I've seen that video as well. I had a strong hunch that it was a construction encampment along the Death Valley Railroad and I've also located those same ruins on Google Maps and Earth. I've also talked to those who had visited those ruins, I also believe they've been discussed here or this site's predecessor.
For reference, I suggest you locate a copy of the book RAILROADS OF NEVADA AND EASTERN CALIFORNIA VOLUME TWO: THE SOUTHERN ROADS, by David F. Myrick; pages 608-621.
In a nutshell:
* The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad (Ludlow, CA - Gold Center, NV [where the Beatty airport is located now]) was built by the parent company most popularly known as U.S. Borax primarily to access the borax deposits at the Lila C. Mine. Construction began in May, 1905; starting first in Las Vegas, then Ludlow after contract disagreements with the Union Pacific's Salt Lake route. A branch was built to the Lila C. and completed in August, 1907. You can also access the Tonopah & Tidewater's history in the above mentioned book, pages 544-592.
* After the Lila C. played out, the borax company incorporated the Death Valley Railroad to access their holdings at the Biddy McCarthy mine at what is now known as Ryan. Grading began at the site of Horton, at the big bend of the Lila C. branch, in March, 1914 and completed in November that year. The camp name Devair at the Biddy McCarthy was renamed Ryan.
As for your query as to what these small "foundations" were used for, it is my strong opinion that they were temporary sleeping shelters. Chinese and Mexican labor was often used in road and railroad building in the deserts. The Chinese, especially, were skillful at building those huge stone embankments and road supports by hand fitting rock. A small man only needed a low stone wall and a heavy tarp overhead for minimal but adequate protection from the elements at night while he slept in his bedroll.
There is a site over in southwestern Panamint Valley, where Remi Nadeau (famous Cerro Gordo - Los Angeles freighter) built a spur road off of his Cerro Gordo road to access the town of Lookout, built atop Lookout Mountain on the eastern slope of the Argus Range. The road is well known as the "Shotgun Road" for it's straight beeline for Lookout along the western side of Panamint Valley. On the northern decent of the summit of the Slate Range, the road had large, hand fitted stone embankments built by Chinese labor. The road was in use as the automobile road to Panamint Valley, Ballarat and Wildrose until just before WW2, when the current road was built (the road can easily be driven today to the camp by AWD vehicles, 4x4 necessary to cross a large wash at the bottom). Midway down the northern descent there is a camp built of small stone circles, made by the laborers of that section of road. I've counted 33 of them. Even up to the last time I visited the site, in the early 2000s, rusty metal grommets used in tarps for ropes to pass through were still scattered around each stone circle. All have their openings facing downwind of the prevailing wind pattern. Most are of simple design, very similar to those you found along the DVRR; one in particular has a bit of flair with a lengthy and curved entrance that partially wraps around the central structure.
The Biddy McCarthy Mine started to play out by 1925 and the borax company started focusing on their property at present day Boron, about midway between Mojave and Barstow. The company utilized Ryan as a tourist destination, as well as constructing the Furnace Creek Inn. A Brill narrow gauge motor car was built to bring tourists to Ryan. The company also enhanced the tourist experience by utilizing a train ride on the baby gauge railroad that extends south of Ryan through the complex of mines using Milwaukee and Plymouth gas locomotives.
The Depression killed off tourist activities at Ryan for some years and the Death Valley Railroad was abandoned after March, 1931. The Brill motorcar was sent to the company operations in Carlsbad, New Mexico. In the late 1960s, the car was sent to the Laws Railroad Museum near Bishop, where it sat as a static display until it began to be slowly restored over some years. On July 3rd, 2004 it was rolled out to the public under its own power and has since carried visitors around the railroad yard at Laws. I visited the car often over several years while it was being restored and rode the car on its inaugural run to the public (it was rolled out to those who contributed to its restoration the day before). The baby gauge railroad resumed operation for tourists after the depression and continued to about 1950.
The Tonopah & Tidewater operated north of Beatty over the Bullfrog-Goldfield Railroad for many years. But by 1940 operations ceased over the entire line and rails removed in 1943. Remnants of the railroad are found at Tie Canyon behind Scotty's Castle, where ties along the former Bullfrog-Goldfield were purchased for firewood for the castle. Bridge timbers were sent to Apple Valley, CA in construction with the Apple Valley Inn (I worked there and its parent company operations six years during my youth during and after high school in the late 1960s to the mid 1970s).
As for the video, it's obvious that the creator and pilot deliberately misinformed their audience in the location of the camp, making it out as being extremely remote and that no one has visited it since it was abandoned; when one can follow much of the route by car along the highway and access it from there for hiking the rest. I assume their intent was to protect the ruins.
I encourage you to get hold of Myrick's book for night time reading pleasure or passing the time when you can't be out of your rig in bad weather. Just about every library in the region will have a copy. There are many real and paper railroads in Death Valley and vicinity; including three real railroads that served Beatty and Rhyolite (Bullfrog-Goldfield, Tonopah & Tidewater, Las Vegas & Tonopah). Tons of photos that help transport you back in time. It's a big book, you may have to extend your loan for a long time!
