Vanderbilt, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vanderbilt
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 Vanderbilt
Location in California
Vanderbilt
Location in the United States
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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 | 1661625 |
Vanderbilt was a small gold mining town in San Bernardino County, California. It was a "ghost town" because it only existed for a short time, from 1893 to 1895. At its busiest, about 400 people lived there, hoping to strike it rich by finding gold.
Contents
Where Was Vanderbilt Located?
Vanderbilt was located near the border of California and Nevada. Today, this area is part of the Mojave National Preserve. Its exact spot was 35° 19' 38.20" North and 115° 14' 59.14" West.
The Story of Vanderbilt
How Gold Was Discovered
The story of Vanderbilt began in January 1891. A Native American man named Robert Black found gold in the New York Mountains. This was about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Goffs, California. Soon after, a mining camp started near Vanderbilt Spring. More gold was found in late 1892, which led to a "gold rush" as many people hurried to the area.
Life in the Mining Camp
By January 1893, about 150 people lived in the Vanderbilt camp. It had 50 tents, two stores, a saloon, and three restaurants. There was also a place to stay, a blacksmith shop, and a stable for horses.
Things started to get more organized:
- A post office opened in February 1893.
- W. A. Nash became the local judge in May.
- A train service started in August. It connected Vanderbilt to Manvel, a town five miles to the south.
Vanderbilt's Busiest Time
Vanderbilt likely had the most people in 1894, with about 400 residents. The town's main street was busy! It had three saloons, two barbers, and several places to eat. There were also two meat markets and a store selling stationery and fruit. You could find two blacksmiths and three large general stores. William McFarlane, an early settler, owned one of these stores. He also ran the post office and a drugstore from his shop.
Famous Visitors and Buildings
According to historians, Virgil Earp owned the only two-story building in Vanderbilt. Virgil was the brother of Wyatt Earp, who was famous for the gunfight at the OK Corral. Virgil's building was a hotel and a saloon. Allie Earp, Virgil's wife, said that church services and dances were also held there.
Why Vanderbilt Disappeared
In 1894, two large mills were built to process the gold ore from the main mines. These were called the Gold Bronze and Boomerang mines. But soon after the mills were finished, miners hit water in the mines. When they hit water, the gold ore changed. It became impossible to get the gold out of the ore.
Because of this problem, the mills had to close down. By the end of 1895, most of the businesses in Vanderbilt had shut their doors. Most of the people who lived there left, and the town became a ghost town.
