Calico Ghost Town – Calico Print Shop

Calico is an old West mining town that has been around since 1881. During the largest silver strike in California, with its 500 mines, Calico produced over $20 million in silver ore over a 12-year span. When silver lost its value in the mid-1890's, Calico lost its population. The miners packed up, loaded their mules and moved away, abandoning the town that once gave them a good living. It became a "ghost town." Walter Knott (of Knott's Berry Farm fame) purchased Calico in the 1950's architecturally restoring all but the five original buildings to look as they did in the 1880's. Calico became a State Historical Landmark in 2005. Today Calico is part of the San Bernardino County Regional Parks system. Giant letters spelling CALICO can be seen on the Calico Peaks behind the ghost town from the I-15 freeway.

Hours of operation: Daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Closed Christmas Day.
Admission to the park is required to get to the machines. Cost is $8.00 per person.
Attractions are a separate fee for each.The Maggie Mine (&3 per person), Gold Panning Adventure, Mystery Shack Tour ($3 per person), Calico Odessa Railroad and Ghost Tours.
Admission fee includes parking.

Machine 1 is on the Print Shop front porch. Cost to press: 51¢ each design. Designs all with 'Calico Ghost Town':
1. (H) Crossed pick and shovel with 'Silver Mining'.
2. (V) Kneeling Sheriff holding a pistol with 'The Wild West'.
3. (V) Old bearded gold miner with a pick.
4. (H) Stagecoach with 'Last Stage Stop'.

Machine 4 (Quarter) is on the Print Shop front porch. Cost to press: $1.25 each design. Designs:
1. (H) 'Harley Davidson Motorcycles' logo.
2. (V) 'Historic Route 66' sign.
3. (V) Heart with 'I Love You'.
4. (H) Steam engine and tender with 'Calico Railroad'.
Reverse: 'Calico Ghost Town'.

Retired machines:

Retired 2: 1. (V) Miner in front of a mule with 'Calico Ghost Town'.
Retired 3 (Dime) two-sided design: 1. (H) Miner wearing a lighted hat pushing an ore cart with 'Calico Ghost Town Calico, CA', Reverse: 'Calico Print Shop 760-254-1144'.
Retired designs (Pre-2000s/ Attended Machine): 1) 'Calico Ghost Town', barn with miner and Mule, 2) 'Calico Ghost Town', Train engine & building, 3) 'Calico Lives Again, Calico Ghost Town', rock entrance structure, 4) The Lord's Prayer.

Token 1 design is retired.
Moved token #2 to the Calico Rock Shop & Calico Leatherworks.

G.P.S. coordinates: Latitude: N34° 56' 57.645" Longitude: W116° 51' 54.8568"
Google Maps coordinates: W4XM+QV Yermo, California

2/19/22: GSY;
Quarter machine 4 rolling great but 1 mis-roll.
Machine 1 worked OK. A couple of designs were a bit short. GSY
6/30/2026 Same machines, same designs, same locations. Quarters rolled short, and the pennies appeared to be off center side to side. Penny book for $9.95 for Route 66 Centennial.