ghost town 18

These 18 American Ghost Towns Will Chill You To The Bone

Sarah McCosham

I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books. I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.

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Contrary to their name, ghost towns are not locales filled with unsettled spirits. They are something completely different… and far eerier. Ghost towns are places that were once filled with busy, bustling streets, thriving businesses, and lively residents; then, over the course of months and years, these towns were all but abandoned, leaving many to wonder if they ever really existed at all. The U.S. is full of ghost towns: in the West, abandoned areas remain from the days of the Gold Rush; in the Pacific Northwest, evidence of old homesteads exists along the Oregon Trail ; the Midwest is full of towns that once thrived during the Great Migration; while the South and Mid-Atlantic regions have their own ghost towns which harken back to the very first days of America. This fall, as we enter the season of frightening and fun fantasies, trade the haunted houses for a real-life ghost hunt in these 18 American ghost towns that just so happen to be the creepiest ghost towns in the US.

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Ghost towns hold an irresistible attraction for explorers. Confronting the remnants of these once-thriving towns is a harrowing and haunting experience that will undoubtedly leave you grateful for the here and now. The creepiest ghost towns in the US were abandoned over time due to economic hardships; others were immediately evacuated due to external circumstances; while some leave little evidence as to why they were deserted. Nobody wants to be erased from history, and that’s precisely what time has tried — unsuccessfully — to do with these 18 locales. So visit, honor, and remember what these American ghost towns once were; and then leave with a sense of pride and purpose for your own place in history.

Fall is the season of spooky American adventures. Here are 19 of the most fascinating abandoned places in America you’ll definitely want to add to your autumn bucket list!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.

More to Explore

More haunted places in the us, what are the most haunted houses in the us.

Sure, it's fun to visit American ghost towns that have been abandoned for quite some time, but if you want a real scare a haunted house is the ultimate creepy destination. Here are some of the most haunted houses in the US:

• Sallie House , Atchison, KS : The story behind this haunted house in Kansas is pretty creepy. It involves a little girl and a botched surgery. A combination that sends your mind in all sorts of directions. In the 1800s, medical practices weren't what they are today so a simple appendicitis surgery could often go haywire. And it did. Throughout the years strange occurrences and freaky events have been reported. Unexplained voices, burnt finger marks on candles, and even physical attacks. But the worst part is, the little girl wasn't responsible for the worst of these events... Other ghosts haunt the property too.
• Lava Hot Springs Hotel , Lava Hot Springs, ID : A hot springs hotel is supposed to be a relaxing destination, however, there is more than meets the eye at this particular spot. The building used to be a sanatorium. You just know there had to have been some pretty terrible things going on behind locked doors. Room 13 is particularly active with past spirits. If you visit, keep an eye out for Martha.
• Shaker’s Cigar Bar , Baraboo, WI : Houses and old sanatoriums aren't the only buildings that can be haunted. Shaker’s Cigar Bar has a long storied history with plenty of tragedies since it opened back in 1864 as a boarding house. In its past, it has also been a honky-tonk saloon and a brothel. Today, you can still hear disembodied voices and catch a glimpse of ghostly apparitions.

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Protect Your Trip »

America's 15 coolest ghost towns to visit.

From Kentucky to California, the U.S. is filled with eerie abandoned cities.

(Courtesy of Travel South Dakota)

Take a step back in time while visiting these historic – and slightly spooky – ghost towns.

(Courtesy of Scott Peterson)

St. Elmo, Colorado

(Courtesy of Visit Montana)

Nevada City, Montana

Spokane, South Dakota

(Sydney Martinez/Courtesy of Travel Nevada)

Goodsprings, Nevada

(Getty Images)

Goldfield, Arizona

Blue Heron, Kentucky

South Pass City, Wyoming

Independence, Colorado

Calico, California

(Courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism)

Frisco, Utah

White Oaks, New Mexico

(Courtesy of Aspen Historical Society)

Ashcroft, Colorado

(Courtesy of The Arizona Office of Tourism)

Ruby, Arizona

Bodie, California

Grafton, Utah

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

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18 of the Spookiest Ghost Towns in America

Old mines, abandoned buildings, and ghostly orbs: These are a few of the most haunted locales in the country.

