YouTuber Reveals Dark History of California Ghost Town Cerro Gordo
Content creator Brent Underwood, known as Ghost Town Living on YouTube, has shared the haunting history of Cerro Gordo after purchasing the abandoned California mining settlement with his life savings. Established in 1865, the former silver-mining town once ranked among the state’s most prosperous, reportedly housing more than 4,500 miners at its peak and yielding nearly $500 million in minerals from the surrounding hills.
Lawlessness and Violence Defined Daily Life
Underwood describes a community where law enforcement rarely ventured, leaving miners to settle disputes themselves. This absence of authority contributed to Cerro Gordo’s reputation for extreme violence, though some of the most disturbing stories unfolded underground.
Tragic Mining Accidents Preserved in Historical Records
Detailing one infamous incident on his TikTok page (@brentwunderwood), Underwood recounts a catastrophic collapse in the 1870s:
“An unknown number of Chinese miners went to work, and the roof of the mine collapsed on them, burying them where they were, and unfortunately, their bodies were never recovered,” he explained.
“And there was an article a few years later where they were finally able to locate one of the bodies, and it was found almost perfectly preserved.”
“And a few years after that, there’s an article that a man was making his way up this ladder from 900 feet below, and as he almost got to the surface right here, he was pulled in by this cage and he fell 900 feet to the very bottom of this mine where he was found a shapeless mass.”
“If you look through the newspapers, there’s countless accidents that happened in this mine, which makes it incredibly spooky, especially when you go down there.”
Last Recorded Murder Remains Unsolved
The town’s above-ground history was equally grim. Underwood highlights the site of Cerro Gordo’s last recorded murder on December 29, 1892, when Henry Bolin was shot dead following an encounter with William Crapo. Crapo allegedly fled into the surrounding mines and disappeared despite a major manhunt and a $500 reward for his capture.
Unexplained Personal Experience Adds to Mystery
Underwood has experienced something he cannot explain himself. While walking past the town’s bunkhouse one evening, he claims he saw curtains open, a face peer through a window, and then disappear. After discovering nobody was staying there, he searched and padlocked the building. The following evening, however, he says the light inside was mysteriously back on. Underwood has since avoided entering the bunkhouse.
Restoration Efforts Continue Despite Macabre Past
Despite Cerro Gordo’s dark history, Underwood remains committed to restoring the property. His ultimate goal is to allow more visitors to stay overnight and experience the remarkable ghost town for themselves.
