The American west has always held an allure for Brent Underwood, who grew up watching the television show Gunsmoke with his grandfather every single day. After working in the hostel industry for years, when the opportunity to own an authentic former mining town of his own finally came up, he knew he had to take it. The only problem is that for the time being, he is stuck there.
One of the most prosperous silver mines in California’s history, Cerro Gordo was established in 1865, and by 1890, there were close to 5,000 miners calling it home. According to Brent, the demand for supplies was so high that the closest port city – Los Angeles – needed to grow fast to meet this increasing demand, ultimately transforming it into the booming destination it is today. Currently, Cerro Gordo stands as one of the most authentic “ghost towns,” retaining a similar state to when it was abandoned a century ago. After investing his life savings into this purchase, Brent had ambitious plans to transform the town, with overnight accommodations set to launch in May. Unfortunately, these plans were abruptly interrupted by the spread of COVID-19.
“The caretaker Robert has been here for nearly 21 years. When the coronavirus crisis hit, he went home to be with his wife, which left the town exposed to the elements and other threats. Consequently, I packed up my truck in Austin and drove nearly 24 hours straight to get here. I originally planned on being here for maybe two weeks before resupplying and reassessing, but a few major snowstorms hit and changed those plans. I’ve now been here for over a month,” Brent explained to iBestTravel.
Currently, Brent is living at Cerro Gordo without running water and is surviving off canned goods. However, he remains positive, noting that this experience has provided him with valuable perspective on life. He is also working towards a future when he can open the town to visitors.
“It will be some time before people are traveling broadly again. That obviously hurts from a financial perspective, but the safety of the world is most important. Therefore, I’m just doing what I can do with the property. I’m trying to control what I can control and not stress about what I can’t. That means I’m up here fixing up more of the buildings,” he said. Brent has been learning to build decks, refinish old floors, and repair roofs.
“It’s an interesting time to be at Cerro Gordo. Every night, I walk past the cemetery that has the remains of miners who died from the Spanish Influenza. That pandemic took Cerro Gordo by storm, and a number of miners died here and in the surrounding towns. Now, I’m here during this pandemic. Sitting in the same buildings, walking the same roads. For me, this time forces reflection,” he shared.
From almost every building on the 400-acre site, one can enjoy stunning views of Mount Whitney and Sequoia National Park across Owen’s Valley. On the backside of the property, guests will also be able to see Death Valley spread out before them.
For more information on Cerro Gordo, visit the official website.
