Tag: Abandoned
Timbuctoo, CA: a once prominent town of Yuba County’s distant past
Timbuctoo, California was once a booming Gold Rush town in Yuba County—home to thousands of miners chasing fortune. Today, it’s a quiet, nearly forgotten California ghost town. Here’s what remains, its fascinating history, and how you can visit. Timbuctoo, California Quick Facts Location: Yuba County, CA Founded: 1855 Known for:...
The Spirit of Sacramento: an abandoned riverboat with a fascinating tale
Along a quiet stretch of the Sacramento River, there is a roadside attraction that feels almost too strange to be real: a weathered, old sternwheeler sitting high and dry, as if it drifted out of the past and anchored along the Garden Highway. What makes this attraction even more interesting, is the fact that it’s …...
The story behind the abandoned Colfax Hotel
Long ago, when the town of Colfax, formerly Illinoistown, was surrounded only by mountains and dirt roads, the iron horses of the Central Pacific and later Southern Pacific Railroads were blazing a trail in its very direction. In fact, Colfax became the heart of a new junction, connecting Grass Valley and Nevada City to the …...
Donner Summit Train Tunnels: a historical journey through abandoned train tunnels
Truckee has been fondly referred to as “the most historical square mile in California.” And, perhaps, no site represents this historical significance better than Donner Summit, where the abandoned train tunnels are located. In addition to the remarkable tunnels, China Wall and Native American petroglyphs are found in the same...
Forest City: Sierra County’s Authentic Gold Rush Ghost Town
Forest City sits in the forested mountains of Sierra County, where miners discovered gold at the forks of Oregon Creek in the summer of 1852. Within a few short years, the town grew to more than 1,000 residents and at least 30 commercial businesses. However, like other Gold Rush towns of Sierra County, Forest City’s …...
Mare Island Naval Hospital: Inside the History of Vallejo’s Former Navy Hospital
The Mare Island Naval Hospital is a historic building that makes you slow down before you even know what you are looking at. Sitting on Mare Island in Vallejo, the old hospital has the size, symmetry, and worn-down grandeur of an institution that once mattered deeply to the people who passed through it. For decades, …...
Abandoned Nevada County Hospital: the historic and tragic tale of the HEW building
On the outskirts of Nevada City, sits an abandoned mental health facility with a tragic story to tell. In addition to being filled with asbestos, lead paint, mold and graffiti, this complex also contains stories of murder and haunted encounters. The HEW Building The 34,000 square foot complex has had many incarnations during its...
