However, as was so often the case with gold rush ‘boomtowns’, the mining supply soon began to run out, and people quickly abandoned Bodie in favour of the next hot spot. While there was some interest in revitalising the practically abandoned town in the 1930s with the introduction of electricity, a fire wiped out all but 10% of the town, quashing the plan.

However, in 1962, Bodie’s remaining buildings were designated as both a State Historic Park and a National Historic Site, earning it the frequent designation of the 'Disneyland' of ghost towns. The park attracts thousands of tourists every year, and is preserved just enough to keep the buildings from deteriorating any further, resulting in an atmosphere of eerie suspended decay.

12 abandoned neighbourhoods, including the UK's Billionaires' Row