The Creepiest Ghost Town in California
Eagle Mountain, California, is a heartbreaking example of the rise and fall of industrial towns in the American West. Nestled in the southeastern desert near Joshua Tree National Park, this ghost town was once a lively company town built by the Kaiser Steel Corporation in the 1940s. Its story interlinks the ambitions of industrial growth and the challenges of economic downturns
The Birth of Eagle Mountain
Eagle Mountain came to life during World War II when Henry J. Kaiser, an industrialist known for his contributions to shipbuilding and steel production, sought a reliable source of iron ore. He discovered a rich deposit in the Chuckwalla Valley and established the Eagle Mountain Mine in 1948. To support the mine’s operations, Kaiser built the town, which included homes, schools, a shopping center, a hospital, and even a bowling alley.
At its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, Eagle Mountain housed more than 4,000 ambitious and hopeful residents, most of whom worked in or around the mine. The town was a model of post-war industrial development, representing the optimism of the era. It was designed to be self-sufficient, with everything residents needed for daily life within close proximity.