Calico, California

Although you probably won't find any silver in this one-time mining hot spot, you can experience a goldmine of activities in this ghost town turned tourist attraction. At Calico Ghost Town —now a California historical landmark—you can explore Maggie Mine, the only formerly used mine in the area that's safe for guests to see. You can also take a ride on Calico Odessa Railroad to see all of the sights. If you're really feeling daring, you can even participate in one of the spooky ghost tours!

Rhyolite, Nevada

On the eastern edge of Death Valley sits Rhyolite , a former mining hub. At its peak in 1907, this town boasted a hospital, an opera house, and a stock exchange. The area seemed so promising that even Charles M. Schwab invested and bought one of the mines . Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the thousands of people to scatter: A financial crises, natural disasters, and the loss of funding caused nearly every resident to leave the Nevada spot by 1920.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Goldfield, Arizona

Aptly named, Goldfield was swarming with miners hopeful for gold in the late 1800s, but was dried up by 1898. The area was inhabited and renamed Youngsberg in 1921, but was abandoned once again in 1926. In 1988, the defunct city took the route of a few other ghost towns and became a tourist attraction with a handful of activities including a zipline, a reptile exhibit, and horseback rides. There's also a museum, a saloon, and other different merchants.

St. Elmo, Colorado

Formerly named Forest City, St. Elmo was once a bustling mining center with a population of 2,000 at its peak. By 1930, though, only seven people reportedly resided there, including the family who ran the general store and the hotel—one who is rumored to haunt the place to this day. Now privately owned and maintained, visitors can still swing by the small city, which is said to have some of the most paranormal activity in the state.

Terlingua, Texas

Though most of its residents fled after the market for mercury crashed, Terlingua actually remains fairly bustling. Visitors can snack on chili at the "internationally acclaimed" restaurant , grab a drink at the saloon, explore the ruins, and wander the halls of the old jail during their time at the historic hotspot.

Virginia City and Nevada City, Montana

Interested in experiencing the mortal fear of trying to stay alive in the gun-slinging Old West? The former residence of Calamity Jane, Virginia City has resisted change since 1863, with hundreds of historic buildings still standing. One mile down the road on Alder Gulch is Nevada City, another town that boomed and busted thanks to the Gold Rush. Ride a train between the two cities where you can witness early settlers struggle to survive and actual historic events through living history shows (the hanging of Red Yeager, anyone?). The reality of life in a Gold Rush town is likely to leave you shaking in your (cowboy) boots.

Bodie, California

Abandoned by the discouraged gold rushers who followed William Bodie to the town to try—but not succeed—to find more of the precious metal he had discovered in 1859, this well-known ghost town in California has been left eerily untouched for more than 150 years. Shacks still stand with tables set, waiting for their long-gone residents to return, while shops and restaurants are still stocked up with some supplies, prepared to service customers who will never arrive. If that isn't spooky, what is?

Cahawba, Alabama

Southwest of Selma lies "Alabama's most famous ghost town." As the state's first permanent capital from 1820 to 1825, a bustling center for the trading and transport of cotton before the Civil War, and a village for freed slaves after the war, this town at the confluence of the Alabama and Cahaba Rivers made several comebacks after floods and yellow fever epidemics. Unfortunately, its residents all drifted away for good by 1900. Now known as Old Cahawba Archaeological Park , the town and its abandoned streets, cemeteries and ruins have been the setting for many ghost stories, including one about a ghostly orb appearing in a now-vanished garden maze at the home of C. C. Pegues.

