In the late 1800s, a glittering dream sent hundreds of thousands west chasing gold. The California Gold Rush promised fast fortunes, sparking a rush of prospectors across the frontier. Mining towns, some famous like Deadwood and Tombstone, sprang up almost overnight. Yet, these boomtowns often had one story in common: a rapid rise, wild times, and an inevitable bust, leaving behind echoes of a legendary Wild West era.
Click through the gallery to discover the glittering highs and gritty lows of these iconic boomtowns, each with a story as wild and untamed as the frontier itself.