Ballarat, CA – Gold Mining
A Living Ghost Town in the Mojave Desert
About This Video
Ballarat, California, is more than a ghost town—it’s a living story tucked against the Panamint Mountains in the Mojave Desert. Founded in 1896 during the gold rush, Ballarat once had hundreds of residents, seven saloons, a post office, and not a single church. When the mines went quiet, the town faded… but not completely.
This video explores Ballarat’s colorful past, from the legendary “Seldom Seen Slim” who lived without electricity for over 50 years, to prospector Shorty Harris, and even a connection to the Manson Family. You’ll see the rusted 1942 Dodge Power Wagon linked to Tex Watson, the starting point of the rugged road to Barker Ranch—the Manson hideout deep in the Panamints.
Join us as we walk through Ballarat’s crumbling buildings, meet the characters who gave it life, and follow the trails that lead to some of Death Valley’s most infamous history.
Ballarat California, Ballarat ghost town, Seldom Seen Slim, Shorty Harris, Barker Ranch, Manson Family hideout, Goler Wash, Mengel Pass
Articles on:
Seldom Seen Slim, aka Charles
Ferge
Ballarat,
California
Seldom
Seen Slim and Shorty Harris
Desert Artists
James
Westborn Blair's MP3: Seldom Seen Slim
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Rhyolite,
Nevada - Ghost Town
Rhyolite, Nevada, a few miles west of Beatty, sprung up almost overnight
after Shorty Harris and his partner Ernest Cross found gold in 1904. Rhyolite
is located a little over six miles from the original gold discovery. It quickly
grew into a city of brick and stone buildings. Today you can find several remnants
of Rhyolite in its glory days, such as the old bank, schoolhouse, train station,
and the famous bottle house.
Randsburg,
Living Ghost Town
Randsburg, California is located southwest of Ridgecrest, just off of Highway
395. Gold was first discovered here in 1895 at the Yellow Aster Mine. The mines
of the area have produced over one million ounces of gold. Today the gold mining
activities have been replaced by tourists shopping for antiques, part-time prospectors,
and off-roaders looking for food and a rest stop.
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The Desert Environment
The North American Deserts
Desert Geological Terms
Are you interested in the temperatures in the
desert?Click here to see current desert temperatures!