Kennecott, Alaska

Considered the best remaining example of early 20th-century copper mining, this mill town is at the end of a 60-mile dirt road in the middle of Alaska's massive Wrangell–St. Elias National Park. From 1911 to 1938, Kennecott employed as many as 300 people in the mill town and 300 in the mines, processing nearly $200 million worth of copper. As a company town, it included a hospital, general store, school, skating rink, tennis court, recreation hall, and dairy. By 1938, however, the copper ore was tapped out, and the Kennecott Copper Corporation abruptly abandoned the town, leaving behind their equipment, their buildings, and their personal belongings.The National Park Service and tour operators offer guided access to the 14-story concentration mill and several other historic buildings, telling tales of lucky fortunes, tenacious frontiersmen, and tragic endings in the remote wilderness.

Bannack, Montana

This desolate former mining town in Montana is so riddled with paranormal activity it was featured in an episode of the Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures . Founded in 1862 when John White discovered gold on Grasshopper Creek, Bannack was a typical gold rush town in the Wild West. After gold was discovered in nearby Virginia City, many prospectors moved there and the road between the two towns became the scene of more holdups, robberies and murders than almost any other stagecoach route—with the leader of the outlaw gang later discovered to be Bannack's very own sheriff. The mining town lasted longer than most, with its population finally petering out between 1930 and 1950, at which point the state of Montana made the well-preserved town a state park . Today, over sixty structures are still standing, most of which can be explored.

South Pass City, Wyoming

Another well-preserved mining town in the American West, South Pass City was founded in 1867 when the large Carissa gold deposit was discovered near the Sweetwater River. Located about 10 miles north of the Oregon Trail on the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains, throngs of prospectors soon descended on the area despite the severe conditions, hoping to also strike it rich. Within a year, the population had swelled to about 2,000 people, mostly men, and saloons, brothels, and the boisterous and dangerous life of a frontier town were in full swing. Despite throwing themselves into the back-breaking work, the prospectors didn't find more large gold deposits, so by the mid 1870s, only 100 people remained. Homes, stores, hotels and saloons fell into disrepair, with the last of the pioneer families moving away in 1949. Today, a handful of residents have returned to live in South Pass City, and the South Pass City State Historic Site features more than 30 preserved historic structures dating from the city's heyday.

Centralia, Pennsylvania

With smoke and noxious gases escaping from every nook and cranny, this Pennsylvania town has been smoldering since 1962—and its underground fire is expected to burn for 250 more years. A landfill burn gone awry sparked the fire in an abandoned coal mine, which quickly spread into the veins of the coal deposits that had once been the key to Centralia 's prosperity. When the initial damage was done, the catastrophe had scorched 140 acres of the town and the surrounding area. Residents evacuated, homes were leveled, and the highway was closed down as the massive fire caused gaping sinkholes spewing fumes. Of the nearly 2,000 Centralia residents who were there when the mines caught fire, only six still remain, determined to make the few streets and buildings in this doomed town their home until they die.

Thurmond, West Virginia

Thurmond 's empty downtown belies the fact that five people still actually live in this West Virginia town, now a ghost of the thriving community it used to be. Once a big stop on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, the invention of the diesel locomotive in the 1950s rendered its coal-run railroad obsolete. The train depot is now a museum, Amtrak station, and visitors' center for travelers who come to the region to raft on the New River Gorge National River, and the quaint Thurmond Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Surprisingly untouched by modern development, Thurmond is a throwback to an American town of the past, an unsettling reminder of how prosperity can be fleeting.

Glenrio, Texas/New Mexico

During the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, travelers packed Route 66, sending tens of thousands of people through Glenrio , a tiny town on the border of Texas and New Mexico that offered motorists a road stop with gas stations, diners, bars, western-themed motels, and even a dance hall. When I-40 was built in the 1970s, however, drivers now bypassed the former overnight desert oasis. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Glenrio Historic District includes the old Route 66 roadbed and 17 abandoned buildings, like the Little Juarez Diner, the State Line bar, and the State Line Motel, its now-broken signs announcing to nonexistent motorists that it's the "last in Texas"—or the "first" depending on your direction of travel through the American West.

