California Ghost Towns Series II - 5 Boards

Series Title: California Ghost Towns Series II

Background: The first California Ghost Towns series was mostly California Ghost towns in the southern or Desert part of California. This series highlights ghost towns in Northern California.

5 Boards:

1. NAVARRO BY THE SEA

The town began in the latter half of the 19th century and was abandoned due to floods. Navarr by the sea was once a shipping port utilized by the near-by logging industry. This site was flooded out in a series of floods throughout the years leading to it's demise. The largest was in 1954 I think. At the turn of the century there was a couple dozen buildings, a pier, and beachfront. Today only the hotel remains.

2. ROUGH AND READY

The only mining town to "secede" from the Union and the Territory of California then to vote itself back in.

3. POKER FLAT

The town of Poker Flat had its beginnings in the early 1850's. It is reported that only twelve families were living in the camp of Poker Flat in 1856, but 400 miners lived within two miles. Henry Cohn, who had a store here from 1857 to 1863, described Poker Flat as a "Miserable ...". The town, like most early California mining towns wnet down in 1859 and again in 1876

4. DEADWOOD (the other Deadwood)

Deadwood was founded in 1852 when gold was found in the area.It had 500 people living there
in its heyday.Deadwood was also for a time the home of gun maker Sam Colt. Deadwood was in decline by 1855, although mining with moderate returns was carried on in the vicinity for many years.

5. LAST CHANCE

It was a booming town in the late 1800's boasting an OddFellows Hall, a Masonic Lodge and numerous saloons as well as private residences. All that remains today are the cellars and wells and one cabin as evidence that there once existed a thriving community. The Eldorado Mine is on the outskirts of the town and was a major commercial operation from 1890 until 1982. There are purported to be over 40,000 feet of tunnels radiating from the beginnings of the the diggings.

The town is a now stopping place for the Tevis Cup Endurance Ride.