Posted in Northern California Creepy October 21, 2021 by

This Entire Neighborhood Near Northern California Was Mysteriously Abandoned And Nobody Knows Why

There are a lot of bizarre mysteries and eerie ghost towns in Northern California, but no one really knows the reasons why half of Chinese Camp in Tuolomne County was abandoned. Draw your own conclusions, but here’s a few unsettling photos of this abandoned place where men, women, and children once lived and thrived.

Like many ghost towns of the 1850s, when mining became less lucrative than other industries at the end of the gold rush, many folks left town.
David Berry/Flickr
No one can really say, however, what rhyme or reason made specific individuals abandon the homes and buildings in this part of Chinese Camp.
While there are a lot of mysterious unknowns surrounding this community, there are a lot of things that we do know about it's past.
David Berry/Flickr
The Buck Store is the subject of the above photo.
The settlement was first known as "Camp Washington" or "Washingtonville", and one of the few remaining streets is Washington Street.
David Berry/Flickr
Some of the very first Chinese laborers arriving in California in 1849 were driven from neighboring Camp Salvado and resettled here.
David Berry/Flickr
The area started to become known as Chinese Camp. Above is the doctor's house, office, and boarding house.
The town currently has a population of 150 souls, but during the height of the gold rush thousands of Caucasians and Chinese miners lived here.
David Berry/Flickr
It had at least 5,000 Chinese immigrants living here at one point.
An 1892 Tuolumne County historical account claims that in 1856, the first tong war (between the Sam Yap and Yan Woo tongs) was fought near here.
David Berry/Flickr
The tongs were rival groups of Chinese immigrants and their battles were bloody.
The abandoned homes and businesses are rumored to be haunted, like many of the older communities of the motherlode.
David Berry/Flickr
There's bound to be ghost stories coming out of this spooky and eerie town. Above is the town's fandango parlor and house of... ill repute, if you will.
Tree-of-Heaven, the distinct plant that grows like weeds throughout the foothills, has taken over many of the buildings here.
David Berry/Flickr
Apparently, the Chinese immigrants were the first to introduce this invasive plant to the area. Pictured above is the IOOF hall, built in 1870 and now almost totally obscured by ailanthus ("Tree-of-Heaven") trees, as are many of the other abandoned buildings in this fascinating ghost town.
We don't blame them for planting these green trees, despite the fact that they have a very distinct odor.
David Berry/Flickr
There's not a ton of natural shade and the summers in this region are hot!
While many buildings are in surprisingly good condition, here's the foundation of a house that has been slowly reclaimed by nature.
David Berry/Flickr
St. Francis Xavier Church, the oldest church in Tuolomne county, is located here.
David Berry/Flickr
It features a creepy old cemetery, where the feeling of old ghosts and restless spirits that you get throughout the town continues to permeate .
David Berry/Flickr
Regardless of its mysterious and downright eerie nature, this is a fascinating slice of history that everyone should make an effort to see at least once.
David Berry/Flickr
Take your time to get to know the old buildings. In a lot of modern history classes, only the white settler's story is told. The gold rush, however, was a multicultural event and it is important to California's identity to recognize that.
Elaine with Grey Cats/Flickr

Have you ever visited Chinese Camp? It’s a ghostly place, and if you are into that kind of thing, you might like reading about Northern California’s Most Haunted Street.

Address: Chinese Camp, CA 95327, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center

Abandoned Neighborhood in Northern California

October 25, 2021
Tori Jane

Are there any ghost towns in Northern California?  

Absolutely! There are plenty, actually. There are more than 300 known ghost towns in California total – many of which are in the northern segment of the state. Some of our favorite ghost towns in Northern California include intriguing places like Bodie, the remains of an old mining camp named after a prospector. Then, there’s Auburn, which was established in roughly 1848. That one was a gold-rush town like many were, that rose and fell all within a few years as mining surged – and waned – back in the day. French Gulch is another 1800s-era ghost town that was once a top gold producer, and Angels Camp is similar, having produced more than 20 million dollars worth of gold during its life. We also like Old Shasta! There are folks still living in many of these towns – but recently, Bodie was sold, and its future remains uncertain. For more information about these towns and some others, take a look at this article.  

Where are some interesting abandoned places in Northern California? 

California is a state filled with history and stories. As a result, there are places still standing that have been long lost to time and memories. Some of our favorite abandoned places in Northern California include Hobbiton, the overgrown remains of a JRR Tolkien-themed hideaway tucked within the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. There’s an abandoned cement ship just offshore in Aptos; it was once called the SS Palo Alto and it launched in 1919. It also served as a party central for a little while before falling into disrepair. A powerful storm cracked her hull, and that was the end of that. She still sits, decaying, in the sea – and makes for some incredibly intriguing photos. The whole town of Bodie is abandoned, though recently it was purchased by a buyer and, as we mentioned, its future is not known.  

Address: Chinese Camp, CA 95327, USA