Man who's been living in California ghost town for 6 years gives update as everything hinges on critical issue

A man who spent his life savings on a Californian ghost town has issued an update on how things are going after six years. 

Cerro Gordo was once a thriving Californian mining town, which was founded after the discovery of silver ore back in the 1860s. 

At its peak, in 1912, the town was home to almost 5,000 people, but fast-forward a century or so, and just one person was calling it home. 

So, Brent Underwood decided to buy the old ghost town, with a dream of breathing new life into it and making it a place to celebrate history and welcome new visitors. 

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He’s spent six years updating and reviving the Californian ghost town

Brent has spent the last six years living and restoring the Cerro Gordo and documenting the fascinating journey on the Ghost Town Living YouTube channel.

As you might have guessed, reviving a long-forgotten ghost town has not been without its challenges.

In a recent update, Brent admitted that when he bought the ghost town, he had hoped he’d simply be able to ‘fix up the buildings’, but then reality hit. 

Since arriving, Brent has faced road washouts, heavy snowfall blocking access, and having no reliable water supply. 

Despite the challenges, he’s remained undeterred and has tackled every issue head-on.

All except one: the lack of running water. 

Brent explained that ever since the town was first founded more than 200 years ago, every major owner had attempted to bring water to Cerro Gordo.

One previous owner even spent the modern-day equivalent of $3 million on an 11.5-mile-long pipe system, but none of the projects paid off long-term.

However, Brent is determined to buck the trend and has embarked on a new project to bring running water to Cerro Gordo, and the town’s entire future could depend on it. 

So, no pressure then, right?

The new project could prove vital to Cerro Gordo’s future

After six years reviving the old ghost town, Brent has come up with a brand-new solution for its water supply. 

In the clip, he explained that he has hired a drilling crew who will be attempting a 600-1,000 feet well. 

However, just 40 feet in, the team hit a snag due to some unstable rock and was forced to pause the work until more equipment arrived. 

And that isn’t the only project that’s been placed on hold. 

Brent’s plans to restore the old American Hotel are also stalled, this time due to permit issues. 

But, even though things aren’t running as smoothly as he’d like, Brent remains positive and has drawn inspiration from other ghost towns.

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