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| Landmark #782 | San Bernardino County | Visited: December 17, 2011 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | Calico Ghost Town is still a popular historical and tourist destination! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: The Calico Mining District, which had a peak population of 3,000, produced between $13 and $20 million in silver and $9 million in borate minerals between 1881 and 1907. On April 6, 1881, several claims were located that formed the Silver King, largest mine in the district. Profitable mining of silver in the area ceased in 1896.
OTHER TIDBITS: What makes a ghost town? Well, for Calico, the price of silver started to drop in the 1890s, so fewer people saw the point in seeking their fortune in silver! A few folks stayed on to mine borate until the 1920s, but ultimately, the Calico mines had to run out at some point! The town owes its current fun and historical atmosphere to the work of one of its miners, Walter Knott, who rebuilt many of the buildings here and moved a few to his growing tourist attraction in Buena Park. That’s why there are so many Calico-related buildings (and matching bottle houses) at both Calico and Knott’s Berry Farm! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: 4 mi NW of I-15 on Ghost Town Rd Yermo, CA 92398 ANNOTATIONS: From Los Angeles: ~125mi (202km) — 2.1hrs |
| When should I go? | Calico is open from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, seven days a week, except on Christmas Day! |
