Hector

California wrote the book on ghost towns, from Gold Rush tent cities to Owens Valley farm towns the aqueduct dried up.

Hector "Hec" Monroe Dyer (June 2, 1910 – May 19, 1990) was an American athlete, winner of a gold medal in 4 × 100 m relay at the 1932 Summer Olympics. Born in Los Angeles, Hector Dyer enrolled at the Stanford University, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity (Sigma Rho Chapter). While at Stanford he won the IC4A championships in 220 yd (200 m) in 1930. During the 1932 Olympic trials, Dyer tied the world record of 10.4 in the 100-meter dash. He also beat the Olympic record in the 200-meter dash.

The on-the-ground condition of Hector is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Hector is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Hector is roughly 34.8038, -116.4525 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.