Calico Ghost Town

Brandon and I have always loved old western towns so when I saw a brochure for Calico Ghost Town at the Hotel, and found that it was just off the interstate on our way to L.A., we knew we had to stop!
Calico is an old silver mining town just 10 miles from Barstow, California. It began in 1881 producing $86 million in silver and $45 million in borax. It was restored in 1951 by Walter Knott, the same guy that founded Knott's Berry Farm. Yes, the amusement park. Then in 1966 he donated it to the San Bernardino County.

At one time in 1887, the towns population was 1200, with 22 Saloons, China Town, and a red light district. Apparently the families of the miners didn't want their kids growing up around all of that so they made camp on the other side of the mountain, 5000 of them.

The population over the years:

1881 - 40
1882 - 300
1887 - 1200
1888 - 500
1889 - 800
1890 - 80
1893 - 300
1951 - 10
1981 - 15

2001 - 8
2012 - 10

The kids stayed in jail for a while.

I love this picture. Hoss was all excited to "take her to jail"! She rolled her eyes at the perfect time!
Could you imagine how rough riding these buggies had to have been?
Brandon has always wanted to be buried in a pine box, so when he saw this he had to test it out.

At one of the shops, they had a kids' craft. They were able to color a clay necklace. Lilli chose a star and Hoss chose an eagle.
I can't even imagine living in a house that small, made out of rocks.Or this one, carved out of the mountain.

It's kind of funny that the families lived on the other side of the mountain to get away from the crazy town life, but yet the school was right in town.I thought it was a church from the roadside, but as we got closer and walked up the town, it was in fact, and old school house. I was bummed that it was locked up, but I did take a little peak through the door cracks.

This is an actual mining cart that they pulled out of one of the mines.
The kids bathed in the China Town community bathtub.

Brandon and I had to take our picture too.
If I ever get the chance, I would LOVE to visit Tombstone, Arizona. That is a dream that I hope will come true one day.