There are around 3,800 hamlets, or ghost towns, in the United States. Most of them were abandoned in the 19th and early 20th centuries as people moved to bigger cities because of casualties or changes in the industry. Many have fallen into ruin, while some have become national parks. A rare few have been developed into luxury vacation spots.
During the gold and silver rushes of the 19th century, isolation was the price you paid for living the frontier dream. The Wild West is often romanticized in films and stories, although the reality is that it was often a brutal and demanding existence. During dark, cold winters it could be downright boring.
Bodie State Historic Park is California’s biggest and most famous ghost town. It is open to the public whenever the road is accessible and sees an average of 150,000 tourists a year. The 19th-century buildings are maintained just to the extent that they don’t deteriorate. For the rangers at the park, living in the middle of nowhere is just another day’s work. At an elevation of 2,550 meters and with the nearest grocery store two hours away, they live in isolation for most of the year. While many would find the isolation of these ghost towns daunting, others find it refreshing or even clarifying.
And as quarantines lift but social distancing continues, isolated vacation spots like Bodie may strike many people as a safe option. Rather than spending time in dense urban areas, the thought of having space to spread out may come as a welcome relief.