On Wednesday, the only ghost town in the Tri-County area was
consumed by fire. The once historically rich landmark of New Idria,
established 1856, was bound to get torched.
Dear Editor,
On Wednesday, the only ghost town in the Tri-County area was consumed by fire. The once historically rich landmark of New Idria, established 1856, was bound to get torched. For six years this silent, rustic outpost, a shadow of mercury mining’s heyday, has been routinely looted and vandalized – as it was on a massive scale by raiders of scrap metal all Tuesday evening long, into pre-dawn the following day. I live half a mile north of the archaeological site, and some two hours away from law enforcement and other services in Hollister.
Three-quarters of the abandoned mining district is utterly vanished. The old New Idria Post Office, the two-storied hotel/miners’ dormitory and at least ten other dilapidated but vintage houses and outbuildings are nothing more than a pile of ashes now. Whether the blaze was started by a carelessly chucked cigarette, a stupid attempt to wrestle out antique plumbing with a blow torch, or a psycho-drunken deliberate act, we may never know.
All the historical town needed to survive was one, just ONE guard or caretaker with access to a phone, a little preservation, and this county could have racked in more tourist money than the gold mining ghost town of Bodie in the eastern Sierras. In fact, some five years ago a prominent historian offered to do just that — establish a non-profit/volunteer preservation system for New Idria, but his proposal fell on the deaf ears of our small-minded, spineless San Benito County supervisors. Instead, they gave themselves fat raises behind closed doors when they could have been replenishing the county coffers. Rather than envisioning New Idria’s potential for reaping sight-seeing dollars, these locally elected lawgivers regarded this hidden piece of national history as an ugly stepchild.
Most culpable of all is the soon-to-be canned Supervisor Reb Monaco. New Idria falls in his vast rural district (4), but this dishonorable politician has never done one positive thing for anyone living in southeast county, Panoche Valley, the Vallecitos or anywhere on New Idria Road. Thank God the voters finally got wise to him.
But it’s too late for New Idria: more than 150 years of history went up in smoke in a matter of hours. As for who is responsible for this crime, I can name five people. They work part time, earn obscenely engorged salaries with our property tax money, and meet every Tuesday at the County Administration Building.
Kate Woods, New Idria
