History of Abandoned Towns in California

Archived since: Aug, 2022

Description:

This collection consists of eight websites that contain historical content, anecdotes, reports, and images that capture the history of abandoned towns in California. The towns covered in this collection are urban cities like San Bernardino and Hawthorne that have encountered economic challenges caused by corporate takeover; rural towns like Needles and the Salton Sea region that were once happily populated, but have experienced economic and environmental degradation; mining camp communities like Bodie and Darwin that made a historic imprint on California local history, along with Allensworth state park which became the first California town governed by African Americans. The rich history of these abandoned towns speaks to California’s migration patterns beginning in the mid 19th century due to the Gold Rush movement, and also addresses environmental and economic events occuring at the beginning of the 21st century that have reshaped the social and economic status of these now abandoned towns.

Subject:   Society & Culture,  Government - Cities,  Computers & Technology,  California,  Local history,  Mining Camps,  Abandoned buildings,  Recessions,  Corporate power,  Urban Poor,  Rural Poor ,  Environmental degradation,  Parks