Most People Have Long Forgotten About This Vacant Ghost Town In Southern California's Desert
By Natasha Kayes|Published February 02, 2023
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Natasha Kayes
Author
I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
California ghost towns each tell a little story about this state’s history. A lot of these little communities were associated with the Gold Rush during the 1800s and were abandoned by early in the 20th century. When compared with these typical “old west” towns, there is one desert ghost town in Southern California that is quite new, and yet all but forgotten.
Eagle Mountain is, strangely enough, a modern ghost town. It was founded by Henry Kaiser in 1948 at the entrance of an iron mine. Now the town and mine are now completely fenced off and not accessible to the public.
Kaiser purchased mines that had been owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad and moved iron ore to a steel mill he owned just over 100 miles away in Fontana. This became the largest iron mine in Southern California.
The ruins of the Kaiser steel operations still loom over the area. Operations at the mine led to the expansion of Eagle Mountain until it reached a population of about 4000.
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The town was developed to include over 400 single-family residences. Many of the mine workers lived in trailers, boarding houses, and dormitories.
Kaiser also purchased the railroad which discontinued service once the mine was closed.
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Eagle Mountain had a lively shopping center, several churches, schools, gas stations, and a post office that opened in 1951. There were recreational facilities including a public pool, bowling alley, tennis courts, and a park.
By 1980, there was a drastic reduction in both mining operations and population. By mid-1983, the grocery store, post office, mine, and mill all closed. The last class of seniors at the high school graduated, and the town was all but abandoned.
In the late 1980s, Eagle Mountain temporarily came to life again when a private prison for low-risk inmates was established in what had been the town shopping center. A small population occupied the town, supported by prison operations. When the prison closed in 2003, the town once again went silent.
It didn’t take long for Eagle Mountain to become a vacant and forgotten ghost town. Did you know this town existed in Southern California? Have you ever visited one of California’s ghost towns? We would love to hear your stories in the comments. If you are interested in these abandoned towns, check out a few more of Southern California’s ghost towns.
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