In 1859, prospectors chasing rumors of mineral wealth found gold east of the sierra nevada mountains. By the 1940s sickness, wars, bad weather, and exhausted mines had led to the towns desertion, and its isolated, inhospitable location made certain that it stayed that way. Bodie has long been a ghost town tourist destination, and though it might reside in california, we in northern nevada still claim its lore as our own, since we are familiar with all things that. Once again, bodie and brock thoene combine an unsurpassed and timely blend of history, superb storytelling, and incredible drama. I loved the fact that this book brought this history to life for me about the creation of the reason i chose 5 stars was because this series usually i walk past, but on a friends. Carson city author sets western novel in bodie nevada appeal. Its a rowdy town nestled in the sierra nevada, overrun with gold miners, gamblers, and general riffraff, and a dead body turns up every day before breakfast. Track laying from carson city to somewhere in the carson valley began in late 1905. Emil w billeb the author tells of his life in nevada and eastern california mining camps after 1905, especially bodie, california, and hawthorne and tonopah, nevada. A history of bodie, americas most notorious ghost town. By 1880 the phrase badman from bodie described the towns rambunctious inhabitants, earning the community a reputation for violence that rivaled tombstone. Over 35 million copies of their books have been sold in more than 20 languages.
Bodie once was home to 10,000 people during its prime. Bodie and brock thoene, with degrees in creative writing and history, respectively, are the authors of jerusalem vigil and thunder from jerusalem, the first two volumes of the zion legacy series. Born in california, thoene studied journalism and political science as an undergraduate and earned a ph. Apr 17, 2014 in 2000 she published the lake tahoe story written for fourth to sixth grades. Tracing bodies history from the discovery of gold in 1877 to the departure of its last residents in the 1940s, the book includes scores of neverbeforepublished photos. Bodie, california is a town frozen in time, and preserved by california state parks in a state of arrested decay. The wild wests best preserved ghost town in 1859, prospectors chasing rumors of mineral wealth found gold east of the sierra nevada mountains. Bodie thoene books list of books by author bodie thoene. Video by itself is insufficient in capturing the personal motivations and passions of those who once inhabited bodie, so interactive narrative is integrated into the project.
The creation of a stereoscopic archive for future generations is in its conceptual phase and the story of bodie is the first step into the embryonic stage. Their other thirtythree novels include the bestselling series the zion chronicles and the zion covenant. The book contains 100 pages of history, art work, and conservation information and was used in a pilot program in local schools. Nevadas leading institution of higher education is the univ. The ghost town of bodie, however, is another story altogether a mining boomtown, it was the third most populous city in the state of california in 1880. Their discovery gave rise to bodie, one of the wests wildest gold mining boomtowns. History tells us that the virginia and truckee railway, by terminating where it did in 1906, was the catalyst for the new village of minden. They split their time between london, hawaii, california and nevada. Bodie railroad station, bodie state historic park, bodie, mono county, ca.
Eight of their books have won gold medallion awards. They are the authors of more than 65 works of historical fiction. Bodie railroad station, bodie state historic park, bodie. When four prospectors struck gold in a small valley 75 miles southeast of lake tahoe.
Bodie ghost town okanogan 2020 all you need to know. Even at this time, there existed in the mind of the public the thought that the railroad would not only reach. Supposedly, if visitors take anything from this old ghost town even a pebble, they will be cursed with bad luck. History early exploration in the 1770s several spanish explorers came near the area of presentday nevada but it was not until half a century later that fur traders venturing into the rocky mts. Bohdee is a ghost town in the bodie hills east of the sierra nevada mountain range in mono county, california, united states about 75 miles 121 km southeast of lake tahoe, 12 mi 19 km eastsoutheast of bridgeport, at an elevation of 8379 feet 2554 m bodie became a boom town in 1876 after the discovery of a. California state gold rush town, bodie, from netstate. Bodie became a state historic park in 1962, and maintains the buildings just as they were found when the state took over the town but they do not restore the buildings, instead choosing to simply preserve the buildings in their aged and weathered 1880s appearance. The prospectors came to this specific part of california, known as the mother lode region, in search of the much sought after gold. They divide their time between london, nevada, 12 hawaii and central california. Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper.
