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Title: Ghost Towns of Northern California: Your Guide to Ghost Towns and Historic Mining Camps (Pictorial Discovery Guide) by Philip Varney, John Drew, Susan Drew ISBN: 0-89658-442-9 Publisher: Voyageur Press Pub. Date: June, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Essential Illustrated Guide for the Ghost Town Lover!
Comment: I am a native Californian, although I have lived in Boston for many years. One of the most intriguing parts of California for me has been visiting abandoned and restored pioneer towns in the Golden State. About 70 miles from my first home in San Bernardino, is located an old mining town, Calico, in the middle of the Mojave desert. That town has set my expectations for visiting pioneer towns.
For my 49th birthday, my father and wife arranged for me to have a 49er vacation that included attending a San Francisco 49er football game and then heading off into the gold country to revisit the sites where the great gold rush first began.
From knowing a lot about California history, I knew of many towns and sites that I wanted to see. But along the way, I was intrigued by signs and notes about many sites that I had never heard about before. I wished that I had had along a source as fine as Ghost Towns of Northern California.
Although his book will seem like a coffee table book to some, I found it to be an essential exploration guide. More than 50 towns and sites are described and pictured. Mr. Varney does a fine job of giving you the local history (which often includes how much gold was mined locally and how it was mined) while the photographs give you a sense of what there is to see. You also get maps that can easily be used to find each of these locations. Most are concentrated in the gold areas (such as near the Oregon border, near route 49, and in the high Sierras), but others have different backgrounds and locations such as Alcatraz and China Camp in the San Francisco Bay area.
The author defines a "ghost town" as being a town that has had a large slide in its permanent population, even if it is still populated. So few of these "ghost towns" are uninhabited like Calico was when I was a youngster.
I double checked the accuracy of the information by comparing my experiences on my 49er vacation to what the book says, and the information and views tallied perfectly. Nice job!
The photographs are more realistic than artistic. That is not to say that they are not beautiful in many cases, but they give you a realistic view of what you will see rather than a "sunset at Sedona" feeling.
You probably won't want to visit all of these ghost towns, but the book will help you decide when and where you will want to visit. I strongly urge you to decide to visit the sites that interest you and to use this valuable guide to help you plan and follow through on your plans.
I thought the book is an exceptional value. I would have gladly paid more than twice the asking price for this great resource!
After you finish enjoying the photographs and text, spend some time rereading Mark Twain's stories about the gold camps. It will help you get in the mood for planning a wonderful trip!
Rating: 4
Summary: Can't wait!
Comment: Bought the book in anticipation of being out in that area soon, and after reading the great historical info and seeing the beautiful photos, I can't wait to get out there and see some of the places for myself!
I only wish the maps had been a little more detailed, and that the author could have provided coordinates of the sites from a GPS, to make it easier to get to the locations.
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Title: Southern California's Best Ghost Towns: A Practical Guide by Philip Varney, James M. Davis ISBN: 0806126086 Publisher: Univ of Oklahoma Pr (Trd) Pub. Date: March, 1994 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: California Ghost Town Trails by Russ Leadabrand, Mickey Broman ISBN: 0935182217 Publisher: Gem Guides Book Co Pub. Date: June, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.95 |
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Title: Ghost Towns and Mining Camps of California: A History & Guide by Remi A. Nadeau ISBN: 0962710482 Publisher: Crest Pub Pub. Date: June, 2003 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Backroads of Northern California: Your Guide to Northern California's Most Scenic Backroad Tours (Pictorial Discovery Guide) by David M. Wyman ISBN: 0896584070 Publisher: Voyageur Press Pub. Date: June, 2000 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Bodie's Gold: Tall Tales and True History from a California Mining Town by Marguerite Sprague ISBN: 0874175119 Publisher: Univ of Nevada Pr Pub. Date: May, 2003 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
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