Bulowville, Florida

Cleared of its natural forest in 1821 by Charles Bulow to establish a 2,200-acre plantation to grow sugar cane, cotton, indigo, and rice, this East Florida land soon also housed the area's largest sugar mill, built by Bulow's son, John. Its title didn't last long, however, as the Seminole Indians set fire to the plantation and mill in 1836 during the Second Seminole War. Built of hardy local coquina rock, the mill's massive ruins now rise eerily among the large oak trees that have reclaimed the land in the 150-acre Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park , while the crumbling foundations of the plantation house and slave cabins show the volatility of Florida frontier life.

Essex County Jail Annex, North Caldwell, New Jersey

A prison is always haunting, but an abandoned one exudes an even creepier feeling, especially the austere Victorian-style Essex County Jail Annex in New Jersey. First built in 1873 and expanded over the years to include an auditorium, hospital, and cafeteria, much of the facility was closed down in the 1970s and it was abandoned for good in the late 1990s. Left to decay and vandalism by thrill-seekers, inmates' files filled with mugshots and rap sheets soon covered the floor of the auditorium, while shotgun ports and tear gas modules on the ceilings of the mess hall remain to remind trespassers of their potential harrowing fate should they be judged criminals.

Grossinger's Catskill Resort, Liberty, New York

In its heyday, the Grossinger's Catskill Resort was the sort of seasonal retreat featured in Dirty Dancing , where well-to-do families in the 1950s spent their summers lounging by its two massive swimming pools, playing golf or tennis, and enjoying the lush 1,200-acre surroundings just two hours north of New York City. In the winters, it offered theatre and skiing, the first place in the world to use artificial snow on its slopes. Of the cabins, cottages, hotel, landing strip, post office and more that served the resort's hundreds of thousands of guests until it closed in the mid 1980s, a few exquisite places still remain undemolished or horribly vandalized. One is the stately natatorium, gorgeously overgrown with moss and ferns, with sunlight streaming through its windows and skylights onto the graffitied pool and abandoned lounge chairs. The other is the hotel's lobby and ballroom where the twin staircases, massive fireplaces and a checkerboard ceiling suggest its former glory. If you listen hard enough, you might still hear the tinkling of cocktail glasses or the clicks of heels dancing the foxtrot.

Rolling Acres Mall, Akron, Ohio

Built in 1975 and expanded several times, the Rolling Acres Mall once housed more than 140 stores, a movie theater and a food court. In 2008, the mall was closed and only two large retailers continued to operate, with all stores finally closing in 2013. Having changed owners several times and currently in the process of foreclosure, the once-bustling mall will likely be demolished. Until then, the 1,300,000-square-foot space remains an eerily empty relic of modern civilization, with its cracked glass ceilings letting in snow during winter storms as if the structure stands alone in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

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Ghost towns: once thriving communities that have dwindled over the decades. Some vanished entirely or were absorbed into newer settlements, but many of these towns still stand, at least in part, allowing us glimpses of what these now-abandoned places once were.

Where are America’s ghost towns, and how do they look today? Scroll down to find out.

We’ve researched over 3,800 ghost towns to show their spread across the country and within each state.

Professor of American Studies

Nearest city

Hawthorne, NV

Nearby ghost towns

Ione, NV Broken Hills, NV

McCarthy, AK

Key West, FL

Missoula, MT

Coloma, MT Bearmouth, MT Pioneer, MT

Bridgeport, CA

Aurora, NV Dogtown, CA Masonic, CA

Buena Vista, CO

Tincup, CO Turret, CO

Picacho, CA Jaeger City, CA Tumco, CA

St. George, UT

Adventure, UT Duncan's Retreat, UT Grafton, UT

Lion City, MT Pioneer, MT Trapper City, MT

Lordsburg, NM

Shakespeare, NM

55 ghost towns Talladega County contains the most, with 6. There are 11 ghost towns within 50 miles of Hoover.

Arcola, Hale County

32 ghost towns Nome contains the most, with 7. There are 4 ghost towns within 50 miles of Anchorage.

Kennicott, Valdez-Cordova

131 ghost towns Yavapai County contains the most, with 24. There are 24 ghost towns within 25 miles of Prescott Valley.

