Bodie, California is a State Historical Site located on the Eastern edge of the state. It is often called a ghost town. The official web site describes it as " town frozen in time in a 'state of arrested decay'.
William Bodey discovered gold there in 1857. He established a mill and by 1880 there were 20,000 people living in Bodie. All of them came for the riches! What they got was a town so rough that everyone's morning greeting was "Have a man for breakfast?" meaning, "Did anyone get killed last night?"
Life in Bodie was harsh and the money was soon squandered in saloons, brothels, and opium dens. One young girl, about to leave San Francisco with her family, is reported to have said, "Goodbye God, I'm going to Bodie."
Almost as quickly as Bodie grew, Bodie declined. The gold mining diminished and the Standard Consolidated Mine closed in 1913. By 1920 the population was listed by the US Census Bureau at 120 people.
Many people walked away empty handed.
Why do we seek riches? Why do we chase after that which will diminish in value?
For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
Proverbs 27:24
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