Bodie’s Final Years
Photo Credits: Christine Stridde/Getty Images
The first sign that Bodie was failing as a town became obvious in 1912 after The Bodie Miner printed its final paper. Then, in 1913, the Standard Consolidated Mine closed its doors with profits being as low as $6,821 by 1914. Although there was a resurgence in a profit of up to $100,000 in 1915, it wasn’t enough to save the town from its decline. In 1915, Bodie was described as a “ghost town” even though there were some residents that lived there.
By 1917, the railroad was closed, and in 1920, Bodie’s population was recorded at 120 people. Bodie continued to have permanent residents through the first half of the 20th century until the last mine was closed in 1942 due to the War Production Board.
