Calico Ghost Town Rebuilt, 2002
Born in 1881- the Calico mining district produced nearly 50 mines, yielding 15 to 20 million ounces of silver and $9 million in borax minerals up until 1907. Calico Ghost Town lay in the center of the district.
Like all mining camps of its time, Calico was susceptible to fire and burned down three times - two of which leveled the wood and canvas mining camp.
October 1, 1887, the Redlands Citrograph quotes, " The mining town of Calico, in this county which was destroyed by fire a short time ago is being rebuilt with great rapidity
Estimated damage of the 1887 fire ran between $75,000 to $100,000.
It was determined to build every fifth building out of adobe to serve as a firebreak after the third fire in 1890.
July 24, 2001, Calico caught fire again at 2:30 a.m. Five buildings and a popcorn wagon in "North Calico" burned to the ground.
The fifth building, Calico's Pottery Shop, which was an adobe building served as a firebreak and prevented the fire from spreading to the rest of town.
Fire units from Yermo, Daggett, Barstow, Hinkley, Newberry Springs, Havard, Ft Irwin, Adelanto, Helendale and Apple Valley responded to the call and put the fire out.
Newly built, two 100,000-gallon water tanks and a well were finished one month prior to the fire and supplied sufficient water.
Approximate cost to rebuild "North Calico" - Basket Shop, Spice Shop, Bottle Shop, Mystery Shack, Pottery Shop and Popcorn Wagon was $1,000,000.
Insurance covered the cost.
San Bernardino County Risk Management, Pamela Thompson, Director, facilitated insurance money necessary to complete construction.
North Calico was newly rebuilt 14 months later.
Milford Wayne Donaldson, Architect, San Diego, California, who helped with restoration of adobe buildings destroyed by the earth quake four years earlier, was chosen to develop architectural plans.
Plans were redrawn from foundations left from the fire, old photographs, concession and park staff memories.
The Mystery Shack is one of the only six left in the western United States. - it was rebuilt.
Universal Construction and Maintenance, from San Pedro, California was chosen as general contractor. Reggie Lacina was on-site supervisor and worked with County staff.
County Architectural and Engineering Department coordinated on-site construction. Cindy Jones from A & E served as project manager.
Calico staff representative, Paul Rickwalt offered preliminary site plans and represented Regional Parks as their on-site coordinator.
Two buildings are now occupied - the Calico Pottery Shop and the Candle/Basket Shop. The Mystery Shack will be open on October 11th, 2002.
A grand re-opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will be held October 11th at 12:00 noon as part of the 36th Annual Calico Days Celebration.
