The problem is: There’s no running water and a snowstorm has him trapped. Cerro Gordo in its heydays. “I think I talk to myself through talking to the animals.”. The particular details of the discovery are obscure, but it is thought that the first discoveries of silver ore … Some ore was smelted on site, but larger capacity smelters were eventually constructed along the shore of nearby Owens Lake. But that will only get him to a 35-person town without grocery stores, and he’s found himself out of breath after snowshoeing for just several yards. We're happy to share a unique limited-edition collaboration between Roots of Fight and Cerro Gordo, one of the most successful mining towns in the pioneering days of the great American West. He remains in good spirits for now, but a different type of spirit is giving him trouble. The sale for the historic mining town of Cerro Gordo closed on Friday, July 13. 'Â, The Discovery Channel TV series 'Ghost Adventures' investigated the 22-building town last year and determined that it was haunted by the ghosts of two children who died after getting trapped in a closet. Â, Underwood is now staying in the very same room where the child ghosts were detected, but claims he has yet to see them.Â, He said his wallet recently disappeared for two days before turning up at the town hotel, admitting that it was 'a bit freaky'. Â, But Underwood believes the spirits which inhabit the town are peaceful, and he's trying to 'respect their space'.Â, 'For the most part, I leave the ghosts alone and they leave me alone,' he said. Â, 'Anytime you're in a town and expect to see nothing and hear nothing, when you do, your mind is on heightened alert. In the weeks since he's been documenting his isolation experience in Instagram photos like the one above, Cerro Gordo sits 300 miles outside of Los Angeles and nearly 30 miles from the nearest town with a grocery store. At its peak in the 19th century, the community of 5,000 people was a haven for violent crime because the nearest law enforcement agencies couldn't be bothered to police it given the remote locationÂ, Adding to Underwood's extraordinary experience in the town are its local residents - rumored spirits of people who died there and a pair of crows Underwood has come to see as friends. Between its discovery and 1938, mining in Cerro Gordo generated $17 million. 'Â, While there is a pair of snowshoes at his disposal, Underwood said they're not of much use in the deep snow lining the steep seven-mile road leading to the nearest community, noting that he gets tired after a few hundred yards.Â, And even if he did make it that far, it wouldn't be of much help as that community of 35 people doesn't have a single grocery store.Â, The closest town with a grocery story, Lone Pine, is another 20 miles away - essentially unreachable by Underwood in snowshoes.  Â, Underwood and his investor friend Jon Bier, owner of boutique public relations agency Jack Taylor PR, bought Cerro Gordo from family owners in July 2018 with plans to turn it into a tourist attraction. Now, he’s stuck in his ghost town under five feet of snow. for the old Cerro Gordo mine. Cerro Gordo’s deadliest mine disaster struck in the early 1870s when a cave-in killed at least eight and as many as 35 Chinese miners. 1 of 21. The snowstorm struck soon after he arrived, making it impossible for him to get out. Some ore was smelted on site, but larger capacity smelters were eventually constructed along the shore of nearby Owens Lake.. ... Yikes! Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He plans to return to Austin to quarantine when he’s able to, but in the meantime, he feels as though he’s done a proper job of secluding himself from humanity, and the virus currently wreaking havoc on it. Listed for $925,000 with Jake Rasmuson of Bishop Real Estate Rasmuson & Associates, the collection of abandoned properties includes a hotel, a bunkhouse, and several homes, … I had purchased my tour on line at the mine website, but you can also pay in cash once up there. Cerro Gordo was originally included in the Lone Pine Mining District established in 1866, but when federal mining laws were implemented in 1872, the area was reorganized into the separate Cerro Gordo Mining … Search law firms at FindLaw. ... Like most Western mining towns, Sarah Gordo has a complicated back story. See pictures and video of its well-preserved buildings. Golf star utters homophobic slur after missing putt, Veteran Capitol cop reportedly commits suicide days after riot, Pence says to 'hold your heads high' in emotional meeting with staffers, The Weeknd shows real face after 'plastic surgery' shocked fans, Here's what could happen if Trump is impeached again. At first glance, the town of Cerro Gordo doesn't look like much more than a town suited for Wild West reenactments. November 08, 2019 In 1912 the Cerro Gordo group, whose property now consisted of tunnels and shafts and an aerial tramway connecting the mine with the narrow-gauge Southern Pacific Railroad at Keeler, which had absorbed the old Carson & Colorado Railroad, was acquired by Utah mining men. These smelting operations were the beginnings … The road from Cerro Gordo to Saline Valley salt tram switching station is a challenge but well worth driving because of incredible scenery, great views of Saline Valley and of course switching station itself and restored building nearby. In the years that followed, lead and ore were also mined in … In the late 1870s, somewhere around 30 miners lost their lives in a collapse there. “All I … 'Â, While he knew the stories hidden inside the town - Underwood never imagined experiencing its supposed hauntings first-hand the way he has in the past few weeks. Cerro Gordo was founded in 1865 and was once the largest mining town in California. A TV show called “Ghost Adventures” once investigated the town and found that it was haunted by the ghosts of two children who died after being trapped in a closet. Exploring the 200 level of Cerro Gordo’s Union Mine The 200 level at Cerro Gordo is a part of the mine full of mystery and sorrow. Much more than just a mining den in the mountains, Cerro Gordo had blossomed into a fully functioning town, including 4,000 residents, 100 outhouses, seven saloons, and three brothels. 