Posted by Jack Graham on November 28, 2006 at 8:27 PM
This is the inside of the Methodist church in Bodie California. (State Park Ghost town).
Bodie was one at one time, the largest populated town in California.( pop 10,000, people & over 2000 buildings) It once supported some 30 gold mines, 65 Saloons, numerous brothels, gambling halls, and opium dens,( my kind of place !! ) as well, as a number of legitimate businesses, including three newspapers, several churches, a couple of banks and a school. Every other building on the mile long main street was a saloon. Three breweries worked day and night, while whiskey was brought into town in 100 gallon barrels. Bodie, in its hay day (late 1870’s early 1880’s) had a deserved reputation for violence and lawlessness. Killings were sometimes daily events and robberies, stage holdups and street fights were common. Prior to 1882 there were no churches in Bodie. Forget the fact that Bodie was at 9000' and about as far removed from the rest of the world as almost possible with a really inhospitable climate.
A Methodist Church and a Catholic Church were built in 1882. The Catholic Church would not survive the later fires in Bodie but the Methodist Church still stands and this is the inside of it.
It looks just like it was left when Bodie shut down in the early 1930's. Check out the original pipe organ.
This shot was made peaking through the front door. No one is allowed inside. I converted it to B& W then added some sepia.
Again, not fine art prints, just a bit of interesting history you don’t see everyday. I wonder what the church in the CVNP looks like inside?
JG
Posted by Bernie Kasper on November 29, 2006 at 1:23 PM
Very neat Jack, I can only imagine the stories a place like this could tell.
Posted by David Weber on December 2, 2006 at 10:43 PM
Discussion
2 repliesBodie was one at one time, the largest populated town in California.( pop 10,000, people & over 2000 buildings) It once supported some 30 gold mines, 65 Saloons, numerous brothels, gambling halls, and opium dens,( my kind of place !! ) as well, as a number of legitimate businesses, including three newspapers, several churches, a couple of banks and a school. Every other building on the mile long main street was a saloon. Three breweries worked day and night, while whiskey was brought into town in 100 gallon barrels. Bodie, in its hay day (late 1870’s early 1880’s) had a deserved reputation for violence and lawlessness. Killings were sometimes daily events and robberies, stage holdups and street fights were common. Prior to 1882 there were no churches in Bodie. Forget the fact that Bodie was at 9000' and about as far removed from the rest of the world as almost possible with a really inhospitable climate.
A Methodist Church and a Catholic Church were built in 1882. The Catholic Church would not survive the later fires in Bodie but the Methodist Church still stands and this is the inside of it.
It looks just like it was left when Bodie shut down in the early 1930's. Check out the original pipe organ.
This shot was made peaking through the front door. No one is allowed inside. I converted it to B& W then added some sepia.
Again, not fine art prints, just a bit of interesting history you don’t see everyday. I wonder what the church in the CVNP looks like inside?
JG