The Gold Rush was the largest mass migration in U.S history with over 300,000 people arriving in California hoping to reap its benefits. Well over a century and a half later, many of the towns along the coast, once vibrant, have been left as ghost towns as anyone taking a road trip along the 5 can attest to. However, with the legalization of marijuana sweeping the coast, some believe the newly legalized industry can usher in a 21st century version.

One company, American Green Inc., is in the process of buying the town of Nipton, CA—a remnant of the California Gold Rush—in the hopes of turning it into a weed "infused" tourist destination. The town has a rich history, bustling from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries along with the mining industry, and even boasting a hotel that played host to the silent-movie star Clara Bow, who owned a ranch nearby. 

Today, the town has a fluctuating population of 20 to 70 people and offers tremendous natural resources in the form of a Pleistocene-era underground lake as well as year-round sunshine. It was bought in the 1980s by an LA-based geologist, Gerald Freeman, who has largely been successful in reviving the area with renovation of the local hotel, cafe and general store. He has also made the town energy-independent and nearly half of Nipton's power comes from a photovoltaic solar array Freeman installed in 2010. American Green hopes to build on this progress and continue revitalizing the area. While the deal is steal in escrow, if it goes through, we can expect to see cannabis-infused H20, cannabis mineral baths, cannabis culinary events and even artists-in-residence programs coming to Nipton.