Visitors can walk down the deserted streets of a town that once had a population of nearly 10,000 people. Bodie became a state historic park in 1962, and maintains the buildings just as they were found when the state took over the town but they do not restore the buildings, instead choosing to simply preserve the buildings in. Bodie holds a phd in creative writing and also holds degree in journalism and communications and brock holds a phd in history and a masters degree in education. Relying on abundant quotations by eyewitnesses, the text is aided by more than 160 historic photographs, maps, and sketches. In the fall of 2002 the california legislature proclaimed bodie as californias official gold rush ghost town. Nevada s leading institution of higher education is the univ. The third book of the zion legacy series, jerusalems heart is a riveting novel of the battle to liberate the worlds holiest city. Bodie and brock have four adult children rachel, jake, luke and ellie and eight grandchildren. Bodie thoene has coauthored more than sixtyfive historic novels with her husband brock. In bodies gold, author marguerite sprague uncovers the original sources for information whenever possible, from the first mining claims to interviews with bodieites alive today. View all hotels near bodie ghost town on tripadvisor. Ella chats in a comfortable style that brings the reader back to the town of her childhood lively, rough, yet wistful at times. Bodies story began in 1859, after the major gold rush period in california.
In 2000 she published the lake tahoe story written for fourth to sixth grades. See more ideas about ghost towns, bodie california and abandoned places. Bodie, aurora, bridgeport, hawthorne, tonopah, lundy, masonic, benton, thorne, mono mills, mammoth, sodaville, goldfield. By 1880 the phrase badman from bodie described the towns rambunctious inhabitants, earning the community a reputation for violence that. Together they have won eight evangelical christian publishers gold medallion awards. In a 19 book titled california tourist guide and handbook. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. The ghost town became california historic park in 1962 and is a national historic landmark. Thats the setting for lariat quinns new book, badman from bodie and. Jerusalem vigil, the first book in their latest zion legacy series, begins the sweeping saga of the history of jerusalem in 1948 with the withdrawal of the british.
Bodie, california is the largest and best preserved ghost town located east of the sierra nevada mountain range in mono county, california, usa. These best sellers have sold more than 10 million copies and won eight ecpa gold medallion awards. David r wright, james k palmer, richard l koue, a lewis clinton, e j state of nevada methodist mission shope, richard i keller, larry jay historic american buildings survey partridge. With more than seven million books in print, bodie and brock thoene have taken their works of historical fiction to the top of the bestseller charts and into the hearts of their readers. Authentic description of routes of travel and points of interest in california, the authors, wells and aubrey drury, described bodie as a mining town, which is the center of a large mineral region. They referred to two hotels and a railroad operating there. This book gives the reader the feeling theyre sitting in ellas school room in the 1950s, just before bodie was sold to the state of california. Bodie state historic park bridgeport 2020 all you need. Bodie foundation friends of bodie day bodie foundation. Bodie ghost town in sierra nevada, california learning history. View all hotels near bodie state historic park on tripadvisor. If you love history, the wild west, photography opportunities, ghost hunting or abandoned spaces. I loved the history and the fact that the characters and the events are actual events and real people that lived in these most trying times of faith and perseverance.
In bodies gold, author marguerite sprague uncovers the original sources of information whenever possible, from the first mining claims to interviews with former bodieites. Bodie offers about 150 surviving structures, and as many mine dumps as buildings in the town. Thats the setting for lariat quinns new book, badman from bodie and the gold rings, which the carson city. The history of the bodie mining district, mono county, california by michael h. The bodie foundation hosts different events throughout the year. Goldsilver mining districts, alteration zones, and paleolandforms in the miocene bodie hills volcanic field, california and nevada. The buildings and artifacts contained in them remain as they did when the last of the residents vacated the town of bodie, now a state historic park. Enhanced with numerous historic photographs and extracts from newspapers of that period, as well as by the reminiscences of former residents, the book offers a fascinating account of life in a gold rush boomtown.
Bodie a ghostly ghost town page 2 legends of america. Nestled in the vast california wilderness, hugging nevadas border sits a forgotten piece of heritage. Tall tales and true history from a california mining town. A history of bodie, americas most notorious ghost town bodies story began in 1859, after the major gold rush period in california. By 1879 bodie ghost town boasted a population of 10,000 and was second to none for wickedness, badmen and the worst climate out of doors. Located high in the sierra nevada mountains stands a ghost town frozen in time. Jerusalems heart zion legacy, bk 3 by thoene, bodie.
It is widely regarded as one of the best ghost town experiences in the west. Brock thoenes first book was a nonfiction book titled protecting your income and your familys future, published in 1989. Misfortune and tragedy are heaped upon the victim until the stolen item is returned. Legends about bodie abound, including the bodie curse. Go back in history and learn of bodie in its glory days.
One little girl, whose family was taking her to the remote and infamous town, wrote in her diary. Bodie state historic park is the largest unrestored ghost town in the country. The mining camp grew slowly from 1860 to the mid1870s, while its neighbor aurora, nevada, was booming. Bodie state historic park bridgeport 2020 all you need to.
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