Randsburg | A Living Ghost Town

California is a home to many ghost towns (according to dictionary.com, it’s a town permanently abandoned by its inhabitants, as because of a business decline or because a nearby mine has been worked out). Initially, the towns were bursting with life mid to late 19th century due to California gold rush. Slowly, as the gold got more difficult to find, miners were forced to leave their settlements and search for work elsewhere. Once lively and vibrant, the towns became empty, left to the mercy of the local desert weather, its structures slowly chipping away.

 

However, some of the ghost towns still show signs of life, mostly for touristy and off roading purposes. One of such is Randsburg — a living ghost town about an hour away from our home. With the population of just 45, this small town is a hub for off roaders and anyone who enjoys the wild west aesthetics, but still want the opportunity to sit down for a good burger and drink. My husband and I enjoyed a golden hour stroll along the main (dirt) road, taking photos left and right. One of my favorite buildings in Randsburg is the local opera house which stands as a witness that such towns weren’t only hard work, sweat and tears, but full of lively culture and fun. God bless!

All photos were taken with a Canon 5D Mark IV + 35mm f/1.4 & 50mm f/1.2