Bodie Standard Stamp Mill at sunset.
GT1001
Title: ”Graceful Decline - Bodie, California”
The subject, Bodie, California–The Kirkwood House, bent by a hundred winters of snowdrifts, at the 8,000 foot level of the Sierras, and bowed by endless days of high desert heat. The house was photographed in late afternoon. I had made a note to come back to this site at dusk, and found the natural bowl of hills around Bodie filled with lenticular clouds. An orange filter was used to separate the sky, clouds and detail of the naturally orange ageing characteristics of the Jeffery Pine, that most of the buildings were made of. There was time for two exposures before the fading light left the scrub brush and desert sage, and this moment was gone!
Print #GT1001 available for purchase
GT1002
Title: DeChambeau Hotel, Odd Fellows Hall
A setting sun behind the DeChambeau Hotel and Odd Fellows Hall. Looks like a movie set, but, this is the "Real West!"
Print #GT1002 available for purchase
GT1003
Title: "1927 Dodge Graham , Bodie, California"
Sunset at the Shell Station in Bodie. A 1927 Dodge Graham delivery truck awaits a fill-up.
Print #GT1003 available for purchase
GT1004
Title: ”A Desolate Place to Live, Bodie - California”
The lone house was photographed on the same day as GT1001(above) The lenticular clouds and sky were separated with an orange/red filter, adding to the feeling of isolation.
Print #GT1004 available for purchase
GT1005
Title: ”The Firehouse –Bodie, California”
The subject: Interior: The Firehouse - notice the lanterns and the faded blood stained stretcher. Several major fires swept thru Bodie. It is still a concern and threat to the town's remaining structures, even today.
Print #GT1005 available for purchase
GT1006
Title: ”Wagon Wheels in the Standard Stamp Mill –Bodie, California”
The subject: Interior, the Standard Stamp Mill; was one of the most advanced gold milling facilities in the world. Cyanide/mercury leaching was utilized here. The troughs once held toxic mercury metal and the belts collected gold particles on a thin film of mercury. The workers would go "mad" after only a few months in this hazardous environment from mercury poisoning.
Print #GT1006 available for purchase
GT1007
Title: "Exterior - Boone General Store–Bodie, California”
Erected in 1879, this general store was owned by Harvey Boone, a direct descendent of Daniel Boone. Harvey also owned the Boone Stable and Livery business. The building's sides were made of re-cycled five-gallon cans that originally held Kerosene and gasoline
Print #GT1007 available for purchase
GT1008
Title: ”Sam Leon Bar –Bodie, California”
The Standard Mine yielded about $15 million over a 25 year period, and was responsible for the 1878 gold rush to Bodie. In less than 12 months, the population rose from about 20 residents to over ten thousand, miners, gamblers, entrepreneurs, and other fortune seekers. While the boom lasted Bodie produced over $400,000 in gold bullion per month. Overall an estimated $100 million flowed out of the little, isolated town in the high desert.
Print #GT1008 available for purchase
GT1009
Title: ”Post Office in the DeChambeau Hotel –Bodie, California”
Numbered Post Office Boxes - in the Lobby of the DeChambeau Hotel. The Post Office moved here in 1897. THe building was erected by the Bodie Postmaster George Putnam.
Print #GT1009 available for purchase
GT1010
Title: ”Another Day at School–Bodie, California”
The schoolhouse building, [center] built in 1879, was originally the Bon Ton Lodging House. This image was exposed about 30 minutes after after sunrise on a very cold morning in May.
Print #GT1010 available for purchase
GT1011
Title: ”The Teacher–Bodie, California”
The first schoolteacher at Bodie was Belle More. While photographing this interior desk - a visitor - poked his head in the doorway - He was about 70, and excitedly proclaimed that he went to school here as a boy. He even found his "old desk" with his name carved into it.. (Bodie was closed from about 1930 until it became a state historic park in 1962. Only a caretaker lived in town, and due to the remote location, much was left intact, as it was when abandoned.
Print #GT1011 available for purchase
GT1012
Title: ”Rusty Steed –Bodie, California”
An old automobile is rusting in a field. The image was taken in that "quiet light" period - the magical hour 30 minutes before sunset to about 30 minutes after sunset.
Special permission is required to remain in the park and photograph at this time. This image was exposed about 10 minutes after sunset. The negative contrast range was expanded thru extended development to bring out the subtle details and enhance the contrast of the rusted metal and weather worn paint.
Print #GT1012 available for purchase
GT1013
Title: ”Lifeline–Bodie, California”
Bodie had one of the first electric lifts for mine elevators. This is a spool of braided cable that was used on one of the elevators.
Print #GT1013 available for purchase
GT1014
Title: ”Electric Sundial –Bodie, California”
A power control lies abandoned in a field reflects a soft glow. This image was taken about 20 minutes after sunset.
Print #GT1014 available for purchase
GT1015
Title: ”A Social Visit –Bodie, California”
Another "Fine Residence" - although somewhat "water damaged" - the wallpaper [also on the ceiling] has dropped like sheets. The interior was very dark with the only light coming from window.
Careful zone placement helped insure that the negative captured sufficient highlight and shadow detail.
Print #GT1015 available for purchase
GT1016
Title: ”A Bottle of Light –Bodie, California”
The subject, A one gallon jug on top of a chopping block was glowing very slightly from light entering cracks through a livery door to a storeroom of what was in 1885-1886, the U.S. Land Office, and later the Wheaton and Hollis Hotel in Bodie, California. Bodie, one of the best preserved ghost towns in the West, is a California State Park and is in a state of “arrested decay.”
