A single copper discovery in the California desert once pulled 2,000 people into a place with no water of its own and no way to bring in supplies. That was Greenwater. According to the National Park Service's overview of Death Valley's ghost towns, Greenwater grew up around a copper strike made in 1905, reached a population of 2,000, and by 1909 the mining had collapsed without ever turning a profit. Today, the agency says no ruins remain at the site. Anyone who has watched a hyped stock or a buzzy startup rocket up and then vanish will recognize the shape of this story.
How a rumor turned into a town of 2,000
