A photographer has been taking pictures of a 'cursed' ghost town in California for 10 years

Sophie-Claire HoellerFeb 17, 2021, 02:25 IST

Ariza said it looks like residents were "abducted by aliens."Dennis Ariza

Dennis Ariza has been visiting the California ghost town of Bodie annually for a decade.
"I find something intriguing about the place every time I go," the photographer told Insider.
He describes a town so frozen in time there's still homework on desks and plates on kitchen tables.

Dennis Ariza has been a photographer since 1969, going from black-and-white photography to color, and then making the jump to digital.

While he's primarily a wildlife photographer, there's one static subject that keeps drawing him back: Bodie, California.

Ariza went to Bodie with a friend a decade ago and was instantly smitten by the eerie ghost town. He's been back at least once a year ever since.

"I find something intriguing about the place every time I go," he told Insider, describing a town so frozen in time that looks like its residents were "abducted by aliens."

Keep scrolling to see some of his most intriguing shots.

Photographer Dennis Ariza has been documenting the ghost town of Bodie, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, annually for over a decade.

The Main Street in Bodie, California. Dennis Ariza

At its peak, the gold mining town was home to 10,000 people and 250 buildings.

Bodie is one of the best-preserved old Western mining towns. Dennis Ariza

It was a notoriously dangerous Wild West town, infamous for the violence that accompanied its many saloons, brothels, gambling dens, and red-light district.

At its peak, Bodie had dozens of saloons. Dennis Ariza

"It was said that there was a shooting every day, and the second busiest business besides all the saloons was the morgue," Ariza told Insider.

Bodie is frozen in time. Dennis Ariza

While the town's mines opened in 1861, Bodie's decline started in 1879. It was fully abandoned by 1942 when the last mine closed, and it became a State Historic Park in 1962.

Bodie sits at an altitude of 8,379 feet. Dennis Ariza

While the town's mines opened in 1861, Bodie's decline started in 1879. It was fully abandoned by 1942 when the last mine closed, and it became a State Historic Park in 1962.

"When the town closed, there were still six residents," Ariza said. "All but one perished under strange circumstances."

The Boone Store and Warehouse still has canned goods on its shelves. Dennis Ariza

Ariza said that often when mines closed back then, people would simply pack up their personal belongings and leave everything else behind in order to beat others to jobs elsewhere.

Tables remain set for dinner. Dennis Ariza

Ariza said that often when mines closed back then, people would simply pack up their personal belongings and leave everything else behind in order to beat others to jobs elsewhere.

They'd find the next gold mining town and search for a new gig, as well as an abandoned home to move into.

People often took their personal belongings but left behind furniture. Dennis Ariza

"The first time I went to Bodie, it was really an odd experience, eerie, because I got the feeling that the people were abducted by aliens," Ariza said.

An outhouse that fits the whole family at once. Dennis Ariza

"They just packed up right in the middle of dinner," he added, citing homes that he found "with food on the table and pots on the stove."

Ariza said it looks like people were "abducted by aliens." Dennis Ariza

In the school, he said he's found open homework assignments and half-eaten apples left on desks.

The school still has homework assignments on the chalkboard. Dennis Ariza

"There's a lot of photographic opportunities," Ariza said of what keeps him coming back. "Every time I go I see something different, something that I didn't see before."

An old wagon still sits in its garage. Dennis Ariza

"There's a lot of photographic opportunities," Ariza said of what keeps him coming back. "Every time I go I see something different, something that I didn't see before."

Some of his favorite spots are the general store, which he said still has canned goods and bags of coffee on shelves, as well as the instantly recognizable barbershop and doctor's office.

One of the town's many barbershops. Dennis Ariza

Some of his favorite spots are the general store, which he said still has canned goods and bags of coffee on shelves, as well as the instantly recognizable barbershop and doctor's office.

Today, 110 buildings remain intact, with Bodie often hailed as one of the best examples of a Western gold mining town.

