Ghost Towns of the American West

Droves of treasure hunters raided the deserts and crags of the American West in the mid-19th century hoping to make a fortune in gold, silver and copper. Of the thousands of mining towns that sprang up, most have disappeared, but a scant few remain as spooky reminders of dreams that failed. Each year, visitors from around the world journey to these ghost towns - some resembling Hollywood movie sets, complete with tumbleweeds, howling breezes and swing saloon doors; others no more than ruins accessible only by four-wheel drive - to experience first-hand history frozen in time. Commissioned by Smithsonian Magazine , Berthold Steinhilber sought out these phantom towns throughout the West. He probed into the mysteries of deserted places like Bodie, California, Gold Point, Nevada, and Steins, New Mexico. Shooting at dusk, using long exposures and powerful headlamps, he created an eerie ambiance in his photographs of 19 intriguing ghost towns.