Stickneys Ferry

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

Stickneys Ferry was a settlement established in what became Tulare County. The ferry proper was where the Stockton - Los Angeles Stagecoach Road crossed the White River. The settlement was on Telegraph Flat, just below the confluence of the White River and Tyler Gulch, about 4.66 miles west of Tailholt. It would have been established after Robert S. Williamson's 1853-4 report of his expedition for the Pacific Railroad Surveys, which does not mention it, and before the 1857 production of Britton and Rey's Map of California, which does.

The on-the-ground condition of Stickneys Ferry 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 Stickneys Ferry 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 Stickneys Ferry is roughly 35.8147, -118.9283 — 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.