The ruins of Wonderland Ranch and Wall Street Mill in Joshua Tree National Park, once a blossoming mill, are said to be haunted by former employees who died while prospecting for gold.
Deep in the rugged terrain of Joshua Tree National Park lie the incredible remains of Wonderland Ranch and Wall Street Mill. Both sites are shrouded in haunting legends and ghost stories of those once lured west in search of gold.
Joshua Tree National Park, located in southeastern California, is a immense desert landscape known for its rugged rock formations and iconic Joshua trees. Spanning nearly 800,000 acres, the park encompasses two distinct desert ecosystems: the Mojave and Colorado deserts. Rich in cultural history, Joshua Tree also preserves evidence of past civilizations, including Native American petroglyphs and remnants of 19th-century gold mining.
Wall Street Mill
Wall Street Mill, once a bustling gold ore processing plant, was abandoned in the 1940s, but it is said that the ghosts of its former workers still haunt the area, forever linked to their jobs and lost lives.
The mill was built by miner Bill Keys, who also figures in the Johnny Lang ghost story and the haunting that supposedly occurred near the Lost Horse Mine. Next to the mill are the ruins of the pink Wonderland Ranch wall, further evidence of Joshua Tree's haunted past. The ranch, now a crumbling structure, was once home to workers and their families.
The mill was a success, and in a dispute over who had access to it, Keys shot and killed his neighbor, Worth Bagley. Keys turned himself in and was convicted of murder. He was sent to San Quentin State Prison for 10 years. After his release, Keys erected a monument to the murder, saying: “This is where Worth Bagley was killed by W. F. Keys on May 11, 1943.”
Ghost of the Wall Street Mill
Visitors who venture into the Wall Street Mill are often met with a haunting atmosphere, but who haunts it? The mill operated for many years, and while Worth Bagley is the most notable person to have died there, could there be more?
It’s a spooky path up the trail that is said to have no shade and needy cell service. There are repeated reports of shadowy figures stalking through the remains of the mill or standing ominously at the edge of view. Strange lights that seem to have no earthly source flicker and dance among the crumbling structures, casting an unearthly glow that defies explanation. Many hikers report a deep sense of unease, as if unseen eyes were watching their every move, a terrifying reminder that they are not alone.
The sound of footsteps echoing through the empty space sends shivers down even the most seasoned adventurers’ spines. Some even claim to hear the distant, mournful clang of machinery, as if the mill were still running, grinding away in the ghostly echo of its former glory.
References:
Wonderland Ranch and Wall Street Mill – Twentynine Palms, CA – Atlas Obscura
3 Haunted Trails to Try in Joshua Tree National Park – WKNDR
Image Source: Pixabay.com
