Hiding away in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta is a little town that has long been forgotten about by many. The dilapidated town of Locke isn’t quite a ghost town. People do still live there. However, the historic structures have definitely seen better days and bear the markings of buildings that nobody has entered for decades. On top of that, there are even rumors that the deserted town is haunted. Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures even paid them a visit awhile ago to record paranormal activity. Haunted or not, this living ghost town is eerily beautiful and it must be experienced.
You'll find the historic town of Locke located directly south of Sacramento near State Route 160. It may not look like much today, but Locke is a significant part of California history. It's considered one of the most unique examples of an agricultural Chinese American community.
Locke was founded in 1915 when the Chinese who lived in Walnut Grove decided to build a community of their own. At the time, Chinese people weren't allowed to own land so they had to lease the land from a man named George Locke. Hence, the town was named "Locke".
Locke continued to grow well into the 1940s. It was home to several restaurants, bakeries, markets, boarding houses, and even a school. At its peak time, as many as 1,500 people called Locke home. Most of the townspeople were farmers who worked in the surrounding communities.
Sadly, the town's prosperity didn't last long. By the 1950's, the townspeople had moved on to larger cities. The town was almost completely abandoned, and has stayed that way for decades.
Today, the town remains as a tourist attraction. It was added as on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 for its status as the only town in the country built for Chinese people by Chinese people. The history behind Locke's founding is so fascinating that you can't help but feel a sense of mourning as you stroll through this vacant, crumbling town.
There are several points of interest throughout Locke, including several museums. The Dai Loy Museum is a fascinating exhibit that contains a collection of gambling paraphernalia.
The building used to act as a gambling house in Locke before it was closed down during the 1950s. Extraordinarily, admission to the museums are free of charge.
The town itself may remain mostly vacant, but the people who built Locke will never be forgotten. Locke Memorial Park and Monument is dedicated to the Chinese laborers who built the town along with contributing to the railroad, agriculture, and levees throughout California.
The architecture throughout the town is striking. It almost looks older than it really is, like something out of the Wild West. Many of the buildings look like they would fall over with a strong gust of wind, but there's something strangely beautiful about them.
This isn't your average ghost town. There's nothing that feels scary about this place. If anything, you can't help but marvel in amazement and appreciation for the history that remains here in Locke.