Fairbank, Cochise County The Bureau of Land Management / CC BY 2.0

20 ghost towns Marion County contains the most, with 3. There are 15 ghost towns within 50 miles of Fort Smith.

Rush, Marion County

346 ghost towns Kern County contains the most, with 113. There are 71 ghost towns within 25 miles of Bakersfield.

Bodie, Mono County

99 ghost towns El Paso County contains the most, with 14. There are 14 ghost towns within 25 miles of Colorado Springs.

St. Elmo, Chaffee County

Connecticut

4 ghost towns

6 ghost towns Sussex County contains the most, with 5. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Wilmington.

257 ghost towns Polk County contains the most, with 17. There are 20 ghost towns within 25 miles of Saint Petersburg.

Fort Jefferson, Monroe County

16 ghost towns There are 9 ghost towns within 50 miles of Augusta.

Auraria, Lumpkin County Hellohowareyoudoing / CC BY-SA 3.0

21 ghost towns Honolulu County contains the most, with 6. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Honolulu.

Kapoho, East Puna Bob Linsdell / CC BY-SA 3.0

26 ghost towns Lemhi County contains the most, with 4. There are 7 ghost towns within 50 miles of Boise City.

Rocky Bar, Elmore County J.Day Photography / CC BY-SA 3.0

82 ghost towns Macoupin County contains the most, with 12. There are 11 ghost towns within 25 miles of Waukegan.

Benjaminville, McLean County A McMurray / CC BY-SA 3.0

42 ghost towns Warren County contains the most, with 11. There are 12 ghost towns within 25 miles of West Lafayette.

Corwin, Tippecanoe County

26 ghost towns Buchanan County and Clayton County each contain 3. There are 22 ghost towns within 50 miles of Dubuque.

Donnan, Fayette County Firsfron / CC BY-SA 3.0

308 ghost towns Shawnee County contains the most, with 10. There are 20 ghost towns within 25 miles of Lawrence.

Dunlap, Morris County Patrick Emerson / CC BY-ND 2.0

13 ghost towns There are 9 ghost towns within 50 miles of Covington.

Creelsboro, Russell County

17 ghost towns Pointe Coupee Parish contains the most, with 9. There are 13 ghost towns within 50 miles of Baton Rouge.

La Balize, Plaquemines Parish

5 ghost towns Somerset County contains the most, with 3.

Perkins Township (Swan Island), Lincoln County Timothy Krause / CC BY 2.0

15 ghost towns Garrett County contains the most, with 9. There are 10 ghost towns within 50 miles of Gaithersburg.

Daniels, Baltimore County Timothy Krause / CC BY 2.0

Massachusetts

11 ghost towns Worcester contains the most, with 3. There are 5 ghost towns within 25 miles of Holyoke.

Whitewash Village, Barnstable County Zachary Cava / CC BY 2.0

128 ghost towns Grand Traverse County contains the most, with 12. There are 16 ghost towns within 50 miles of Novi.

Harrietta, Wexford County Roman Kahler / CC BY-SA 4.0

55 ghost towns Winona County contains the most, with 5. There are 14 ghost towns within 50 miles of Rochester.

Forestville, Fillmore County Tony Webster / CC BY-SA 2.0

Mississippi

27 ghost towns There are 4 ghost towns within 50 miles of Biloxi.

Rodney, Jefferson County Michael McCarthy / CC BY-ND 2.0

21 ghost towns St. Charles County contains the most, with 4. There are 10 ghost towns within 25 miles of Kansas City.

Phenix, Greene County Diedrichb / CC BY-SA 4.0

106 ghost towns Carbon County contains the most, with 9. There are 19 ghost towns within 50 miles of Bozeman.

Bannack, Beaverhead County

31 ghost towns Pawnee County contains the most, with 13. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Lincoln.

Dobytown, Kearney County

106 ghost towns Nye County contains the most, with 15. There are 13 ghost towns within 50 miles of Henderson.

