Bodie

Bodie is an old ghost town near Lee Vining - maintained by the State of California.  We made a half day trip there and below are the photos.  At it's hey day in the gold rush the rangers said it had 76 bars and 30 bordellos.  There were around 13,00 inhabitants with one, one armed sheriff.  Pretty lawless place.  There were around 3,00 building - now there are a couple of hundred buildings.  The family that ended up owning the town after the boom went bust and everyone moved out left everything the same as it was when folks moved out -- so we have photos through the old wavy windows showing the bars and the roulette wheel and the pool table etc.  It was really interesting.

The ranger said that the lawlessness ended with the formation of a vigilante group called the 601s.  They lynched the bad guys that were getting away with murder.  One man was killed daily in Bodie.  Apparently 601 stood for 6 feet under, no trial, and one rope.

Methodist Church

Old wheels and a Maxwell radiator in front left.

Looking north on Greene street

This house continued to add additional out houses - the winters were so bad at 8,000 ft that this probably made sense but most houses didn't have these additions.

 An old gray bearded character actor at Bodie said the old gold cigarettes motto was "not a cough in a car load".  If you remember this you should be retired too!

 Fire hall

Looks like a fine bar -- shouldn't have closed like this!