Some of Bodie’s original fencing is still intact, reminding us that actual human beings once inhabited these houses. It is important to somehow recall the human side of Bodie if we are to appreciate what happened here over 100 years ago. They were not all killers and louts in Bodie – there were also people who took pride in where they lived, and who they were. The symbolic presence of worn picket fence goes a long way here – it may be warped and broken with the sage already reaching for the porch. The windows behind this fence may be cracked, and their curtains torn, but this picture tells us that once, a long time ago, there were actually ordinary people living in this house. And that is why this image sticks in the mind and helps makes this place into a real place.