Ione, Nye County

New Hampshire

8 ghost towns Grafton County contains the most, with 4. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Nashua.

Monson, Hillsborough County John Phelan / CC BY-SA 4.0

11 ghost towns Burlington County contains the most, with 3. There are 3 ghost towns within 25 miles of Newark.

Batso Village, Burlington County mullica / CC BY 2.0

39 ghost towns Sandoval County and Grant County each contain 5. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Albuquerque.

Lake Valley, Sierra County The Bureau of Land Management / CC BY 2.0

14 ghost towns Cattaraugus County contains the most, with 5. There are 7 ghost towns within 50 miles of Troy.

Tahawus, Essex County

North Carolina

16 ghost towns Carteret County contains the most, with 3. There are 5 ghost towns within 50 miles of Asheville.

Brunswick Town, Brunswick County Rob Friesel / CC BY-SA 2.0

North Dakota

23 ghost towns Ward County, Grant County and Williams County each contain 3. There are 5 ghost towns within 50 miles of Bismarck.

Petrel, Adams County Andrew Filer / CC BY-SA 2.0

26 ghost towns Clermont County contains the most, with 4. There are 10 ghost towns within 50 miles of Lancaster.

Moonville, Vinton County ChristopherM / CC BY 2.0

236 ghost towns Pushmataha County contains the most, with 13. There are 11 ghost towns within 25 miles of Norman.

68 ghost towns Baker County contains the most, with 9. There are 13 ghost towns within 50 miles of Keizer.

Shaniko, Wasco County

Pennsylvania

105 ghost towns Indiana County contains the most, with 36. There are 71 ghost towns within 50 miles of Pittsburgh.

Frick's Lock, Chester County

Rhode Island

1 ghost town

Hanton City, Providence PristineLibertine / CC BY-SA 3.0

South Carolina

11 ghost towns Barnwell County contains the most, with 5. There are 3 ghost towns within 50 miles of Greenville.

Dunbarton, Barnwell County

South Dakota

238 ghost towns Lawrence County contains the most, with 93. There are 51 ghost towns within 25 miles of Rapid City.

Burdock, Fall River County Runner1928 / CC BY-SA 3.0

12 ghost towns There are 10 ghost towns within 50 miles of Knoxville.

Loyston, Union County

511 ghost towns Wilson County contains the most, with 31. There are 25 ghost towns within 25 miles of New Braunfels.

Heckville, Lubbock County Leaflet / CC BY-SA 3.0

136 ghost towns Carbon County contains the most, with 18. There are 13 ghost towns within 25 miles of Lehi.

Harrisburg, Washington County The Bureau of Land Management / CC BY 2.0

5 ghost towns

Somerset, Windham County Andy Arthur / CC BY 2.0

19 ghost towns York County, Henrico County and Prince William County each contain 3. There are 11 ghost towns within 50 miles of Richmond.

Jamestown, James City County Sarah Stierch / CC BY-SA 2.0

116 ghost towns King County contains the most, with 16. There are 14 ghost towns within 25 miles of Auburn.

Lester, King County BryonDavis / CC BY-SA 2.0

West Virginia

21 ghost towns Fayette County contains the most, with 9. There are 11 ghost towns within 50 miles of Charleston.

Thurmond, Thurmond Mike / CC BY-ND 2.0

155 ghost towns Adams County and Milwaukee County each contain 10. There are 20 ghost towns within 25 miles of Racine.

Muskego Settlement, Racine County McGhiever / CC BY-SA 3.0

33 ghost towns Fremont County contains the most, with 6. There are 5 ghost towns within 50 miles of Cheyenne.

Miner's Delight, Fremont County The Bureau of Land Management / CC BY 2.0

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16 eerie ghost towns in America you can actually visit

You might actually see a spirit at these long-forgotten, abandoned ghost towns in America

America is home to hundreds of ghost towns and abandoned settlements. While they’re dotted across the county, they are ubiquitous in regions like California, Nevada and Colorado that experienced the boom and then bust of industries like mining.

