A real-life Westworld with a violent history is for sale in California for under $1 million - take a look inside the ghost town
Cerro Gordo is a 19th-century mining town set in Lone Pine, California, in the Inyo Mountains on 300 acres of land. It's currently for sale for $925,000.
It has 22 structures on site, comprising 24,000 square feet of buildings including a historic hotel, bunkhouse, saloon, chapel, museum, and the Belshaw bunkhouse. Many of the buildings are being restored.
Source: Mental Floss, Ghost Town for Sale
Even artifacts are included.
Established in 1865 by a man named Pablo Flores, Cerro Gordo received its name, which means "Fat Hill," from Mexican miners who scoured the area for silver before it became a commercial mine.
Source: Mental Floss
It wasn't really put on the map until 1868, when Mortimer Belshaw brought the first supply of silver to Los Angeles. He later built a toll road, and the town became the largest producer of silver and lead in California.
Source: Mental Floss
This helped the town become the "silver thread" to Los Angeles, partially responsible for the city's growth and economic development.
Source: Ghost Town for Sale
But Cerro Gordo wasn't just known for its silver and the economic development it spurred. Back in the day, it was a violent place that witnessed an average of one murder a week.
Source: The Guardian
After being hit by a fire and falling silver prices, the mine was abandoned in the 1880s.
Source: Mental Floss
Mining operations were revived in 1905 and continued for a couple of decades before being abandoned again.
Source: Mental Floss
Its been privately owned for decades. The owners operate public tours at $10 a person, which can be booked through Cerro Gordo's website and will continue to be offered until the property is sold.
Source: Mental Floss, The Guardian
According to the listing, "the site has been extremely well protected from diggers, artifact looters, and Mother Nature herself."
Source: Ghost Town for Sale
There aren't any conditions attached to the purchase of the property, but real estate agent Jake Rasmuson says he hopes the buyer will maintain some of the history and keep it open to the public.
Source: Mental Floss
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