Topping over the hill just outside of Bodie, looking down into the bowl where the once thriving ghost town sits, one can see why the miners, ranchers, fortune seekers and wanderers were drawn here.
Once the home of over 10,000 residents, at an elevation of over 8,300 feet, the Bodie State Historical Park was formed in 1962 with the preservation of former residents who loved the little town where they were raised.
Named after W.S. Bodey, who first discovered gold on the Bodie Bluff, Bodey perished while making a trip to Monoville in November. Bodey never got to see the town for which he was named. In it’s heyday, Bodie would not only have over 10,000 residents but also a Wells Fargo bank, four volunteer fire companies, a brass band, a baseball team, several daily newspapers and many famous “ladies” of the night.
On Saturday, Aug. 9, the town will once again come alive during Bodie Day hosted by the Bodie Foundation with the theme of “Back to the Good Ol’ Days.” The sound of fiddles can be heard on the wind, to the laughter of ladies walking the dirt streets and the braying of mules as they take visitors around the park.
Friends of Bodie will be dressed in period costumes while entertaining visitors with tales, music and history tours. New this year, is a shuttle which will help take guests from their cars to the park.
The park opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m.
