In 1908 out in the Namib Desert in Africa a railway worker was doing his job trying to keep the railroad tracks free of blowing sand when he picked up what he though was a rock but then realized it was a large diamond. The rush was on and this middle of nowhere harsh desert spot became a boom town called Kolmanskop.

Diamonds were so plentiful here at first that prospectors could just pick them up right off the ground. From 1911 thru 1914 over a ton of diamonds totaling some 5 million carats were found in Kolmanskop. But by the 1920's the diamonds were harder to find and by 1956 the town was completely abandoned.

Today Kolmanskop still exists as a ghost town and tourist attraction run by the De Beers company. Visitors here can see what a real boom town once looked like and see how the desert sands have not really destroyed the town but just filled it up. Kolmanskop is also used by film companies for movie sets from time to time.

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