It’s fun to imagine what life must have been like during the California Gold Rush. Step back in time while visiting the Chemung Mine and the small abandoned town outside of the town of Bridgeport. Oh, and this abandoned mine is also a great place for ghost hunters, too!
The Chemung Mine was opened in 1909. It closed in 1938 and was abandoned.
During its operational years, a tiny town sprung up around it with just enough basic necessities to support the area miners. The small town had a mill, several offices, a general store, and a bunkhouse where miners would sleep. At over 8,100 feet in elevation, miners at Chemung would endure freezing winters and harsh conditions.
Today the mine and town are completely dilapidated and reclaimed by nature.
Visitors can walk around the area on a trail and view the structures from afar. Some visitors do explore the inside of the buildings, but keep in mind these buildings are not structurally sound so explore at your own risk.
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Gold was discovered in California in 1848. The California Gold Rush officially lasted from 1848 to 1855, but mining was still a big business for decades afterwards.
Once word spread that gold and silver ore was plentiful at the Chemung Mine, people flooded in hoping to make it rich. In its years of operation, the Chemung Mine made around $1 million from gold ore.
In Bodie, Chemung Miners could buy supplies and get a drink at the local bar.
The remnants of the California Gold Rush are all around us– from the small mining towns to big businesses in our cities (some of which were opened during the Gold Rush era), and notable architecture. It’s important– and fascinating– to learn about this major part of California’s history.
Have you visited Chemung Mine? Did you see the ghost? Tell us in the comments.
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