Johannesburg, California Vacation Rentals by Owner House and Condo Rentals.
Johannesburg, California vacation rentals by owner condo and house rentals is in an old Western ghost town, with only 100 current inhabitants. Gold was discovered here in 1894 and was the third largest discovery in the US. There is still an active mine producing lots of gold daily. There are many mines in the area and prospecting tours are available. In spite of its ghostliness, Johannesburg, California vacation rentals by owner condo and house rentals is in the center of the most popular recreational area in Southern California. Loads of national parks, hiking, climbing, history, natural history, film history and more.
There are approximately 30 different natural, geological, historical and botanical attractions within 100 miles of the town, including the Joshua Tree National Forest and Death Valley National Park. Dont miss Fossil Falls and Trona Pinnacles: theyre spectacular and near your Johannesburg, California vacation rentals by owner condo and house rentals.
The area is a magnet for Johannesburg, California vacation rentals by owner condo and house rentals and filmmakers, who are attracted to the bizarre geological formations and desert scenery (think Alien movies!) While at your Johannesburg, California vacation rentals by owner condo and house rentals, check out Red Rock Canyon, Trona Pinnacles, Fossil Falls, Burro Schmidt's Tunnel, all of which are natural movie sets year around.
Hiking and climbing the magnificent rocks and trails is a favorite activity for vacationers staying in their Johannesburg, California vacation rentals by owner condo and house rentals at the many nearby National Parks and natural areas. Daily tours and guides are available from the Death Valley Hostel.
Johannesburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, in a mining district of the Rand Mountains. The terminus of the Randsburg Railway was here from 1897 to 1933. The population was 176 at the 2000 census. Johannesburg is divided from the neighboring community of Randsburg by a ridge. The town is frequently referred to as "Jo-burg" by locals and frequent visitors to the northwest Mojave.
Johannesburg was founded to support mining operation at Randsburg. In addition to providing rail access, the region's first wells were operated by companies located in Johannesburg. During the first half of the 20th Century, the Rand Mining District was the principle gold producing region of California. Activity centered around the Yellow Aster Mine, discovered in 1894. In 1919, the Rand Silver Mine was discovered east of town on Red Mountain. The Rand Mine produced more silver than any mine in California.
Johannesburg was named by miners who had previously worked in the gold-producing region of South Africa. Containing the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, this region is in the Witwatersrand Mountains, and is frequently referred to as "the Rand."
Today, the most striking evidence that Johannesburg was a prosperous turn-of-the-century mining town is the headframe of the King Solomon Mine (discovered in 1896) and the nearby town cemetery. No longer visible, however, are the Randsburg Railway tracks, which culminated in Johannesburg--making the town a booming transportation center for the region. Many surrounding mining communities--such as Randsburg, Ballerat and Skidoo--relied on the tracks to receive equipment and supplies, and to transport ore out of town for processing. When miners at Randsburgıs Yellow Aster Mine constructed their own ore-crushing stamp mill (one of the largest ever made), the value of the railway greatly diminished. The line was sold to Santa Fe Railroad in 1903, and the tracks were eventually abandoned, then torn up sometime between 1933 and 1934. Johannesburg was a highly civilized family community, with streets planned out in an orderly arrangement, a working water system that extended to residences, a social organization whose clubhouse included a billiard table and piano...the town even boasted a nine-hole golf course. Among the townıs buildings were boardinghouses, banks, churches, a post office, a music hall and two saloons--all occupied by a community of men, women and children who had little to do with the gambling, dance hall girls, and general rowdy living thatıs often associated with this era. For more detailed information, consult Ginny Clarkıs Guide to Highway 395 and/or Philip Varneyıs Southern Californiaıs Best Ghost Towns, both of which supplied the bulk of the above information. Submitted by: K. Allsbrook