Barnwell, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barnwell,
Manvel |
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 Barnwell,
Manvel Location in California
Barnwell,
Manvel Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Bernardino |
| Founded | 1893 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
Barnwell, once called Manvel, was a busy railroad stop in San Bernardino County, California. It started as a camp for railroad workers. This place helped connect local mining towns to the outside world. Today, Barnwell is a ghost town, meaning no one lives there anymore. It sits high up in the New York Mountains, at 4806 feet above sea level.
Contents
History of Barnwell
Manvel: The Early Years
In April 1892, a wealthy mining businessman named Isaac G. Blake started building a railroad. He wanted to connect his silver mines in the New York Mountains to the main Santa Fe Railroad. The railroad started from Goffs and reached a camp called Manvel in July 1893.
Manvel quickly became an important "railhead." This meant it was the main train station for nearby mining towns. Towns like Vanderbilt, Goodsprings, and Searchlight used Manvel to ship their goods.
Even though Blake's mining business faced tough financial times, Manvel kept going. Gold mines in Vanderbilt and Searchlight helped the town survive. Manvel had many businesses, including a general store, a hotel, and a blacksmith. It even had a post office and a school district by 1900.
In 1902, the railroad extended further into the Ivanpah Valley. This new section reached a place called Ivanpah. It helped ship copper from the Copper World Mine. Manvel also had a train depot and a telegraph office. A local businessman even set up a telephone system.
Barnwell: A New Name and Decline
In early 1905, a new railroad line was finished. This new line passed much closer to Searchlight and the Copper World Mine. This meant more competition for Manvel's railroad.
To keep up, the Santa Fe railroad built a new 23-mile line to Searchlight in 1907. At this time, Manvel was renamed Barnwell. This was done to avoid confusion with a town in Texas.
However, just as the new railroad was finished, mining production in Searchlight began to drop. This led to difficult economic times. People in Barnwell started using special paper money called "scrip" because regular money was scarce. Many families began to leave the town.
In September 1908, a big fire destroyed most of Barnwell's business area. The train depot and the largest store were ruined. The depot never reopened. More fires followed, and businesses continued to close. By 1912, many people had moved away. The railroad stopped all train service in late 1923, and the tracks were removed.
Barnwell Today
Today, Barnwell is a quiet ghost town. You can still find a homestead and a water tank where the town once stood. The old railroad bed is also still visible in many places.