The buildings are all in surprisingly good condition. Dennis Ariza

While he's not looking for anything specific to photograph when he goes, Ariza said he automatically always starts at the church, and sort of does the same route every time.

One of a few churches in Bodie. Dennis Ariza

While he's not looking for anything specific to photograph when he goes, Ariza said he automatically always starts at the church, and sort of does the same route every time.

Old vehicles and the wooden wagons and sleds that were used to transport gold from the mines litter Bodie's surrounding fields.

Abandoned cars dot the town. Dennis Ariza

Ariza also mentioned the "curse of Bodie," which claims that anyone who takes anything from the town will have bad luck. He said "souvenirs" people have stolen keep getting sent back to the local ranger's station with letters of apology.

Wagons like this used to transport gold. Dennis Ariza

Ariza also mentioned the "curse of Bodie," which claims that anyone who takes anything from the town will have bad luck. He said "souvenirs" people have stolen keep getting sent back to the local ranger's station with letters of apology.

Ariza figured that he couldn't be alone with his fascination with Bodie, so he decided to self-publish a photography book on the town "to tell its story."

The "curse of Bodie" claims that taking "souvenirs" brings bad luck. Dennis Ariza

"People say, 'Oh, I would love to go there. It sounds so interesting,' but they never go, they'll never see it," he said. "To me, it was a chance to let other people see it."

In the winter, sleds would transport gold. Dennis Ariza

"People say, 'Oh, I would love to go there. It sounds so interesting,' but they never go, they'll never see it," he said. "To me, it was a chance to let other people see it."

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A photographer has been taking pictures of a 'cursed' ghost town in California for 10 years

Photographer Dennis Ariza has been documenting the ghost town of Bodie, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, annually for over a decade.

At its peak, the gold mining town was home to 10,000 people and 250 buildings.

It was a notoriously dangerous Wild West town, infamous for the violence that accompanied its many saloons, brothels, gambling dens, and red-light district.

"It was said that there was a shooting every day, and the second busiest business besides all the saloons was the morgue," Ariza told Insider.

While the town's mines opened in 1861, Bodie's decline started in 1879. It was fully abandoned by 1942 when the last mine closed, and it became a State Historic Park in 1962.

"When the town closed, there were still six residents," Ariza said. "All but one perished under strange circumstances."

Ariza said that often when mines closed back then, people would simply pack up their personal belongings and leave everything else behind in order to beat others to jobs elsewhere.

They'd find the next gold mining town and search for a new gig, as well as an abandoned home to move into.

"The first time I went to Bodie, it was really an odd experience, eerie, because I got the feeling that the people were abducted by aliens," Ariza said.

"They just packed up right in the middle of dinner," he added, citing homes that he found "with food on the table and pots on the stove."

In the school, he said he's found open homework assignments and half-eaten apples left on desks.

"There's a lot of photographic opportunities," Ariza said of what keeps him coming back. "Every time I go I see something different, something that I didn't see before."

Some of his favorite spots are the general store, which he said still has canned goods and bags of coffee on shelves, as well as the instantly recognizable barbershop and doctor's office.

Today, 110 buildings remain intact, with Bodie often hailed as one of the best examples of a Western gold mining town.

While he's not looking for anything specific to photograph when he goes, Ariza said he automatically always starts at the church, and sort of does the same route every time.

Old vehicles and the wooden wagons and sleds that were used to transport gold from the mines litter Bodie's surrounding fields.

Ariza also mentioned the "curse of Bodie," which claims that anyone who takes anything from the town will have bad luck. He said "souvenirs" people have stolen keep getting sent back to the local ranger's station with letters of apology.

Ariza figured that he couldn't be alone with his fascination with Bodie, so he decided to self-publish a photography book on the town "to tell its story."

"People say, 'Oh, I would love to go there. It sounds so interesting,' but they never go, they'll never see it," he said. "To me, it was a chance to let other people see it."