Bodie State Historic Park

This equipment was once part of Bodie's infrastructure, including one of the world's first long-distance hydroelectric power facilities. Between 1882 and 1893, a powerhouse was built at Green Creek in the Sierra foothills, and 13 miles of transmission lines were run in a straight line to Bodie. Initially, electric power was used only to operate the Standard Mining Company, where it replaced steam power created by burning thousands of cords of wood. Wood also had to be brought in from miles away, in that case by a rail line.