For reference, I suggest you locate a copy of the book RAILROADS OF NEVADA AND EASTERN CALIFORNIA VOLUME TWO: THE SOUTHERN ROADS, by David F. Myrick; pages 608-621.
In a nutshell:
* The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad (Ludlow, CA - Gold Center, NV [where the Beatty airport is located now]) was built by the parent company most popularly known as U.S. Borax primarily to access the borax deposits at the Lila C. Mine. Construction began in May, 1905; starting first in Las Vegas, then Ludlow after contract disagreements with the Union Pacific's Salt Lake route. A branch was built to the Lila C. and completed in August, 1907. You can also access the Tonopah & Tidewater's history in the above mentioned book, pages 544-592.
* After the Lila C. played out, the borax company incorporated the Death Valley Railroad to access their holdings at the Biddy McCarthy mine at what is now known as Ryan. Grading began at the site of Horton, at the big bend of the Lila C. branch, in March, 1914 and completed in November that year. The camp name Devair at the Biddy McCarthy was renamed Ryan.
As for your query as to what these small "foundations" were used for, it is my strong opinion that they were temporary sleeping shelters. Chinese and Mexican labor was often used in road and railroad building in the deserts. The Chinese, especially, were skillful at building those huge stone embankments and road supports by hand fitting rock. A small man only needed a low stone wall and a heavy tarp overhead for minimal but adequate protection from the elements at night while he slept in his bedroll.
There is a site over in southwestern Panamint Valley, where Remi Nadeau (famous Cerro Gordo - Los Angeles freighter) built a spur road off of his Cerro Gordo road to access the town of Lookout, built atop Lookout Mountain on the eastern slope of the Argus Range. The road is well known as the "Shotgun Road" for it's straight beeline for Lookout along the western side of Panamint Valley. On the northern decent of the summit of the Slate Range, the road had large, hand fitted stone embankments built by Chinese labor. The road was in use as the automobile road to Panamint Valley, Ballarat and Wildrose until just before WW2, when the current road was built (the road can easily be driven today to the camp by AWD vehicles, 4x4 necessary to cross a large wash at the bottom). Midway down the northern descent there is a camp built of small stone circles, made by the laborers of that section of road. I've counted 33 of them. Even up to the last time I visited the site, in the early 2000s, rusty metal grommets used in tarps for ropes to pass through were still scattered around each stone circle. All have their openings facing downwind of the prevailing wind pattern. Most are of simple design, very similar to those you found along the DVRR; one in particular has a bit of flair with a lengthy and curved entrance that partially wraps around the central structure.
The Biddy McCarthy Mine started to play out by 1925 and the borax company started focusing on their property at present day Boron, about midway between Mojave and Barstow. The company utilized Ryan as a tourist destination, as well as constructing the Furnace Creek Inn. A Brill narrow gauge motor car was built to bring tourists to Ryan. The company also enhanced the tourist experience by utilizing a train ride on the baby gauge railroad that extends south of Ryan through the complex of mines using Milwaukee and Plymouth gas locomotives.
The Depression killed off tourist activities at Ryan for some years and the Death Valley Railroad was abandoned after March, 1931. The Brill motorcar was sent to the company operations in Carlsbad, New Mexico. In the late 1960s, the car was sent to the Laws Railroad Museum near Bishop, where it sat as a static display until it began to be slowly restored over some years. On July 3rd, 2004 it was rolled out to the public under its own power and has since carried visitors around the railroad yard at Laws. I visited the car often over several years while it was being restored and rode the car on its inaugural run to the public (it was rolled out to those who contributed to its restoration the day before). The baby gauge railroad resumed operation for tourists after the depression and continued to about 1950.
The Tonopah & Tidewater operated north of Beatty over the Bullfrog-Goldfield Railroad for many years. But by 1940 operations ceased over the entire line and rails removed in 1943. Remnants of the railroad are found at Tie Canyon behind Scotty's Castle, where ties along the former Bullfrog-Goldfield were purchased for firewood for the castle. Bridge timbers were sent to Apple Valley, CA in construction with the Apple Valley Inn (I worked there and its parent company operations six years during my youth during and after high school in the late 1960s to the mid 1970s).
As for the video, it's obvious that the creator and pilot deliberately misinformed their audience in the location of the camp, making it out as being extremely remote and that no one has visited it since it was abandoned; when one can follow much of the route by car along the highway and access it from there for hiking the rest. I assume their intent was to protect the ruins.
I encourage you to get hold of Myrick's book for night time reading pleasure or passing the time when you can't be out of your rig in bad weather. Just about every library in the region will have a copy. There are many real and paper railroads in Death Valley and vicinity; including three real railroads that served Beatty and Rhyolite (Bullfrog-Goldfield, Tonopah & Tidewater, Las Vegas & Tonopah). Tons of photos that help transport you back in time. It's a big book, you may have to extend your loan for a long time!
DAW
~When You Live in Nevada, "just down the road" is anywhere in the line of sight within the curvature of the earth.
~When You Live in Nevada, "just down the road" is anywhere in the line of sight within the curvature of the earth.