In 1859, gold was discovered in the Bodie area. Many people came to this place hoping to get rich. Bodie became a vibrant town. In its Gold Rush heyday, Bodie was home to about 10,000 residents. It was a tough place to be though, with hot summers, bitter winters, and lawlessness all year round. After the gold ran out, the town was gradually abandoned.
Today Bodie is a state park. Seeking a glimpse of a bygone time, about 120,000 visitors make the trek there each year. Many are tempted to pocket a souvenir. Bad idea! Removing anything from the park is a crime, but there’s another reason to leave Bodie as you find it: Taking a treasure—even a tiny one—just might ruin your life.
Every year, dozens of people send back items they’ve taken from Bodie. Many of these people include letters detailing their terrible misfortune. Some say they got sick or lost their jobs. Kids claim to have failed tests or had their pets suddenly die.
In reality, these bits of bad luck are merely coincidences. The truth is that the Bodie curse was made up by park rangers to discourage people from stealing items from this important historical site.
And yet, if you ever find yourself walking through the streets of Bodie, you might start to question what is real. Isn’t that piano music you hear wafting from that empty saloon? Wasn’t there just someone standing on those stairs?
Isn’t it possible that the curse is real?
