Dublin Gorge: An underground gold miner's city in the cliffs of Death Valley (31 photos + 2 videos)
A unique settlement of old mining dwellings is hidden in the rocky cliffs near Death Valley. 
In the town of Shoshone, California, lies a unique ghost town with cave dwellings carved directly into the cliffs. This place is called Dublin Gorge. 
In the late 1800s, miners and railroad workers built living quarters right into the cliffs. These cave dwellings provided coolness in the unbearable summer heat and shelter from the freezing winters of the Mojave Desert. 
Most of these dwellings consist of just one room. However, among them are also real apartments with several rooms, walls with niches, and even fireplaces with chimneys protruding directly from the cliff face. One of the dwellings even has a spacious garage carved out. 
The exact dates of settlement and development of these areas are unknown, but the number "1870" is carved in large letters near one of the houses. It is believed that people lived here intermittently until the mid-1970s. 
"Papa Jim" Standing, the last known resident of Dublin Gulch in the 1970s
Rumor has it that several members of the infamous Manson Family inhabited these caves after Charles Manson himself evicted them from his camp at Barker Ranch. The famous Death Valley prospector "Shorty" Frank Harris also lived here. 
Most of the amazing dwellings are located just a half-kilometer up a dirt road from the Shoshone Museum. They are easy to find, and some are open for exploration. However, some of the cave dwellings are locked and can only be viewed through windows. 
However, enough of the open ones are enough to satisfy your curiosity and introduce you to a place where you can feel the spirit of the Old West and touch the dreams of people who sought a better life in the harsh desert. 
