Well, pard, looks like for our next stop on Route 66, you’re in for a taste of the Old West at Calico Ghost Town. Here, you can explore real mines, hear wild legends, and take in the desert beauty, all in one stop. It’s part history, part adventure, and all-around memorable. (And it’s only a few miles off of Route 66).
Welcome to Calico Ghost Town
Old streets, swinging saloon doors, and plenty of wooden storefronts make you feel like you’re about to step into a Western movie. This charming atmosphere was the vision of Walter Knott, who also created Knott’s Berry Farm. Knott seemed to have a knack for bringing the Old West to life for visitors. Thanks to his vision and generosity, Calico is now a San Bernardino County Regional Park.
Life in a Mining Town
Sunrise in Calico didn’t bring birdsong—it brought the clang of mining tools. Miners started their day early, eating a fast, simple breakfast of coffee, biscuits, and beans before heading out to one of over 500 mines outside of town.
About this week’s puzzle
This week’s puzzle was inspired by the Calico Ghost Town. It is not representative of the town.
Mining was tough and dangerous. There were risks everywhere: the chance of tunnels caving in, breathing in bad air, and even running into wild animals, but the dream of silver kept everyone going.
Back in town, shopkeepers opened their stores and started selling supplies, food, and treats. Blacksmiths were busy fixing tools and working with horses. Farmers and delivery workers brought in what fresh food they could—maybe we should call it freshish.
Women handled chores, cooked, cleaned, and ran businesses like bakeries or boarding houses. Kids sometimes went to school, but more often, they helped with family work, fetching water or running errands.
Busy Days on Main Street
By the middle of the day, Main Street was alive with action. Horses, wagons, and people moved everywhere, and swirls of dust filled the hot air. The local saloons were the main gathering places. People didn’t just go for a drink—saloons were where news and stories were shared and games were played. Kind of like today’s coffeehouses.
Miners often ate quick lunches on the job—cold meals from home. In town, women would chat over tea, kids played in the street, and shopkeepers called out their deals, hoping to attract customers. The general store was a busy place, stocked with everything from canned food to cloth.
You could always find a few lively characters too—maybe a salesman bragging about his “miracle” cure or a gambler trying to make a quick buck.
More Than a Century Later
By the mid-1890s, the silver mining boom had ended, silver prices had dropped, and the town was declining. By 1907, most of the residents had left, leaving Calico largely abandoned.
The truth is that Calico has been far more successful as a tourist destination than it was as a mining town. After Walter Knott restored the town in the 1950s, it became a popular destination and has been ever since. The town was an active mining town, but has been a successful tourist spot for more than 70 years!
If you enjoyed this week’s Friday Morning Post, please leave a comment with your time on the puzzle. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on the post! Thanks for being here!
See all my Friday Morning Posts here. If you missed last week’s post, you can use this link to view last week’s post about the Grand Canyon.
8:44
Nice picture. My time was 10:17.
6:48, interesting story!
5:33 I love visiting places that are reminders of the past. Thanks for sharing.
My time was 7:18. What an interesting story! I’ve not heard of Calico Ghost Town before and it’s within driving distance. I would love to visit it sometime. Thanks for finding all these interesting places.
7:11 Nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there.
9.16
6:46
6:04 for me this morning
My time today was 4:36. I love learning about how people lived before modern conveniences, so this article was very interesting!