest city in California.

Because of its 8,375-foot elevation, extreme weather, minimal grass & water, it was difficult to grow gardens & raise livestock in Bodie. Hay & water had to be brought in. These factors also affected the horses & mules, who ate twice as much as in a normal Sierra Mining Camp.

Also, Whiskey Wagons brought in 100 barrels at a time to supply the 65 saloons in the wild place that had 2,000 structures but no church. In 1880, a Methodist minister reported: "The town is a sea of sin, lashed by the tempests of lust & passion."

But as families arrived, it became more respectable & churches were built.

Bodie also was made up of many respectable citizens & they even had a professional baseball team, The Bodie Mutts (whose 1915 photo adorns the book cover). The Mutts traveled throughout California & Nevada for games.

The town population consisted of several different cultures, ranging from Paiute Indians, Germans & Irish, to Danish, Chinese, Canadians & others.

The J.S. Cain Company ended up owning most of the property & they got the State interested in purchasing it for a park. In 1962, Bodie State Historic Park opened to the delight of everyone interested in the Old West. Because of its "arrested decay" condition, its one of the most photographed & realistic "Ghost Towns" in America.

(There's a wonderful non-profit group, helping the state protect Bodie's future by preserving its past. Visit BodieFoundation.org to find out more, They help with tours, programs and much more. The author, one of many volunteers, has been a historian, tour guide & interpreter at the park.)