Midland, California
Encyclopedia
Midland is a ghost town
in Riverside County
in the southeastern part of the U.S. state
of California
. It is adjacent to the Little Maria Mountains
and located about twenty-two miles north of Blythe
. From 1925 to the 1960s, Midland was a company town
owned by the U.S. Gypsum Co. The company had harvested vast amounts of gypsum
found in the area. At its peak, the town had a population of approximately 1,000.
Many winter scenes in Hollywood films during the 20th century utilized faux snow that originated from Midland.
As the character of the gypsum found in the area was considered too heavy as the years went on, company activity in Midland subsided and then ended in 1966.
A majority of the buildings of Midland were torn down and today only foundations remain. Gypsum mining operations continue 15 miles southwest of Midland.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Riverside County
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
in the southeastern part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is adjacent to the Little Maria Mountains
Little Maria Mountains
The Little Maria Mountains are located in southeastern California in the United States. The range lies in a northwest-southeasterly direction east of the Palen Mountains and west of the Big Maria Mountains...
and located about twenty-two miles north of Blythe
Blythe, California
Blythe is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the "Palo Verde Valley" of the Lower Colorado River Valley region, an agricultural area and part of the Colorado Desert along the Colorado River. Blythe was named after Thomas Blythe, a gold prospector who established primary...
. From 1925 to the 1960s, Midland was a company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
owned by the U.S. Gypsum Co. The company had harvested vast amounts of gypsum
Gypsum
Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is found in alabaster, a decorative stone used in Ancient Egypt. It is the second softest mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale...
found in the area. At its peak, the town had a population of approximately 1,000.
Many winter scenes in Hollywood films during the 20th century utilized faux snow that originated from Midland.
As the character of the gypsum found in the area was considered too heavy as the years went on, company activity in Midland subsided and then ended in 1966.
A majority of the buildings of Midland were torn down and today only foundations remain. Gypsum mining operations continue 15 miles southwest of Midland.