Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Hidden in a small wildlife sanctuary in California's Antelope Valley are the ruins of a place that few people have ever heard of... and whose true history may have been lost to time.
In this video, we visit the little-known Phacelia Wildlife Sanctuary, one of fourteen small wildlife sanctuaries scattered across the Antelope Valley. Created in the early 1960s to help preserve the region's famous wildflower displays, this tiny patch of protected desert raises an interesting question: why was this particular piece of land considered worth saving?
While exploring the sanctuary, we uncover the remains of a mysterious abandoned structure often referred to as the Mt. Mesa Sanitarium. Was it really a tuberculosis retreat? An arthritis sanitarium run by the enigmatic Dr. Holland? Or something else entirely?
Using historic maps, old newspaper advertisements, and what little evidence remains on the ground, we attempt to unravel one of the Antelope Valley's forgotten mysteries.
Join me as we explore hidden ruins, desert wildflowers, and a story that may never be fully solved.
○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures
►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures
►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1
►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures
►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Hidden in a small wildlife sanctuary in California's Antelope Valley are the ruins of a place that few people have ever heard of... and whose true history may have been lost to time.
In this video, we visit the little-known Phacelia Wildlife Sanctuary, one of fourteen small wildlife sanctuaries scattered across the Antelope Valley. Created in the early 1960s to help preserve the region's famous wildflower displays, this tiny patch of protected desert raises an interesting question: why was this particular piece of land considered worth saving?
While exploring the sanctuary, we uncover the remains of a mysterious abandoned structure often referred to as the Mt. Mesa Sanitarium. Was it really a tuberculosis retreat? An arthritis sanitarium run by the enigmatic Dr. Holland? Or something else entirely?
Using historic maps, old newspaper advertisements, and what little evidence remains on the ground, we attempt to unravel one of the Antelope Valley's forgotten mysteries.
Join me as we explore hidden ruins, desert wildflowers, and a story that may never be fully solved.
○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures
►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures
►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1
►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures
►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
