06/25/2026
Throwback Thursday goes on vacation after today until mid-August 2026. We enjoy sharing the history of the people and places of Bodie and the Mono Basin, and we know there’s more stories out there.
We would love to hear from those of you who have photos and stories of your family’s life in the region. Please contact Chris Spiller at [email protected] if you have photos/information to share for future Throwback Thursdays for either Bodie or Mono. Help keep history alive!
Throwback Thursday
We look back at the June 23, 1932 fire which destroyed close to 75 percent of the town 94 years ago. It was not Bodie’s first major fire; a fire in 1892 had destroyed about 60 buildings. And it was not quite the end of Bodie as one more mining company would re-work old tailings piles in Bodie from 1935-1942.
Two days after the fire, the Oakland Tribune recapped the fire and Bodie’s history.
“When mining there was at the height and several thousand persons thronged the streets, Bodie had the reputation of being one of the ‘livest’ cities in the world. Fame of the ‘bold, bad man of Bodie,’ and some few instances of violence gave it to many an evil reputation not wholly deserved. There were good men and bad in those days at Bodie, adventurers all.”
Three-year-old Billy Godward was said to have started the fire while playing with matches behind the Sawdust Corner Saloon on Main Street. Gusty winds spread the flames quickly and the local fire department was called. When hydrants were turned on, very little water came out. It was found that screens at the town reservoir were either damaged or missing, which sent rocks and debris into the pipes.
Today, Bodie has a modern fire hydrant system, but the threat of fire is still real, especially with the hot weather we have had recently. Please remember that smoking in the townsite of Bodie is not permitted.
Photo of men rolling hoses out in front of the Sawdust Corner Saloon, courtesy of Nevada Historical Society.
