Randsburg, Ghost town (USA, CA) December 2013.
Randsburg (formerly, Rand Camp)is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Randsburg is located 17 miles (27 km) south of Ridgecrest,at an elevation of 3504 feet (1068 m). The population was 69 at the 2010 census, down from 77 at the 2000 census. Randsburg is located at 35°22′07″N 117°39′29″W.[2] It is on the west side of U.S. Route 395 between Kramer Junction to the south and Ridgecrest to the north. Randsburg is in the Rand Mountains, and is separated by a ridge from the neighboring community of Johannesburg. Gold was discovered at Rand Mine near the site in 1895 and a mining camp quickly formed, and was named Rand Camp, both mine and camp were named after the gold mining region in South Africa. The first post office at Randsburg opened in 1896. The town has an influx of tourism throughout the year, mainly from fall through spring. Travellers stop in while driving Highway 395, or camping in the area and off roading. During Thanksgiving, as well as New Year's Day weekend, the town is flooded by tourists. Many come on motorcycles and other off-road vehicles that line the streets. The center for most tourists is the general store / ice cream parlour. Famous for their 1904 soda fountain and "Black Bart" banana split desert, the general store is still active and filled with great food, many other necessities of life, and antiques from the area. There are a number of antique stores, art galleries, gift shops, and a historic mining museum of the area. The town's old jail is open to tourists, too. The Randsburg General Store is open every day except Wednesday. The museum and all other businesses, including the town's two watering holes, are open on the weekends.
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