Drought Exposes Ghost Gold Rush Town in Dry Lake Bed - Folsom Lake, CA

Record Driest Year in California, Parts of Oregon! A California town has been submerged under Folsom Lake since 1955, but now with little rain or snow runoff, the water levels have dropped enough for the foundations of some buildings to re-emerge. The town known as Mormon Island grew out of a Mormon settlement on a sandbar along the American River in gold rush days. Mormon Island thrived during mining years with as many as 2,500 people, complete with four hotels, a school and seven saloons, according to some historical accounts. Stone walls from the foundation of some of the outer-lying areas have been revealed by the shrinking lake. The area was intentionally flooded in 1955 to create Folsom Lake. Read more: http://bit.ly/1k01g2H Copyright KCRA via NBC. All rights reserved. http://www.wave3.com/story/24343797/town-revaled-in-drying-lake