C is for Community: A Tourist Town Vanishes

I discovered this incredible short film courtesy of Roger Ebert today.  It's a glimpse at the history of the Salton Sea in Imperial Valley, California.  When the Colorado River accidentally overflowed during the early 20th century, this man-made ocean appeared in one of the largest desserts in California.  A tourist community emerged in the 1920s and population boomed during the 1950s suburban movement, but soon the Salton Sea's salt levels ran higher than that of the oceans wreaking havoc on marine life, and subsequently the neighborhood died.

Watch this sad, strange, and beautiful tale about what the world looks like when people disappear.

Or on YouTube.