Calico Ghost Town , Mojave Desert , California / My First Job Was Here! History and Geology Tour

[@nathany8065]

Thanks for the video including the geology lesson!

[@earthandtime5817]

@@nathany8065 you are so welcome. Glad you enjoyed and apologies for the delayed response.

[@donaldperson948]

The fluorescent rocks in the mine are awesome!

[@earthandtime5817]

They are so cool. I bought a portable blacklight. Hope to share mor fluorescent rocks with you all! Thanks for the comment.

[@bluwtrgypsy]

Very interesting place. Love the bottle house. Exciting for you to go back Thank you.

[@earthandtime5817]

It was like going home. I am glad you enjoyed it. Thank you!

[@Jack-xo2zp]

Thank you for the video. For information, you may or may not know that starting in the 1940s on radio and then in the 1950s and 1960s on TV, there was a long running western series called Death Valley Days. It was an anthology series which was sponsored by the Pacific Coast Borax Co., which made Boraxo, and which also was called 20 Mule Team Borax. They always showed the mule team with the wagons in the ads.

[@earthandtime5817]

I remember my dad telling me about it. I will have to look that show up and the add. Thanks so much for sharing and the info. Really appreciated!

[@johnbaenen5386]

Thank you. I enjoy all your work

[@earthandtime5817]

I'm so glad that you do. Hope all is well with you and yours. And thanks for all of the support.

[@barbaraarsenault1192]

Loved this video. Such great stories from your past and geology lessons from your present education. Awesome!

[@earthandtime5817]

Glad you enjoyed it! And thanks so much for the kind words.

[@earthandtime5817]

Calico is near and dear to my heart. I have two more videos on the area coming soon. One I go through the Maggie Mine and the other I delve a bit deeper into the geology!

[@barbaraarsenault1192]

I look forward to those other Calico mine and geology videos.

[@earthandtime5817]

Thank you. I am in the process of editing them and the mine video will be out later this week.

[@joyswenson7941]

My family went to Calico maybe… 25 yrs ago? I’m an old west nut (even then) and I loved learning anything about mining towns. From Calico I remember the crooked house! That was awesome! 😊

[@earthandtime5817]

Thanks for sharing! It is a making place. I love the Mystery Shack and used to give yours there also. Hope you can make it back again someday. Appreciate the comment.

[@riverraisin1]

I have a old little burro and prospector bronze figurine that I bought at a yard sale in AZ. It has the Calico Ghost Town label on it. Probably came from around the time you worked there or earlier. That Sioux City Sarsaparilla isn't anything like it used to be. Now it tastes like they load it with lots of high fructose corn syrup and took out the natural flavorings.

[@earthandtime5817]

I remember those little burros. That is Greta. Thanks for sharing. I am always on the lookout for good root beer and sarsaparilla. Any suggestions? Appreciate your comment and that you enjoyed the video.

[@ashlynnjameson5037]

I was actually there working at the mystery shack the day you came out; my coworkers and I really enjoyed chatting with you and hearing your stories. This is such an awesome video showcasing the history of our little town😊 hope to see you again one day

[@earthandtime5817]

Thank you so much. Was so nice to meet you all. I do have some follow up. I am getting some articles together to donate to the museum in Daggett. I hope to see you all again as well. 😀

[@Sparkthemagicdragon]

4:03 that's me!

[@earthandtime5817]

@@Sparkthemagicdragon thanks for watching and commenting… oh and starring. I need to add a credit 😉

[@searchingforhistory]

Calico Ghost Town, looks pretty cool. We definitely want to spend some time in the Mojave Desert! Is Calico where your interest in Geology started? FYI, there is a bottlehouse at Rhyolite, Nevada that is worth checking out.

[@earthandtime5817]

It is one of my favorite places and has been my whole life. I definitely think Calico had an influence on me getting degrees in geology and US History. I didn’t know about the bottle house in Rhyolite. I will out it in the list for when I am in Nevada again. Thank you.

[@Vanos99]

Lived in Barstow as a child visited many times

[@earthandtime5817]

Thank you for watching and for sharing.

[@FREEDOM1TRUTH1BOLDNESS]

Calico was like my backyard. Grew up in Barstow, left in '98. I sure do miss Calico. I think about time there a great deal. It holds some pretty sweet memories for me. Dad used to take us there on Sundays after church since I was about 3 yrs old and it never got old. Even in High School a day at Calico was always a good time and full of sweet memories of days with dad. I love that place and have not been back in over 25 yrs. I hope to get there again one day. Now in Utah, not too far away but rarely get back to Ca. anymore. I'd sure love to visit there more than I can say. Thanks so very much for this great tour of the good ol' days. It truly made my weekend to watch your vid. Thanks again ! (Go Riffians, class of '77, ... before Aztec's came along! lol )

[@earthandtime5817]

Thanks so much for sharing. We could have crossed paths during the 90’s there. I have so many fond memories of the area also. Always nice to go back and visit after such a long time. Thank you for the kind words.

[@albertpraeger3418]

As a kid (1940's) I traveled to Calico with my dad, we went up Odesa canyon on a paved road that made a large circle. In the 1970's I returned to Calico with my son and there was no paving left, but we found a 2,1/2-foot-high stalagmite next to the road with a 2-inch-thick layer of blacktop at the top. Interesting fact: There was, 6 to 8 blocks from Calico (1970's) there was a mom & pop children's animation exhibition with merry-go-round, moving toys, all wind driven.

