Randsburg Things to Do

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Ok, this structure has a lot of character and it the welcome mat into the town if your coming from Highway 395. It welcomes you with a sign, a historical marker and the towns jail..........LOL! Kind of like saying..."Your welcome, be good, or you'll be in put into the hoosegow! Inside you'll find what appears to be what it was like during its hey day! A couple of models are present in the cells you might have seen back then, although I think putting a saloon gal in there might had been a stretched since they were the reason the town roared during the boom era...lol! Seeing a miner put in here might be plausible, but it does add some fun to the background of the jail. My son got a kick out of it and enjoyed reading what was on the wall as in a poem and a actual letter by the first appointed constable.

Other unique community jails:
Maricopa’s City Jail, Ca
McKittrick Jail,Ca
Buttonwillow Jail, Ca
Isabella Jail, Ca


Billy Holcomb Chapter Historical Plaque No. 53

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Rand Desert Museum has the stinction of being one of the first musuems in Kern County in 1942. It was given to the county in 1948. It was closed that day, which was disappointing because it was Saturday. Oh well, sometimes offices have trouble filling enough personel for remote offices. At least we enjoyed the musuem located in the little courtyard next to the building. Some neat finds there! The historical marker is right in front built into the front fencing or support.

Randsburg, Ca Historical Marker No. 938

Open
Sat and Sun
10:00am-5:00pm

Mailing addy
P.O.Box 307
Randsburg, CA 93554

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From some historical photographs this little establishment has been around a very long time. The building is a testament to time for this community. The town has fixed up theses three little stores. You can peek into the barber shop and still see the barber's chair and some of the furniture. I teased my sons that I was taking them in and they were like.......nooooooooooo!

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I cannot find any historical content on this lovely church other that it served many respectable individuals or families that took their solace within the walls of this Church. This community still roared around the 1930's when this church was built. As with most religious structures was often a sanctuary that this growing community leaned on to create a stable environment especially for those whom seeking a quieter life style. A town bursting with so many thirsty adventurers looking to burn off the frustration of a mudain back busting life in the many gambling saloons and houses of ill repute.

They do not have services anymore as of Oct 2004, but they do have tours. You can catch info on the Maturango Museum Home Page

Photo's of Historic Randsburg

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This antique shop had some really neat antiques. We didn't stay too long in it because my youngest was hot and tried and needed some refreshment right away. Yet, once refreshed we headed along the street towards the back of Butte Ave, which is Lexington, we noticed structures right behind Fasig's store. They appeared to be school rooms to me, so I surmise this was probably the sight of Randsburg School house. Literature states as more families started to settled in during the beginning of Rand Camp, Mr. Cuddeback had built Wolfskill store building that was in Fiddlers Gulch, which he moved into the center of town on Butte Ave to be a schoolhouse. Hmmmm, wonder if Fasig is the orginal building and these wood structures behind it are the additions?

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Like many booming mining communities, religious structure was often a sanctuary that most communities leaned on to create a stable environment especially for those whom seeking a quieter life style. Although, the town burst of thirsty miners or just some saddle tramp looking to burn off the frustration of a mudain back busting life in the solace of gambling saloons and houses of ill repute. Many respectable individuals or families took their solace within the walls of Santa Barbara Catholic Church. Its sister parish is St. Ann in Ridgecrest and St. Malachy in Tehachapi and they all share a very long history in the local area. The first Catholic Church was built in 1897, but burned down in of the three fires that swept through the town in 1898. In 1904 Father Matthew Ternes of St. Malachy, built another one in Randsburg at the cost of $1000. The original bell is still present a gift by Bishop of the Diocese of Monterey in Los Angeles. The first Confirmation class was only five children. This parish has helped established many other parishes for many of the local area such as Ridgecrest, Inyokern, Trona, China Lake, and Edwards.

They do have services, but not often. You can catch info on the Maturango Museum Home Page!

My second visit I notice it is being propped up on one side, which is not a good sign.

Photo's of Historic Randsburg

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This business is closed and the building is empty now.

(It use to have unusal crafts of folk art and many type of art made out of recycled items.

Checkout the bottle art tree just outside.

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In October of 1897 Mr. Jones opened a dry good store in Randsburg. His building was wiped out in the great fire of May 1898, but saved most of his stock by placing it in a fireproof cellar. After the fire he immediatly built a new adobe building which according Goerge McPherson in his History of Randsburg, was the firt adobe built in town. About 5 feet was added to the front of this building after 1903 fire so it would be in line with the rest of the buildings on Butte Ave. But in 1900 is was recorded that a Dr. Nichols was occupying the building, so it is not know if Mr. Jones was in business. In the 1920's is served as a office for insurance agents and mining engineers. From 1930's to 1980's it was the Postoffice, hence the flag pole.

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Nicholas Miller came to Randsburg in Dec of 1896 and opened a drug store. It burned down twice in the 1898 fires. He rebuilt again in 1900, but later sold it to George W. Turner and he too discovered having a store of timber was easily to burned down in the fire of 1903. Once again was rebuilt in 1904, but with a wonderful soda fountain that is still being enjoyed today. In 1904 he sold the store to Mr. Landers of LA. In 1905 it exchanged hands to R.S. Cheney. Carl J. Spencer is recorded to be the druggist who worked here from 1910-1916. Oscar Glanville was listed as the druggist from 1916-1919 who owned a business in Mojave, Ca. Anna Gunderson Jones (Widow) and her brother in law Wilson H. Jones bought the store from Oscar Glanville in 1919 when he left town. Daniel, Anna's husband had a bookstore, stationary, and newstand next to the store from 1906 until his death. The last census in 1920 shows Wilson Jones was in the retail business and was married to Anna. To two configuaration of the two stores it what it is today still today.

The first time we visited we parked just outside the General Store. My 14 yr old son at the time was like where did you take us this time. He didn't want to get out of the car and I said, oh well no ice cream for you!" He was out of the car in a flash. So we ventured in and sat down and a nice lady immediately took our order. I had a Shake, Nick and Nate has ice cream scoops in a bowl and Dad had this huge banana split sundae. It was so good! Once we finished we started to explore the town with two very happy boys!

The second time I visited the folks here were really friendly and once again I had a chocolate shake, very good.

They have an old fashion diner counter you can sit at or tables. The another area with some books for purchase. Plenty of postcards and jewelry. They do sell some grocery items that are displayed on the shelves of the back wall.

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Around the town there are huge piles of mining tailings, as well as old mining equipment from the bygoing era. Here and there, "no trespassing" signs are posted, presummably to protect the stakes still held by miners, but also to keep visitors and off-road vehicles from falling into the mining pits. Some mining activity still continues for gold, silver, and tungsten in the area. While the mining tends to disrupt the original landscape, there are also beautiful desert landscapes to photograph in the area.