We would like to thank Donald Purdey of Redlands for submitting fantastic photos of his favorite San Bernardino County destination.
Calico was a thriving silver mining town from 1881 through the late 1890s. However, the population began to steadily decline as silver lost its value.
At the height of its glory, the town’s population rose to nearly 1,200 people in 1887. Calico had 22 saloons, a schoolhouse, a post office, its own version of a Chinatown, a cemetery and its own newspaper. The town produced approximately $86 million in silver and about $45 million in borax.
Walter Knott, the founder of Knott’s Berry Farm, purchased Calico in the 1950s and restored all but five of the original buildings to its 1880s appearance. In 1966, Knott donated Calico to San Bernardino County, and the site is now managed by the Regional Parks Department. The town has shops, restaurants and offers camping, hiking and off-roading. For more information about Calico Ghost Town, please visit parks.sbcounty.gov/park/calico-ghost-town-regional-park.
Additional County Update News – Feb. 20, 2025
- County advocates for park improvements in Chino Agricultural Preserve
- Public Defender’s Office to host Mobile Defense Program in Lucerne Valley
- National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month
- Behavioral Health seeks input on annual update plan
- Back-up providers assist county’s most vulnerable populations with urgent needs
- Check out a new adventure with a County Museum pass from the County Library
- ARMC hosts Go Red for Women event to raise awareness of stroke prevention
- Power up your year by reading “A Taste of Wellness” magazine
- County Fire strengthens community protection with new leadership appointments
- Children and Family Services host Youth Engagement and Enrichment Program summer camp program
- Call for submissions: Share your favorite San Bernardino County destinations
- San Bernardino County history: Searles Lake
- Things to do
- Pet of the week: Grandpa
- Jobs of the week
