Explore the intriguing history of Golden, Oregon, a captivating ghost town. Discover Golden's heritage and stories from its mining past.

Golden, Oregon, was a mining town in the 1890s near Coyote Creek in Josephine County, Oregon, about 3 miles off Route 5 (Wolf Creek Exit).  During its time, it boasted 150 residents, two churches, a mercantile and post office, and, most notably, no saloons.  Within about 20 years, the mine was dry, and today, Golden, Oregon, is a ghost town.

Parts of the TV show “Bonanza” and several movies were filmed in Golden in the 1950s-1970s, so rumor has it that everything you see isn’t necessarily as old as it looks.  But even if it’s not 100% authentic, it’s incredible to see, and it’s owned by the Oregon State Parks and listed as a Heritage Site.

As you drive toward Golden, the Old Ghost Town is on the left-hand side of the road, and you can't miss it. The first building you see is the Church, and here are some pictures.

Rev William Ruble, leader of a group commonly known as "Campbellites," built the church in 1852. He was ordained, and County Judge Stephen Jewell simultaneously dedicated the church. Shortly afterward, it became the Free Methodist Church. Another group led by Rev. Mark Davis used the schoolhouse for their services. Both ministers worked on local mining claims.

Golden had a strict no-alcohol rule because of Reverend William Ruble. He moved out to Golden from the Midwest with his family, bringing his uncompromising faith.

Many of the first settlers left during the Idaho gold rush of 1860. In their place, many Chinese miners came in. But eventually, the white settlers returned, and they retook the land when they found all the riches.

Behind the church is the old blacksmith shop, and there isn't much about it on the internet, so it makes me wonder if this was added as a movie extra. Here are a couple of pictures of it.

To add to their success, the family invented the then-famous “ruble rock elevator” to clear boulders from mining sites. But it wasn’t all golden for the Rubles.

Another prominent family during its time was the Kelly family. The Rubles were at odds with the Kelly family over land claims along Coyote Creek. That dispute went up to the Oregon Supreme Court three times.

Near the church is the mercantile and post office building.  The central part of the building was the store and post office, and the minor addition on the left was living quarters for the shopkeeper.

The so-called “Kelly-Ruble Riot” took place in Golden. A shooting happened, and one person was killed.” The dispute did finally end in Ruble’s favor in 1884. And after that, everything was again well in Golden.

Many mining devices took their toll on the land and the town’s water supply. People eventually picked up and moved on to the next city or the next strike of gold.

Golden's post office continued until 1920, but by the mid-20th century, it was abandoned entirely.

The next building you will come to is the granary, which has an old outhouse next to it.

Some believe the term ‘ghost town’ has a double meaning. There are a lot of intriguing stories that occurred here, so of course, along with that came ghost stories or ideas of supernatural happenings.

Similar to the Wolf Creek Inn (I will post on the Wolf Creek Inn soon). Golden was also featured on a Ghost Adventures episode on the Travel Channel.

Another building is the Schoolhouse.

If you want to check out the Ghost Adventures episode, it is Season 15, episode 1. In the episode, while they are doing their investigation, Zak is overtaken by an aggressive entity, a dark force incapacitates Aaron, eerie figures appear, and a voice warns of a demonic presence.

I didn't feel anything paranormal while I was here, but come out and check it out and let me know what you think.

This is a very family-friendly area with a large parking lot on the right-hand side of the road. It's not a prominent place, and you can easily walk around for about an hour and see everything. If you're into Paranormal, go check out the Wolf Creek Inn; it is about 4 miles away. If you dare spend the night at the Inn, sleep in room number eight.

Things to do in the Area:

• Wolf Creek Tavern/Inn

Places to Stay:

Redwood Garden Inn

Knight's Inn Motel

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