Historical Timeline
1893: Prospectors were already combing the Mojave Desert when gold was found at Goler Wash, setting off the first wave of attention in what would soon become the Rand Mining District.
April 1895: John Singleton, Charles Burcham, and Frederic Mooers hit a rich vein of gold on Rand Mountain. That claim became the Yellow Aster Mine — one of the most productive gold mines in Southern California. Their find kicked off a real gold rush.
December 1895: A tent city quickly sprang up around the Yellow Aster and was called Rand Camp. Miners, merchants, and all kinds of frontier folks came pouring in, setting up saloons, stores, and makeshift homes.
1896: Rand Camp was officially renamed Randsburg, and a post office was established — a sure sign that this dusty camp had grown into a town.
1897: The Randsburg Railway connected the town to Kramer Junction, making it easier to haul ore and supplies in and out. It was a vital link that kept the boom going strong.
1898: Two devastating fires tore through town. One burned half the buildings; the other followed just months later, destroying much of what had been rebuilt. But the town bounced back — as mining towns often did.
1903: Workers at the Yellow Aster Mine went on strike, protesting poor wages and conditions. Like many Western mining towns, labor tension simmered just under the surface.
1918: The Yellow Aster Mine shut down operations. It reopened briefly in 1921, but by 1933, it closed for good as the Great Depression and falling ore prices took their toll.
1933: The Randsburg Railway ceased operations that same year. The boom days were over, and the desert began to reclaim its silence.
Present Day: Randsburg is a living ghost town with a population of around 45 people. On weekends, motorcyclists and tourists stop in to explore old buildings, visit the general store, and soak in the frontier feel. It’s a place where the Wild West never quite faded — it just got a little quieter.