Darwin "Almost" Ghost Town

[@animallover4ever229]

I watched another video about Darwin fro 2009 so sad that the town got bought out, I was hoping to go there & retire, looked so peaceful!! Their were some interesting people in that video! Thanks for this, sad but interesting!!

[@Jennifermcintyre]

The mine is owned by a family but they don’t own the town. I live nearby and they were posting jobs available at the mine a couple years ago because they were trying to get the mine up and running again. The chances that they could do open pit mining is slim because of the strict restrictions by the California regulations..unlike Nevada just up the way where they are very open to mining and allow much more invasive forms of mining. I am not an expert on that though…I was a FedEx driver for Darwin and there’s still plenty of people there. The mine is extensive but the lift was broken last I heard. They still have dozens of ore carts stuck down below in the labyrinth of tunnels that were created decades ago. I would definitely go out and visit because I truly don’t think Darwin is going anywhere and if anything it will grow if they ramp up mining. Another town that is similar but not as isolated is Keeler. It’s got tons of history and charming in its own way!

[@vkorchnoifan]

Thanks!

[@dzlfreek]

thank you!

[@TOTALLYRELAXED]

Hey Rick! You sure go to some of most desolate places to be out there all by yourself! I think if it were ME I’d be packin’ heat! 😂 Geez, if those old buildings, rusted out automobiles, and, electrical equipment could talk! What wild stories they’d tell! Thanks for sharing and teaching us so much about history in the places you travel to. Safe travels! ~Jim~

[@j.trevorharris5645]

I don't go anywhere in California and many other states without doing the same. My preferred carry is a Nighthawk Custom 10 MM 1911. Will stop a full size bear in it's tracks.

[@TOTALLYRELAXED]

@@j.trevorharris5645 I’ve never had any experience with a 10mm. I do own two Springfield 9mm Hellcats though..the original and also the Pro…both using 15 round mags along with one in the hole ready for action when needed. I finally broke myself of buying holsters though…geez!..don’t know me what got into me about buying so many of those! LOL!

[@susanholl5994]

OMG. The people I met in Darwin were mostly retirees and super nice. The gun toting rednecks are long gone and there is absolutely no reason to be "packing heat". There are a few artists there, well worth a visit to see the sculptures. It's perfectly safe for a solo female traveler.

[@janblake9468]

My one and only visit to Darwin was in the early 1960's. Darwin Mine camp was closed then too with a locked gate and an unfriendly caretaker. Town itself was unfriendly as well. We camped beside some old mines and buildings in the Dawin Hills north of town.

[@janblake9468]

@@Storms_chaser I was never a hippie nor looked like one. My visit, as I stated, was early 1960's.

[@gooodies4u1]

That seem like the history of undesirables and lawlessness. It also appeared to be white only. A homestead for charles manson and crew as well. No church for decades and decades says something about the people whom when interviewed in 2009 mostly had something criminal in the past. A very interesting place to research of people who don't want to be seen or known in normal society.

[@jont.a83]

Watched the documentary from 14 years ago I hope anyone on that doco is still alive,will be good if you try go talk to the people about the history of the people there from the original documentary ❤was really interesting

[@RGambler1]

When the video starts on the main street in Darwin right where the old grocery store/gas and post office used to be in 1967 - 1968 I have a little history that happened there/then. In between the store and post office there used to be a long bench sitting there. There were 4 old men that used to sit there every day talking until about 3 - 4 in the afternoon, then go to their homes. Each day just before the old men would leave, one of the old men would tell the other's "well guy's this will be the last time I'll be here with you. I'm going to kill myself". This went on every day for a long time, and the next day that same old man would always show up there with his friends. This one day the old men were getting ready to head home and the same old man again told his buddy's "well, guy's this will be the last time I'll be here with you, I'm going to kill myself". One of the other old men spoke up said "I'm so tired of hearing you tell us that, just do it and stop telling us about it". The old man had a small old shack that he lived in just across the street from the store about 50 feet past that green Joshua tree that's shown in the video.. The old men all got up and went their own way's for the day. It was about an hour later and a shot was heard. That old man had went back to his old shack, put a chair up against the door, placed a small cal. gun in his mouth, and pulled the trigger. He held the gun his mouth a bit off center and knocked himself out the door when the gun went off. There were 3 - 4 steps and he ended up laying upside down on the steps. Since a small cal. gun was used, the bullet didn't go all the way through his head on the way out. The bullet raised the skin on top of the old man's head (he was bald) making the skin appear clear showing the bullet pressing against it making it look like a clear dome point. The police were called in Lone Pine, but it took them about 2 hours to arrive. In the meantime the old man just laid there upside down on the steps. I stayed there with the old man keeping the interested dog's away. I lived in one of the houses just below the mine at the time and I remember that happening just like it was yesterday.

[@barbarapearson1653]

so what happened?

[@Jennifermcintyre]

Did he survive?! Sad that anyone would suggest that someone should just kill them selves 😢

[@sandrah6426]

wow just watched a Doc from 9 years ago the gentlemen who made the rock sculptures was on it , crazy to see that everyone left

[@dzlfreek]

there's still people living there. Maybe 50 or so.

[@sandrah6426]

@@dzlfreek thanks it looked like everyone was gone do you know if the post office is still open?

[@dzlfreek]

@@sandrah6426 yes it is

[@christyedwards8315]

@@dzlfreek I had the same question just watched documentary from 2009 in this video looked like post office was boarded up. 😢

[@dzlfreek]

@@christyedwards8315 tools.usps.com/find-location.htm?location=1360321

[@filemontorres7635]

I wonder who owns the property, imagen building your own private cabin...

[@lorimac0260]

What happened to the people who lived there in the documentary (also on YT)? From about 15-20 years ago? Did the army make them leave?

[@dzlfreek]

the town is still inhabited. the army cant make people leave land it doesn't own. The military may have property that borders Darwin, but not the town itself

[@patriot72]

Like the XJ 👍 Same color as mine!

[@casedoumasr656]

Nice find and easy interesting and at one time a water station do you think maybe it was a whistle stop for rail ⛏️🏆🤔

[@dzlfreek]

no, I believe it was a water source for some of the mines in the area.

[@roosterj2599]

Gotta love that Dad Bod tshirt! I need one. Lol!

[@DntUTlkAbtAntHenny]

*You should have viewed the Awesome Documentary of Darwin* to see the actual folks who lived in Darwin.....

[@rahulmalhan6443]

Looks like the set of “Hills have eyes”

[@dzlfreek]

felt kinda creepy too

[@welcometoorefuge]

@@dzlfreek The Brad Pitt/ David Duchoveny film Kalifornia was partially filmed in Darwin . The fight scene , close to the end .

[@markmarkyyy5632]

Nice video!

[@martinburns7928]

Who wears a black shirt, and one that has that kinda print that doesn’t let any air through, into a desert?

[@dzlfreek]

in March? 70 degrees? I didn't know there was a special "desert uniform" that needed to be worn.

[@livingintheforest3963]

I would!!

[@MikeAndNary]

"Sparkelators" "shiny"...... you are definitely a Vice Grip Garage fan. 😆

[@hamsterman2008]

Thumbs Down on the drugs .

[@dzlfreek]

it was there when I arrived

[@matthewmarack7156]

My Dad and I went to Darwin in 1975..76...my dad had a friend that I remember...we went and seen...I believe his name was moony...moonie (not sure about the spelling)...he had the town gad station and worked the post office...I believe....anyone remember him or his wife...thanks