Visiting ghost towns in America is a chance to step back in time, taking in life as it once was. Picture tumbleweeds rolling down Main Street, once-bustling stores now sitting in eerie silence, and faded signs that hint at lives lived long ago. You can wander through old homes, buildings and streets to get a snapshot of the past, taking in stories of pioneers, prospectors, and dreamers. Like the name suggests, you may even spot a ghost along the way.

If you're interested in a glimpse into the past, we've rounded up the most fascinating ghost towns in the US to discover America’s hidden history. If spooky travel is your thing, don’t forget to visit the scariest real-life haunted houses , take yourself on a ghost tour or pay your respects at the most hauntingly beautiful graveyards .

An email you’ll actually love

Ghost towns in America

1.  Centralia, PA

An underground mine fire gone seriously wrong led to this modern ghost town northwest of Philadelphia. In 1962, a fire accidentally spread to the town's old, underground mines, creating sinkholes that spewed smoke and toxic fumes across the community. In 1983, most of the town was evacuated, and in 1992, its real estate was claimed under eminent domain and condemned by the state (delivering the final blow, the ZIP code was officially recalled in 2002). Even though Centralia's fire is still burning today—and expected to burn for another 250 years—four residents still live in the doomed town as of 2020 (sounds like they’re playing with fire, if you ask us). Only five homes remain standing in this town. 

2.  Custer, ID

The population of this gold mining town, located deep inside Idaho's Challis National Forest, peaked in 1896. Home to a massive stamp mill, it had eight saloons and a tiny Chinatown complete with laundry services, a shoe store, and a joss house (a Chinese place of worship). But just 15 years after its boom, Custer's mills shut down and its residents had no choice but to leave their remote mountain home; by 1911, just two families remained. However, most of the town still stands, and in 1981 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Its buildings are open seasonally for visitors and the original school now serves as a museum.

3.  Bodie, CA

This Gold Rush-era town near Yosemite has stood eerily untouched for almost 100 years. Although it already showed signs of decline with dwindling numbers at the start of the 20th century, a series of fires forced the remaining residents to flee the town, leaving it almost exactly as it was in the early 1900s. Dinner tables are still set, shops are still stocked with supplies, and the schoolhouse still has lessons on the chalkboard. Be warned: bad luck is said to befall anyone who steals anything from the site while visiting. 

4.  Kennecott, AK

This preserved-in-time copper mining town is located at the end of a 60-mile-long dirt road in the middle of Alaska's Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (the largest national park in the USA). In its heyday, from around 1910 to 1940, Kennecott processed nearly $200,000,000 worth of copper. By 1938, however, the mine was empty and the Kennecott Copper Corporation abruptly abandoned the operation, leaving everything behind. Today, with St. Elias Alpine Guides, you can take a two-hour guided tour (the only official way to get into the town with its 14-story mill). Make sure also to visit the Root and Kennecott glaciers, too.

5.  Rhyolite, NV

This ghost town near Death Valley National Park was once a bustling ore mining community. In 1904, gold was found within its quartz (rhyolite is a silica-rich volcanic rock that contains quartz, hence the town name), and the game was on with 2,000 claims in a 30-mile area. Soon, Rhyolite boasted a hospital, an opera house, and a stock exchange. In 1906, Charles M. Schwab spent several million on its Montgomery Shoshone mine. Unfortunately, following the 1907 financial panic, businesses were shuttered and residents began to move out. In 1916, light and power were turned off, and the town went ghost. Today, Rhyolite is perhaps best recognized as the set for ScarJo's 2005 sci-fi thriller The Island .

6.  Cahawba, AL

Cahawba was the state's first capital from 1820 to 1825, situated at the junction of two rivers. After the war, the legislature was moved to Selma and the town lost business and population—and periodic flooding wreaked havoc. Today, it's visitable as Old Cahawba Archeological Park, which honors the history of the Native American presence there and the years when many freedmen and women lived there. You can see abandoned streets, cemeteries and building ruins—just make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the ghostly 'orb' that's been known to appear in the garden maze at the home of C.C. Pegues.

