Charleston View, CA (0153)

Looking in the wrong direction (Mt. Charleston is in Nevada and behind me (in the sun)), the village of Charleston View. Charleston View is one of the many fascinating, failed, development schemes of the intermountain west. If you look at a satellite view you'll see a fairly extensive grid of streets mapped out across the surrounding desert, but very few homes (see adjacent picture). From the 1960's I remember regularly seeing the ads in various magazines for "Western Ranchettes, $999" with pictures of rustic but thriving western communities. I imagine it was these sorts of developments that were being sold. Having seen many across the west that are very similar to this, I can't help but wonder what goes on in the minds of the people who did buy and moved here, only to find themselves isolated, with no services, and possibly even having drug manufacturers as the nearest neighbors.