A State Historic Park. In 1880 Bodie, California was in its heyday where 10,000 people lived among 65 saloons and numerous tumbleweeds. Located 13 miles off of State Highway 395, this goldmining ghost town is preserved in a state of arrested decay where only about five percent of the original buildings remain. Bodie was named for Waterman S. Body who discovered gold there in 1859. The spelling was changed by the citizenry to ensure proper pronunciation.