Bennettville, California facts for kids
Bennettville is a historic site in Mono County, California. It was once a small town built for miners. Today, it is known as a ghost town, which means it's a place where people used to live but have since left. Bennettville was also called Bennett City and Tioga in the past. It is located near Mine Creek, about 4 miles east-southeast of Mount Conness.
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The Story of Bennettville
Bennettville has an interesting history as a mining settlement that didn't quite succeed.
Early Mining Days
Mining activities first began in this area around 1860. One of the first mines was later renamed Tioga. In 1878, a company called the Great Sierra Consolidated Mining Company bought this mine. Soon, many other mines opened up in the Tioga district.
A Town's Big Dreams
The people who started Bennettville had big plans for it. They hoped that as many as 50,000 people would eventually live there! The town even had its own post office. The Tioga post office was open from 1880 to 1881. Then, the Bennettville post office operated from 1882 to 1884. These years were when Bennettville grew the most. The town was named after Thomas Bennett, who was the president of the mining company.
The mining company worked hard to develop the town. They brought in tons of heavy equipment. They also spent a lot of money, about $300,000, to build up the settlement.
Why the Town Disappeared
Despite all the effort and money, the mining company did not find much valuable silver. Because there wasn't enough silver to mine, the town couldn't keep going. By 1890, Bennettville had become a ghost town, with most people having moved away.
What Remains Today
Even though Bennettville is a ghost town, you can still see parts of its past.
The remaining structures include two special plaques that tell the town's story. There are also two old buildings on a hilltop. These are an assay office and a bunkhouse. An assay office was where miners tested rocks to see if they contained valuable metals. A bunkhouse was a place where miners slept. Both of these buildings were carefully restored in 1993.
These old mining remnants are now part of the Great Sierra Mine Historic Site. This site helps preserve the history of mining in California.
