Big Bad Bodie: High Sierra Ghost Town

by Doug Brodie, James Watson (Photographer)

Bodie, California is the most well-preserved ghost town in the West. It is also a State Historic Park located at an altitude of 8,369 feet (a mile-and-a-half up), five miles from the California-Nevada border. The town reached a population of 10,000 in its heyday, from 1877 through 1882, and gold and silver production topped 100 million dollars, based on today's prices. Bodie consists of 175 buildings kept in a state of arrested decay by the State, meaning they will never be restored, but are prevented from further deterioration through a system of constant repair. As is the case with many ghost towns of the West, questions, mysterious circumstances, puzzling episodes, previously unexplained events and enigmas surround Bodie. In their fascinating new book Big Bad Bodie, authors Watson and Brodie have endeavored to solve these puzzles and provide answers to questions, such is really buried in Bill Bodey's grave, and why? Why is the name of the town spelled BODIE, when the town's namesake spelled his name BODEY? Why will there never be gold mining in Bodie again? Who started the 1932 fire that burned down much of the town? Big Bad High Sierra Ghost Town is the first new book about Bodie to come along in more than two decades and includes 60 photos, many from the lens of Watson's camera, plus numerous illustrations. Brodie and Watson have written a rich and fascinating history of a notorious California ghost town, sure to be of interest to any reader.

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Robb Geweniger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bodie, California has become one of my favorite places to visit. I love history, so to wander around a gold town, that came into existence because of the Gold Rush and see a few of the buildings and imagine some of the history is both entertaining and educational. This book is a collection of some of the stories about Bodie, how it came to exist, some of the things that happened to it, some of the people who lived there, and how some of the other towns in the area affected it. It's a good book for anyone interested in Gold Rush history, a great book for anyone interested in Bodie, the ghost town.