Just 30 people live in the small unincorporated community of Darwin, California, which was founded in 1874.
The remote town’s residents recently spoke with SFGATE about the future of the community, asserting that they need support to continue calling Darwin home. They reject the internet’s tendency to call Darwin a ghost town, posting signs around town that read, “People live here.”
“We need help,” Darwin resident Kathy Goss told SFGATE.
“We need younger people to come here and make the commitment to live here. And make a commitment to doing some muscle work.”
That muscle work is needed to manage Darwin’s water system, which is currently handled by about five volunteers on the water board.
The town’s $55 monthly water permit only goes so far for maintenance and repairs, and the board has regularly fallen back on fundraising and grants to keep things running.
Darwin relied on dial-up internet until 2011, but now, the community is connected via Starlink, which some hope could draw young remote workers.
History of Darwin
While often characterized as a “living ghost town” or “abandoned,” generations of people have called Darwin home since 1874. In fact, a post office that opened in 1875 is still running over 150 years later.
The town is named after rancher, miner, and explorer Darwin French, who led a party into Death Valley in 1860. Silver and lead mines drew residents in the late 19th century.
Nearby Death Valley was designated as a National Monument in 1933. When a new cutoff road to the park opened in 1937, it bypassed Darwin, effectively isolating the town.
You can learn more about Darwin at their community website, DarwinUpdate.com. Visit the “Etiquette” page for some important things to know if you wish to visit respectfully.