[@earthandtime5817]

Thanks so much for sharing your story. I love hearing about your experiences at the places I visit. Really interesting how much the area and Calico have changed through the years. I had no idea about the extra entertainment in the 70’s. Would love to find those photos! Thanks again.

[@jamesbaldwin7676]

Yes, there are extensive mine shafts all through the mountains and sorounding deserts. Complete with little train tracks. Calico Mountain is litterally honeycombed and hollow (just like the ride in Knotts). Terribly dangerous and closed, but still there. Many men and mules spent their entire lives living in deep holes.

[@earthandtime5817]

Thank you so much for sharing. When I was working there we worked with the rangers and mapped out some of the tunnels. Was really interesting and a bit scary at times.

[@bethbartlett5692]

Excellent Narrative. 📚 A map that pin points Calico would be great, giving proximity to major cities like San Diego, LA, State line NV, and Las Vegas. (I'm estimating, based on Mohave Desert, i15, cause I'm not sure where Calico is located). Great Video though! You were really young in the late 90's! I lived in Southern Nevada then, 17 years, and loved Nevada. I traveled nationally w/my job, Chicago born (GO CUBS!!!) and West Tennessee raised (Dad's home). Civil War History area. Beth Bartlett Sociologist Behavioralist and Historian PS: the Coke Bottle House is a true work of Americana Art! Absolutely amazing. Wonder what year? Coca Cola was created in the latter 1800's, so it easily could be Turn of the Century. Excellent locale for a Gift Shop. I remember Borax, in the 70's they still sold it as a Mainstream product, and advertised it on TV. Knott's did a really thorough job making this a Worthy tour, and apparently they continue to dedicate time and effort to expanding its value of details. Educationally it offers: History, Geology, Sociology, and the Industrial Era's "technology". A great location for School Field Trip Tours, for all ages. What sort of candy is "ABBA ZABA"? Never heard of it, but I primarily stick with Russel Stovers Sugarless candies, the Dark Chocolate, Turtles, and their version of Reese's Cups. Excellent and they taste exactly like they are regular sugar sweetened, but it's Stevia! (I have a weakness for homemade candy and made from scratch cakes/desserts like: (Gooey Butter Cake, Pineapple Upside Down Cake), (Strawberry Cake with fresh Strawberries added to the cake part + with Cheese Cake like layer swirled through it), and a (5 layer French Vanilla and Chocolate Pudding with Whip Cream and a Pecan/Flour Crust), it is Delicious! (Once every few months I make these, from scratch, and using real products, but I alter the amount of sugar and blend in Stevia to keep the sugar amount lower, but you can't tell it and they taste far better. I even make my own Vanilla Extract, home made Whip Cream, fresh free range eggs (really healthy), and these desserts are really reasonable and eaten occasionally, they offer Healthy Values to our diet. Imagine "guilt free" delicious Desserts! Absolutely Fabulous. It is worth the time and effort.

[@earthandtime5817]

Thank you so much for the compliments and suggestions. And thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Calico is along I15 just north of Barstow. I will get maps on future videos. Thanks for that feedback. ABBA zabba is a a long vanilla taffy bar with a thin layer of peanut butter. I think they were more popular in the 60’s-70’s. Hope you enjoy my other episodes as well. Nice to meet you via KZbin! Thanks again.

[@Jimbeam151]

If you rent one of the cabins there do you get access to the town too?

[@earthandtime5817]

That’s a good question. I don’t know. When we camped there we could walk into town at night. That was always a lot of fun. I imagine if you stayed in the cabins you could do the same thing but check with a ranger to be safe. Thanks.

[@hollywoodjoe3259]

Are the cabins in town or walking distance to town?

[@hollywoodjoe3259]

How’s the restaurant there ?

[@earthandtime5817]

It was packed and is good. It is a solid mom and pop type of place. Thanks for watching and the comment.

[@hollywoodjoe3259]

@@earthandtime5817 thanks for the response back 👍

[@earthandtime5817]

@@hollywoodjoe3259 you are welcome. Hope you make it to Calico and if so, let me know ow what you think about the restaurant.

[@hollywoodjoe3259]

@@earthandtime5817 will do👍

[@donaldperson948]

How much did they pay you? How far away did you live?!

[@earthandtime5817]

Thanks for the question. I can’t emery what was paid back then (note I also can’t remember my pay at Burger King or as an assistant printer either). I lived along Route 66 outside of Barstow.

[@MrMarshall7491]

Is the Calico cat named for this area?

[@earthandtime5817]

I don’t think so. However they are named for their variety or colors much like the hills at Calico Ghost Town. If someone has more information please share with us. Thank you for the question. I appreciate it.

[@FREEDOM1TRUTH1BOLDNESS]

The Mt Range there is very colorful naturally. Maybe that is why they named it Calico. It is a beautiful desert.

[@donaldperson948]

5.50? You should tell them you use to work there and ask for a free ride? Did they give your money back? Derailed? Come on? That’s not cool? Maybe OSHA needs to come and fix it properly?

[@earthandtime5817]

I was happy to pay to support the place and they did give me my money pack. I do like the OSHA comment! Made me smile. It is an old track. Hopefully they got it figured out.