May | 2010 | MaartenVenter's Xanga Site

Once upon a time there was, no there is, no no, there was a town called Calico, CA. High in a mountain they discovered Silver and the rest is history because people flocked to the Mojave Desert to cash in on the new found promise of riches. Shortly after the town was founded in 1881 it had 1200 residents and more than 500 mines. The price of Silver dropped in the early 1900's and by 1907 the town was completely abandoned. It was a colorful era for the area because the town was one of the richest in California.

On the day of our visit a dust storm was raging in the Mojave Desert which cast an eerie light on the town which today is a County Park. Mrs. Lucy Bell Lane, the last inhabitant of Calico before it was abandoned died in the 1960's. Her house is on of the main attractions in the park.

Any Silver left in the mountains near Calico? Yes, about $6,000,000 worth. However, nobody is concerned that you would go there for the taking because processing costs would leave you about $4,000,000 in the hole.

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The first thing I noticed was the tortured rock. What forces were at play here?

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Inscription on grave:
Here lies Harry Drinkwater
which he never did
Born: 1850
Pickled:1885
Have a drink on me, folks.

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Celebrating the Light Fantastic...

MaartenVenter's Xanga Site

Month: May 2010

Calico, CA.: PART II

Calico, CA.: PART I

Mojave Desert: PART VI

MaartenVenter

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