Description
This small collection consists mostly of court and financial records from the mining town of Bodie, California, chiefly dating
from 1879 to 1910, as well
as some later articles and notes with information on Bodie's history.
Of particular interest are the minutes from meetings of the Degree of Honor of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
Background
Bodie, California, was named after William S. Bodey who discovered placer gold there
in 1859. The first mill was established in 1861 and the town that once consisted of
20 miners eventually grew to an estimated 10,000 inhabitants by 1879. However by
1882 the boom was over and the town started to decline as many of the mines had
already paid out and many of the mining companies went bankrupt. Major fires in 1892
and 1932 destroyed much of the business district in town and by the 1940s Bodie had
become a ghost town. In 1964 Bodie was made into a California State Park.
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Availability
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.