kids encyclopedia robot

Chloride City, California facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Chloride City
Chloride City is located in California
Chloride City
Chloride City
Location in California
Country United States
State California
County Inyo County
Elevation
4,770 ft (1,454 m)

Chloride City is a fascinating ghost town located in Inyo County, California, in the United States. A ghost town is a place where people once lived and worked, but now it's mostly empty and abandoned. Chloride City sits about 8.5 miles (13.7 km) north-northeast of Beatty Junction. It's quite high up, at an elevation of 4,770 feet (1,454 meters). This former settlement is found inside the famous Death Valley National Park.

A Town Born from Gold

Chloride City came to life in 1905. This was a time when many people rushed to the area, hoping to find their fortune. A big gold discovery happened in Bullfrog, Nevada, which is nearby. This exciting news brought miners and settlers to places like Chloride City. They were all looking for valuable minerals.

What Can You See There Now?

Even though Chloride City is a ghost town, you can still find interesting remains from its past. The area has many old mine openings called adits. These are horizontal tunnels that miners dug into the side of a mountain to reach ore. You can also see large piles of waste rock, known as dumps, which were removed from the mines.

Mining Equipment and History

The town also holds the remains of three stamp mills. These were large machines used to crush rocks into a fine powder. This process helped miners separate valuable gold or other minerals from the rock. Seeing these old machines helps us imagine what life was like for the miners who worked there.

A Mysterious Grave

Among the ruins, there is a grave belonging to a person named James McKay. Not much is known about James McKay, which adds to the mystery of this old mining town. His grave is a quiet reminder of the people who once called Chloride City home.

Chloride City offers a glimpse into the history of mining in California. It shows how quickly towns could appear and disappear during the gold rush era.

kids search engine
Chloride City, California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.