If you are looking for a cool place to explore and are willing to do a bit of hiking (about a quarter mile) then Concrete City should be on your bucket-list.
This town, now abandoned, was an early example of international style architecture in the United States. It was built in 1911 as housing for high-level employees of several railroad companies, who used the town as a colliery. Each building was divided into a duplex meant to house two families. In the early 1920’s the towns issues became clear; instead of fixing them, they left the town abandoned in 1924, only 13 years after construction. There were several reasons why the companies decided to leave. One minor one was because a boy drowned in the wading pool. The major one was that the property owners refused to install an expensive but necessary sewage system. They decided to try and blow it up however, that wouldn’t work. After an attempt involving 100 sticks of dynamite failed to make a significant impact on one of the houses, the decision was made to leave the city to its own demise.
Now the location is known as a hotspot for artists and explorers to create and feel at home in a place that used to be home to many. It is also used for law enforcement training exercises and the occasional paintball or airsoft match.
My experience showing up here was a bit rough. I didn’t bring boots so I had to puddle hop in mesh running shoes. I do not recommend doing that at all, definitely wear boots as there is a lot of mud and a decent amount of broken glass. There is a nice walk through the woods on a gravel road for a quarter mile and then you end up on the ridge overlooking the many houses. Be careful going down the ridge because it is quite steep and is mostly loose dirt. I went with my good friend Ukiah and we explored a couple of the houses but nowhere near all of them due to time constraints. For the most part each house is in good shape and is perfectly fine to be in, just watch out for the broken glass in some parts.
I suggest that if you go to the Concrete City that you bring a friend along. You should go early in the morning so you can avoid other people who are trying to check out the site as well. Aim for going right after it rains. The best time to go is probably late fall through early spring before mosquitoes get a chance to show up.