Paradise gone awry

West of Stockton, California is a lost, little place called Byron Hot Springs.  By the end of the 19th century, the place became a famous resort.  During World War 2, the Byron resort was owned by the government and was (illegally) used as a secret interrogation site for German and Japanese Prisoners of War.  Check  here for more information about the history of this amazing place. This site is considered a historic landmark, and is currently in the process of restoration.

The Hotel, definitely the centerpiece for the site, has 4 floors, and is steadily being vandalized. The area surrounding the decaying hotel consists of a few shacks and structures that are in worse condition, due to their being made of wood.  Many small surprises were to be seen, as well as a mummified cow that had died under a tree that was next to one of the cabins.  Next to the cow was a crutch, an expression of black humor in a very arid, remote place, and also evoking the early and more interesting paintings of Salvador Dali.