The small Route 66 town of Ludlow, Calif., may see a lot more economic activity if a company reopens a closed gold mine south of there, reported the Desert Dispatch, based in Barstow.
The newspaper said:
Bagdad Chase, Inc. plans to reopen the Bagdad Chase mine, said George Rodda, who serves on the board of directors for the company. The company is working to perform additional tests before reopening, Rodda said. […]
Workers must complete experimental drilling and magnetic testing in the mine to evaluate the effects of a 1999 earthquake on the facility, Rodda said. Some of the ore could have shifted its position as a result of the quake, he said. Rodda said a team of biologists were also working to complete environmental studies. […]
Rodda declined to provide specific numbers of possible jobs or a specific opening date, but said the company had permits lined up with San Bernardino County.
According to this Google Map, the mine is about 7.5 miles south of Ludlow. That road would provide the only access to Interstate 40.
I found this fascinating history of the Bagdad Chase Mine, which dates to the 1890s. According to this photo essay about the mine and the nearby ghost towns of Ragtown and Stedman, the mine stopped operations in 1975.
As for Ludlow, the town consists of a couple of gas stations, a Dairy Queen, a very cool coffeehouse, and a clean, quiet motel where we stayed after an afternoon hiking around nearby Amboy Crater. Many of the houses, though, are abandoned and deteriorating.
However, if this gold mine happens, Ludlow may be transformed into a Route 66 boomtown — again.
(Hat tip: Delvin Harbour)
Wow, wouldn’t that be something!
Seen one of the owners/Miners come into Roy’s cafe the other day proud to shake his hand I have been researching the history of Amboy and the surrounding mines. -CHARLIE, BENGAL, CAL 92304