Print #GT1016 available for purchase
GT1017
Title: ”Wake-up Call –Bodie, California”
Bodie had the first and latest "technology", The first Electric plant in the west, telephones, railways, a racetrack, and a state-of the art gold processing plant that was a world class model of mining operations.
This image was photographed about 9 AM The sun was up but the day had not yet heated up The outside temperature [in May] was about 17 degrees so this was a welcomed interior excursion.
Print #GT1017 available for purchase
GT1018
Title: ”A Little More Than Resting –Bodie, California”
Lottie Johl House: Lottie began her career in Bodie in the red-light district. She eventually married the local butcher and gained some respectably as a painter. This 4x5 negative was exposed just as the dawn was breaking, early light is hitting the house wall and rippling through the old glass, casting patterns on the wall and mattress.
Print #GT1018 available for purchase
GT1019
Title: ”Sit by the Fire Awhile –Bodie, California”
Many of the homes were outfitted with imported wallpapers, silks, fine rugs, and furnishings, brought at great expense to this remote place. In winter It was so cold that the pot bellied stove could be red hot, and the occupant would be shivering two to three feet away. Look carefully , this was once a fine residence.
Print #GT1019 available for purchase
GT1020
Title: ”A Few Supplies, Boone Store –Bodie, California”
The people that really made money in Body were the mining suppliers.. dry goods, lumber, tools, gasoline.. all were needed, and available for a profit.
Print #GT1020 available for purchase
GT1021
Title: ”The best beef this side of New York City" –Bodie, California”
The subject: Interior: Butcher counter in the Boon General Store. The town boasted a race track, saloons, fine hotels, gambling halls, and of course bordellos. All the vices to separate the miners from their hard earned gold.
Print #GT1021 available for purchase
GT1022
Title: ”A Stitch in Time–Bodie, California”
The subject: Interior: Mrs. Miller’s Boarding House–Bodie, California. Pincushions, canning jars, an old basket; items on a dust laden table. Natural light from dust encrusted windows illuminate the canning jars.
Limited access is granted to the interior buildings in Bodie by the State Park Service, under condition that nothing is disturbed. The challenge is to find undisturbed images, working with the natural light to craft exposures that will faithfully convey the mood and spirit of this unique time capsule of the real American West.
Print #GT1022 available for purchase
GT1023
Title: ”Reading the Post –Bodie, California”
An old "Saturday Evening Post" lays open on a card table in the Wheaton and Hollis Hotel lobby. Old glass has "pooled" thicker on the bottoms of the windows - helping to cast interesting refractions on the paper.
Print #GT1023 available for purchase
GT1024
Title: ”In From The Weather –Bodie, California”
Mid-afternoon in the Wheaton and Hollis Hotel lobby. This building served as a Land Office, later as a Power company office, and finally a boarding house.
Power was brought into Bodie from Green Creek, 13 miles away - in a straight line, because it was believed at the time that electricity could not turn corners!
Cross country skis are propped up against the far wall. They had to be laced on the skier's boots.
Print #1024 available for purchase
GT1025
Title: ”Boone Store Office –Bodie, California”
Boon Store Interior: Looking into Boone's office in the General Store. An old latter is standing on the wall in front. A set of weights can be seen through the glass window.
Print #GT1025 available for purchase
GT1026
Title: ”The Alchemist–Bodie, California”
The subject: Sodering Assay Office. Sodering went to Germany to learn about the new cyanide gold process and became expert in the field. Many of these bottles were removed some months after this image was taken, They still contained caustic chemicals, such as nitric acid.
Print #GT1026 available for purchase
GT1027
Title: ”Iron Wall and Canvas Detail –Bodie, California”
After fires, scavengers took the tin hammered tin from the burned structures [ceilings] and used them on the outside walls of other dwellings as siding - To shield themselves from bitter cold winters, and wind and snow with up to 40 foot drifts.
Print #GT1027 available for purchase
GT1028
Title: ”Boone Store Window –Bodie, California”
Window Detail, The Boon General Store - Looking into Boone's Office. This is what visitors usually get to see as most of the building interiors are not open to the public.
Print #GT1028 available for purchase
GT1029S
Title: ”High Noon - Cain Residence, Bodie, California”
James Stuart Cain came to Bodie at 25, owned a lumber company, and eventually became Bodie's principal property owner.
This is a special order panoramic print - approximately 10" high by 18" wide.
Print #GT1029S contact Digital Pigment Editions for purchase
GT1030
Title: ”Elevator - Mine Shaft Lift Equipment, Bodie, California”
In the field lies discarded mining equipment, This is a lift cable and engine for one of the deep mine shafts. The Standard Stamp Mill is in the background, where gold was separated from gold bearing ore with rock crushing equipment, liquid mercury, and cyanide leaching. Miner's pay was $4.00 per day, and OSHA did not exist!
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GT1031
Title: ”Seven Stamp Mill, Bodie, California”
On the road to Aurora, 18 miles north of Bodie, and the gold mining community that Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) tried his hand at gold mining, is this small seven stamp mill used for crushing the gold bearing ore into small bits. A dirty, noisy and dangerous place to work. Many lost hands and feet shoveling the ore into the stamps.
Print #GT1031 contact Digital Pigment Editions for purchase
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