Home / Environment / Sunken Town's Ghostly Remains Emerge From California Lake
Sunken Town's Ghostly Remains Emerge From California Lake
7 Sep
Summary
- Monticello, a California town, lies submerged under Lake Berryessa for nearly 70 years.
- Historic bridge and town fragments resurface during low lake levels.
- Photographs documented the town's final days before flooding.
Beneath the waters of Lake Berryessa, the ghost town of Monticello has remained submerged for nearly 70 years, a submerged legacy of a massive California water project. Once a vibrant community of about 300 people on Putah Creek in Napa County, Monticello was home to farms, ranches, schools, and family residences.
The valley's transformation began in the late 1940s with plans for the Monticello Dam and the creation of Lake Berryessa. By 1956, residents were evicted, and buildings were destroyed or burned. The dam was completed in February 1957, and the valley gradually disappeared under the reservoir's expanding waters, which now supply a significant portion of Solano County's water.
Remnants of Monticello, including its roads, building foundations, and a historic stone bridge constructed in 1896, are occasionally visible during droughts when lake levels recede. These surfacing fragments offer a rare glimpse into the past and have even attracted scuba divers. The town's poignant final days were captured by photographers Dorothea Lange and Pirkle Jones in a project titled 'Death of a Valley.'
While the dam project provided essential water resources and recreational opportunities, it represented displacement for Monticello's families, who were scattered and forced to rebuild their lives elsewhere. The Monticello Public Cemetery, relocated before the flooding, now stands as a tangible reminder of the lost community, with descendants still gathering there.
