Somewhere east of Highway 395, behind Owens Lake lie the remains of the town of Swansea.  Over 100 years ago this little community serviced the rich Sera Gordo Mine in the White Mountains above Swansea.  Now it is just a grave yard for old mining equipment left rusting in the desert.

 

        
                  80.  Bathtub and steel shed

    A little further down the road is the strange town of Keeler.  Today we found a group of artist painting an old structure long since abandoned.  There are people living in Keeler.  This once prosperous community also served the great Silver mines in the hills above it. 

                  81.  Artist Paints Abandoned Smelter  

I can paint too.  I just use a different kind of canvas and a different style paint brush. 

       
    

82.  Old Smelter and Boiler
Vic and I were politely asked to leave the town of  Dolomite, not to far from Swansea.  I'll have to admit, we saw the "no trespassing private property" signs as we quietly slipped into town.  There still is a working mining operation in this ghost town and I suspect the owners are afraid  sight seers will get hurt in the rubble.  I got a little carried away with special effects in this picture. 

             

This old market in Keeler is just waiting for some one to re-stock it and open it again. 

        
85.  Keeler Resident
84.  General Store
83.  Water Tower Down
               
                 

 Keeler residents  enjoy life at a slightly different pace then the rest of us.  Probably for the better.

 

 

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