Historical Timeline
Prehistoric times
The area near Keeler, on the eastern shore of Owens Lake, was once full of water and wildlife. Native Paiute people lived nearby, fishing and gathering in a thriving lakeside environment that looked very different from today’s dry salt flats.
1860s
A booming mining camp took off after silver was discovered in the Cerro Gordo Mountains, high above Owens Lake. The problem was getting ore out and supplies in. In 1872, a large earthquake damaged the town of Swansea (just north of modern Keeler), prompting a shift in activity to a nearby landing.
1873
The landing at the edge of Owens Lake became increasingly important. It allowed wagons to offload silver ore onto barges that floated across the lake to Cartago. From there, we continued to Los Angeles.
1879
The town of Keeler was founded by Julius M. Keeler, who built a mill to process ore from Cerro Gordo. Keeler quickly became a bustling lakeport, and steamships like the Bessie Brady ferried people and freight across the lake.
1883
A fire destroyed the Bessie Brady, one of the fastest and most famous steamships on Owens Lake. This marked the beginning of the end for steamer traffic.
1880s–1890s
As Owens Lake began to dry up due to natural cycles and upstream diversions, Keeler shifted more toward the railroad. In 1883, the Carson & Colorado Railroad reached Keeler, making it the end of the line. It brought supplies and carried ore out, replacing much of the lake traffic.
Early 1900s
Keeler was still going strong, serving as the railhead for Inyo County and the gateway to Cerro Gordo, Darwin, and other mining districts.
1920s
The Los Angeles Aqueduct began draining the Owens River, and by the late 1920s, Owens Lake had all but vanished. Dust storms became common, and the town’s lakefront identity faded. Still, the mines and the railroad kept Keeler alive.
1950s
Mining slowed, and the railroad stopped running. Keeler’s population shrank as people moved on. Buildings emptied, and the town started to fade.
1960
The Carson & Colorado’s rails were torn up. The last train had rolled through just a few years before. Keeler’s days as a shipping center were officially over.
Today
Keeler is a near-ghost town with a few residents and a haunting beauty. The lakebed stretches dry and white, the wind kicks up alkaline dust, and the old schoolhouse and post office are reminders of what once was. Nearby, Cerro Gordo has seen renewed interest, but Keeler remains quiet, watching the lake it used to depend on, which is now mostly gone.