A California “ghost town” that has been used as a shooting location for more than a dozen films was purchased last month by a “mystery buyer” for $22 million, according to multiple outlets.
Ecology Mountain Holdings LLC is the official name of the entity that bought Eagle Mountain, per a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. It was previously owned by Eagle Mountain Acquisition LLC.
“Little is known,” about the buyer, CBS News’ MoneyWatch reported. It said that the LLC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Eagle Mountain was founded in in 1948 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser, according to its website. It was a mining town that at one point had a population of 4,000 people and 400 single-family homes, as well as 200 trailer spaces and other boarding houses.
“Other civilized touches included an auditorium, park, shopping center, large swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, baseball diamond along with many civic and private organizations,” said the website, which includes contact information for the Greater Palm Springs Film Office. “Some of the businesses included: a bank, two bars, beauty salon, bowling alley, café, eight churches, gas station, grocery store, laundry, medical/dental clinic, a post office, variety store as well as three schools (elementary, middle/junior high, and high school) serving over 1,000 students.”
Citing the Internet Movie Database, MoneyWatch said Eagle Mountain has served as a shooting location for at least 14 movies, including Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” and Michael Bay’s “The Island”. Carole King’s music video for the 1993 song “Lay Down My Life” was also filmed in the town’s cafe.
According to SFGATE, the town reached an “untimely end” in 1983, but a school that bears the town’s name still operates. It’s located around an hour and a half from Palm Springs. Calif.
Eventually, many of the buildings were integrated into Eagle Mountain Community Correctional Facility, which opened in 1988 and was closed in 2003 after a deadly prison riot reported on by the Los Angeles Times. Today the site is guarded and patrolled 24/7, according to its website. It is not open to the public.
However, “YouTube is awash with videos of trespassers stepping over the boundary to gawk at the decrepit remains,” said SFGATE.
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