Ragtown, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ragtown
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Country | United States |
State | California |
County | San Bernardino |
Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
GNIS feature ID | 252961 |
Ragtown was once a busy mining town in the Mojave Desert in California. Today, it is a ghost town, meaning no one lives there anymore. It was located in San Bernardino County.
What Was Ragtown?
Ragtown became a town because of gold! Around 1898, a man named John Sutter found gold in the nearby Bagdad-Chase area. This discovery brought many people hoping to find their fortune.
The Buckeye Mining District
Ragtown was part of a bigger area called the "Buckeye Mining District." One of the most important mines here was the Bagdad-Chase mine. It was discovered by John Sutter in the 1880s. This mine became the biggest source of copper and gold in San Bernardino County.
The owner of the Bagdad-Chase mine was Benjamin Chase. He built the Ludlow and Southern Railroad. This railroad was used to carry the valuable ore from the mine. It took the ore to the Santa Fe Railroad in Ludlow.
Remembering Ragtown
Even though Ragtown is a ghost town now, its history is remembered. A special plaque was placed there on May 3, 1981. It was put up by a group called E Clampus Vitus.
The plaque helps people learn about Ragtown and the Buckeye Mining District. It tells the story of the gold and copper mines. It also reminds us of the people who worked there long ago. The plaque is about six miles south of Ludlow, California.