A ghost town in California, left abandoned for decades, was bought for a substantial sum, yet its future remains uncertain.
In a country where finding a home with ample space can be challenging, it’s intriguing to note the number of deserted towns across the US.
Once a lively settlement, this small Californian town has remained silent for more than 40 years, with hardly any activity.
Reports in May last year indicated that Eagle Mountain was acquired for $22 million. However, what lies ahead for the town is still a mystery.
Visitors today would encounter a scene of boarded-up houses, concrete remnants, and roads covered in gravel and debris.
For many years, iron mining kept the town bustling. However, in November 1981, Kaiser Steel Corporation’s directors convened in Oakland, deciding to gradually close the mine.
The mine officially closed in 1983, initiating the town’s decline and leading to the eviction of its residents.
It’s surprising to realize that this palm tree-lined town once housed approximately 4,000 people, mainly steel workers and their families.
Despite its abandonment, Hollywood directors have utilized the town’s haunting setting. Christopher Nolan used it in his film Tenet, and earlier, Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me was partially shot there.
The town was purchased by Ecology Mountain Holdings, per an SEC filing, though the identity of the buyer(s) remains undisclosed.
The seller was a company named Eagle Mountain Acquisition LLC from Ontario, California, which appears to be the last in a series of Kaiser subsidiaries that have owned the town for the past four decades.
This purchase raised concerns among filmmakers at the time. However, Levi Vincent, responsible for coordinating film and TV shoots at the mine, assured them that operations would continue as usual.
Like many other ghost towns, Eagle Mountain has a few foremen living there full-time to oversee the area. According to an SF Gate report, these foremen handle trespassers and have, on occasion, fired a shotgun into the air to deter them.