Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.
Approximate area. The map shows only a rough area for this place, not an exact location.
Real history
Mines here operated from 1866 to 1957 and produced silver, lead and zinc. At its peak the site had some 4,700 people (Wikipedia).
The Los Angeles Times reported that Brent Underwood and partners bought the town in 2018. On June 15, 2020, fire destroyed the American Hotel, which had opened on June 15, 1871, along with an icehouse and the former home of William Crapo (Los Angeles Times, 2020).
Ghost stories
These are reported legends, not verified events. The creepiness score (1–5) is Spook Atlas's own editorial rating, not a measurement.
Underwood told the Times that a caretaker and another person said they saw a shadowy apparition moving in the hotel kitchen the afternoon before the fire. The fire's cause was still under investigation at the time. Source: Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2020.
Then and now

Public access
Access unverified The town is privately owned (Los Angeles Times). Last checked: Oct 31, 2026.
Explore more
- More places in Inyo Mountains and California
- More haunted & abandoned ghost towns
- Nearby: Ballarat (Panamint Valley, CA), Keane Wonder Mine (Death Valley, CA), Harmony Borax Works (Death Valley, CA), Rhyolite (Rhyolite, NV)
⚠️ Please read: This information may be outdated and conditions change. Verify access with the owner or operator before you go. Spook Atlas does not encourage trespassing. Entering private, closed or condemned property can be illegal and dangerous. Report a correction.
Reader experiences
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