Nortonville

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

Nortonville was an unincorporated town in eastern Contra Costa County, California, United States that is now considered a ghost town. It was one of five towns established within the Mount Diablo Coalfield, along with Somersville, Stewartville, Judsonville, and West Hartley. Nortonville was established in 1861 by Noah Norton. The town's population rapidly rose due to the opening of the nearby Black Diamond Mine, which attracted coal miners and their families. Activity peaked in 1882, after which the local coal mines closed down and the town quickly became deserted.

The on-the-ground condition of Nortonville 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 Nortonville 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 Nortonville is roughly 37.9578, -121.8806 — 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.