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Cartago
In the 1870's bullion bars from
Cerro Gordo
mines were hauled across Owens Lake on the steamer "Bessie Brady" to Cartago boat landing.
Remi Nadeau's 14-mule teams hauled the bullion to Los Angeles
returning with freight.Back in the 1870s, Cartago played an important role in the journey of silver bullion from the Cerro Gordo mines. The bars were ferried across Owens Lake on a steamer named the Bessie Brady to the Cartago landing. From there, Remi Nadeau’s famous 14-mule teams hauled the silver all the way to Los Angeles, then returned loaded with freight.
Cartago sits on the west side of Owens Lake, about 3 miles north of Olancha, at 3,629 feet in elevation. Today, it’s known not just for its past, but for its natural beauty. The Cartago Wildlife Area spans 218 acres of freshwater wetlands and springs. It’s a haven for birds like the western snowy plover, white-faced ibis, and rails. In fact, Owens Lake is now recognized as a Nationally Significant Important Bird Area, with 144 bird species recorded here.
The land is mostly flat, sitting around 3,600 feet. On the southwest side, you can still see the ruins of an old soda ash plant. Dikes from that time, 3 to 4 feet high, stretch into the dry lake bed. They once surrounded ponds used for soda evaporation. Today, snowy plovers still nest on those old salt flats.
Gallery
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Owens Valley
Timeline
Cartago, California – Historical Timeline1860s – Silver strikes at Cerro Gordo launch a mining boom in the high Inyo Mountains above Owens Lake.
1870s – Cartago becomes a critical link in the silver supply chain. Bullion bars from Cerro Gordo are loaded onto the steamer Bessie Brady and floated across Owens Lake to the boat landing at Cartago.
1870s (continued) – At Cartago, Remi Nadeau’s 14-mule teams haul the heavy bars to Los Angeles. During busy periods, so much bullion arrives that stacks of silver bars pile up at the landing site. Some freight workers even sleep on or among the stacks, guarding them until they’re ready for transport—a rough and dusty setup, but with a million-dollar view.
Late 1800s – Cartago sees steady activity as a freight and supply outpost. The surrounding lakebed is used for gathering soda ash and other minerals.
Early 1900s – A soda ash plant is built near Cartago. Workers create dikes and evaporation ponds to harvest soda from Owens Lake’s mineral-rich brine.
1920s–1930s – With the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, Owens Lake begins to dry up. Cartago’s steamer days end, and mineral operations slow down.
Mid-1900s – The soda ash plant is abandoned. Only ruins remain—weathered dikes and concrete foundations surrounded by cracked salt flats.
2000s – The Cartago Wildlife Area is created to protect 218 acres of freshwater springs and wetlands. The area becomes a haven for birds like the western snowy plover and white-faced ibis.
Today – Cartago is a quiet place with deep roots in silver and salt. Travelers passing through might not guess it, but this sleepy stretch once echoed with the clang of mule chains, steamboat whistles, and men sleeping beside fortunes in silver.