'For the most part, I leave the ghosts alone and they leave me alone,' he said, Underwood hopes to return to Austin as soon as the snow clears, but recognizes that his current digs offer a more effective environment to shelter-in-place, While he knew the stories hidden inside the town - Underwood never imagined experiencing its supposed hauntings first-hand the way he has in the past few weeks. Â, 'Things are moving around, I'm seeing curtains move, I'm hearing things in the night,' he said. This story has been shared 104,400 times. Brent Underwood purchased Cerro Gordo … We are no longer accepting comments on this article. In 1912, the Cerro Gordo group, whose property now consisted of tunnels and shafts and an aerial tramway connecting the mine with the narrow-gauge Southern Pacific Railroad at Keeler, was acquired by Utah mining men. 'There's no draft, but things drop inside of houses', Underwood erected this snowman outside his bunkhouse to help keep him company in quarantine, Underwood says he appreciates being cut off from the coronavirus crisis gripping the nation. Whitney, on the eastern outskirts of Lone Pine. Shipping 1,000 tons of ore daily, Cerro Gordo became the largest producer of zinc carbonates in the entire United States. Much more than just a mining den in the mountains, Cerro Gordo had blossomed into a fully functioning town, including 4,000 residents, 100 outhouses, seven saloons, and three brothels. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. I live in an abandoned mining town called Cerro Gordo. “If I’m working through something at work, I’ll tell Jekyll about it,” he says. Cerro Gordo, a barren but charming 19th century mining town nestled in California's Inyo Mountains, is currently on the market for just under $1million. Website Design by Granicus - Connecting People and Government. Sure the other buildings will be 600 years old, but it will all be part of Cerro Gordo’s history. 'There's no draft, but things drop inside of houses. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Your California Privacy Rights Departments & … Your Ad Choices But once the seams of silver ran dry, everyone left. Numerous stone foundations indicate the extensive size of the mining operation. The old mining of Cerro Gordo looks down on Owens Valley on the east side of the Sierra mountains from its site in the Inyo Range some 9,000 feet high. He already ran out of bread and vegetables but hopes he has enough rice and canned tuna to sustain him until the snow thaws - though it is unclear when that will happen. Â, Adding to his incredible experience are the town's locals - the rumored spirits of people who died there and a pair of crows Underwood has come to see as friends. Â, Underwood was fascinated by Cerro Gordo's seclusion and its murderous history when he purchased it for $1.4million in 2018, Underwood went to visit Cerro Gordo last month in the early days of America's coronavirus lockdowns, with plans to stay for a week while its usual caretaker traveled to check on family. Ghost Adventures: Cerro Gordo Ghost Town Zak Bagans and the crew trek a treacherous cliffside trail to investigate a forgotten mining town in California, haunted by the lost souls of its former residents. “As the world is trying to isolate themselves, there’s not much further isolation you can do than an abandoned ghost town,” he says. Cerro Gordo, California, on the western slope of the Inyo Mountains about seven miles east of Keeler and thirty miles south of Independence, was the … It’s Monday, which means a brand new episode of the... Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Cerro Gordo, Ill., March 25.-- Ten buildings were completely wrecked by a cyclone Saturday afternoon and twenty other were more or less damaged. Unlike other mining towns in the Southwest though, Darwin held on to life for a long time. Published: 16:45 GMT, 19 April 2020 | Updated: 07:08 GMT, 20 April 2020,  Texas entrepreneur Brent Underwood (pictured) has been living in abandoned California mining town Cerro Gordo for the past month after a snowstorm dumped five feet of snow on the 300-acre property, making it impossible to leave, A Texas entrepreneur has been forced to quarantine in an abandoned California mining town with a sinister past after getting trapped there by a snowstorm.  Â, Brent Underwood purchased Cerro Gordo for $1.4million in 2018, fascinated by its seclusion and harrowing history, which once saw one murder every week. Â, The 32-year-old went to visit the 300-acre property last month in the early days of America's coronavirus lockdowns, with plans to stay for a week while its usual caretaker traveled to check on family.  Â, But soon after Underwood arrived, a snowstorm struck, dumping five feet of powder which has made it impossible for him to leave.   Â, He is now entering his second month stranded in the dilapidated town located about 300 miles outside Los Angeles and nearly 30 miles from the nearest supermarket. Â, In the absence of running water, Underwood is relying on melted snow to stay hydrated. 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