Calico Ghost Town

By Nancy J. Farrier

In 1881, four friends decided to head into the Mojave desert of Southern California and find the next big silver strike. Hues Thomas, Tom Warden, Charles Yager and G. Frank Mecham found that claim in the hills not far from Barstow, California. They named their mine, Silver King, and the name proved an apt one. The Silver King in what came to be Calico, California, produced approximately $86 million in silver over the next 15 years.

Calico House Restaurant in
Calico Ghost Town

The California Gold Rush of 1848 sparked a fervency to find riches through mining. By 1881 the discovery of new gold mines had diminished, so the finding of silver renewed excitement. Several silver mines were discovered in the area of The Silver King mine. A remark was made that the hills around there looked like Calico and the town born near the mines had a name.

Restored Schoolhouse

By 1886, Calico had a population of 1,200 people. They had a school, a Wells Fargo Office, a Post Office, along with the usual saloons and general stores. By 1890, the population had grown to around 3,500. Residents could get their shoes repaired at the boot and shoe shop, or dine out at one of the restaurants in town. In a few years, Calico had become a thriving community.

Bottle House in Calico

In 1882, John Overshiner came to Calico with the ambition of running a newspaper. He named his weekly paper, The Calico Print, which is such a wonderful pun. The first issue ran on July 12, 1882. In his first column Overshiner wrote, …Apprehensive that the casual observer of this sheet [the Print] might think that it was a common piece of fabric sold at fourteen yards for a dollar, which blushing brides are so loath to clothe themselves with after being arrayed in orange blossoms, silk, and satin during a brief and blissful honeymoon—we simply say, ‘this is a newspaper.’…Fifty-two yards of this CALICO PRINT will be sold to each subscriber annually for four dollars… Overshiner then promised to bring his readers up to date news about mining and news of Southern California.

Picnic Party

Besides the silver ore mined in Calico, there were large deposits of colemanite borax in the mines and in other areas nearby. Due to the proximity of Calico to the railroad, their borax became very valuable and easily shipped to other locations.

Fire Engine

One of the great dangers to the little town in the Mojave desert was the dryness and the danger of fire. In 1884, a fire swept through Calico. The damaged structures were quickly rebuilt, many of them with stone used in the construction to act as a firebreak. In 1887, a much larger fire destroyed 135 structures. The story is reported that a goat entered a room, saw its reflection in a mirror and jumped, upsetting a coal lamp. The goat was “creamated,” but the occupants of the home escaped. With only piped water to draw on and no fire department, the town suffered a huge loss.

By 1893, Calico began to see a decline in silver prices. By 1896, the ore in the mines began to play out as well. Calico became a ghost town and many of the buildings were moved away. In 1915, a new process using cyanide to extract silver from the waste dumps brought a small revival to Calico. 

Ruins in Calico

One of the workers in 1915, was Walter Knott, a nearby homesteader. Walter became interested in the history of Calico. With his wife, Cordelia, he became known for his berry farm. Walter created the boysenberry by crossing a red raspberry with a blackberry and loganberry. Walter and Cordelia started the famous with Knott’s Berry Farm, which is a theme park in Southern California.

In 1951, the Knotts purchased the town of Calico and began restoration. Walter was determined to have the town as close to the original as possible. He carefully studied old photos and maps and tried to be true to the history of the town. In 1966, the Knott’s sold the town of Calico to San Bernardino County and it became a Regional Park. Today, tourists from all over the world can visit Calico Ghost Town and get a glimpse of what the town might have looked like back in the 1800’s.

There were so many stories of Calico that I wanted to share, but didn't have the room. Have you ever visited Calico, CA? If so, what did you enjoy seeing? Did you tour the Maggie Mine? I'd love to hear your comments.

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children and one grandson. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.