History and Mystery
A three hour tour of the World War II ‘Mighty Midget’ ship
In 1944, as the United States was already deeply entrenched in World War II, 130 Mighty Midgets, officially titled Landing Craft Support (Large), were created by three American shipyards and sent to aid military efforts in the Pacific Theater operations. These ships were basically tanks on water as they had two twin 40mm guns, four...
Randsburg: the friendliest ghost town in California
California is littered with old mining towns barely hanging on to their existence, dangerously flirting with ghost town status. One location that comes to mind is Iowa Hill. This Placer County gold rush town is sadly fading away into the history books. But, unlike Iowa Hill and other towns on life support, Kern County’s Randsburg...
Silver City: a ghost town with cardiac arrested decay
Silver City is one of the most unique ghost towns in all of California. Like Bodie State Park and Calico, Silver City is in a state of “arrested decay”. This means that the structures are preserved and protected in a state of natural decay to prevent further deterioration, without building anything new. However, unlike the...
The Preston Castle: a tragic blend of mystery, history and horror
Perched on a hill overlooking the town of Ione, Ca, is an ominous presence that screams horror film and haunted encounters. Known as the Preston Castle, this menacing structure’s eerie appearance takes on a whole new level of frightening charm after one learns of its ghostly past. What had started out as a reform school …...
Victorian Village: the historical elegance and charm of Ferndale
Ferndale, where both charm and elegance resides, is a hidden treasure of California and one of the state’s most preserved villages. Finding Ferndale Getting to Ferndale requires a bit of patience. From Highway 101, take the Fernbridge/Ferndale exit. Immediately, turn onto Fernbridge Dr. which cuts through the tiny, historic town of...
North Bloomfield: a charmingly preserved ghost town
History According to local lore, in 1851, after three miners discovered gold nuggets on the San Juan Ridge, one of the miners bragged about the findings at a local saloon and was unknowingly followed by other prospectors to the discovery site. Unfortunately for the followers, they didn’t find any gold and in disgust, named...
Alpine County Historical Complex: a saunter through the region’s history
Location and Hours The complex is located at 1 School Street off of Montgomery Street about a half mile from the centre of town. The complex is opened from 11am to 4pm Thursday through Monday. Additionally, it’s only opened from Memorial day through the end of October. The Museum The museum has a unique blend …...
Iowa Hill: A community fighting off the dreaded ghost town label
What was once a booming town boasting of unparalleled riches and nearly 10,000 residents in its heyday, is now just a small community of residents refusing to fade quietly into the history books. But, don’t let the size of the town fool you, this place is loaded with history and charm. Founded From 1849 to …...
Michigan Bluff: From gold to Leland Stanford, this town was the envy of its day
This town used to be a booming place that rivaled any other town in Placer County during the gold rush era. In fact, one could make an argument for this town being the best of them all. A few homes, a cemetery, a small store and several historical markers are all that remains of this once prominent …...
The tale of St. Joseph’s Church Bell
The parish decided to raise $3500 for a church bell to be added to St. Joseph. The bell was cast in Sheffield and then delivered to Boston. It would then be shipped around the Horn to San Francisco. By boat, the bell was taken to Sacramento where it was transported via cart with 6 horses to …...