7.  Glenrio, NM/TX

Straddling the border between New Mexico and Texas, Glenrio was an action-packed stop on Route 66 for decades. From the 1940s until the 1960s, the tiny town's gas stations, diners, bars and motels were packed with road-trippers passing through the Southwest. But when I-40 was built in the 1970s, drivers no longer stopped in Glenrio, and the town fell into disrepair. Not all is lost, however: the Glenrio Historic District includes 17 abandoned buildings.

8.  St Elmo, CO

Like many ghost towns in the US, St. Elmo (originally called Forrest City) was once a thriving gold and silver mining community. When the gold and silver ran out and disease stalked the town, the population dwindled. The nail in the coffin ended the train service to Chalk Creek Canyon in the '20s. Surprisingly, a general store and Ghost Town Guest House are still operating, which means visitors can spend the night in this ghost town even if the scene is a little  unlively .

9.  Nelson, NV

Early Spanish settlers found silver in Nelson (then Eldorado) in the 1700s. It took another hundred years for other prospectors—many of them Civil War deserters—to find gold, creating the largest booms Nevada had ever seen. All hell broke loose when they did: disputes over the Techatticup Mine, the town's most notorious site, frequently led to murder. Nelson's mines remained active through the 1940s. An infamous 1974 flash flood destroyed the town of Nelson's Landing, five miles away. Nelson's buildings remain today—the ghost town is now a popular location for photo, film, and music video shoots.

10.  Bannack, MT

Paranormal enthusiasts may already know about this desolate former mining town in Montana—it’s featured in the Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures . The Gold Rush-era city was known in its time for being a little rough (holdups, robberies, and murders were well documented on the route to nearby Virginia City) and the sheriff of Bannack was a rumored outlaw. The town was abandoned by the 1950s, but more than 50 of its original 1800s structures still stand and can be explored now that it's a state park.

11.  Santa Claus, AZ

Sure, the middle of the Mojave Desert isn’t the first place you’d look for jolly old Saint Nick—and yet that didn’t stop this now-abandoned town in Arizona from dedicating itself to all things Christmas. Realtor Nina Talbot founded the town in 1937 to attract buyers to the desert, and while Santa Claus was popular with tourists for a bit, all the Christmas spirit wasn't enough to convince enough folks to move in. The decline of Route 66 sounded a death knell for the playing of Jingle Bells. You can still see rundown red-and-white buildings and forlorn tinsel for yourself (it’s not maintained, but you’re free to visit).

12.  Thurmond, WV

In the early 1900s, the railroad kept this West Virginia town humming as a thriving depot for coal. Thurmond had it all as a major stop on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway—hotels, banks, a post office, and more. Sadly, the Great Depression, followed by the invention of the diesel train in the 1950s, ended Thurmond's prosperity. Today, the National Park Service has restored the depot, and the town is on the National Register of Historic Places; you can take a self-guided tour of the now quiet town. Reach it by driving seven miles down a narrow, winding road.

13.  Calico, CA

Calico once thrived with its busy silver mines, beginning auspiciously in 1881. But in the mid-1890s silver lost its value and the inhabitants skedaddled. Walter Knott purchased some of Calico’s buildings to disassemble and move them to Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park near Disneyland. He returned to buy and restore Calico itself, which he later deeded back to the county; it’s now a county regional park that’s an accurate-looking ghost town if not wholly literal. There were once 500 mines here and now you can tour the Maggie Mine and 30 structures—shops, saloons, schoolhouse—and stay in a tent, bunkhouse or cabin overnight. In late October, watch for the “Ghost Haunt” weekend events.

14.  Goldfield, NV

This was your authentic Gold Rush mining camp, established in 1902, which was once the largest city in Nevada. The mines went bust and a flash flood spelled the town’s decline ten years before a fire put things to a conclusive end. Yet, about 250 people still live here among the remnants of the town with saloons, slanting homes, deserted hotel and shacks. It’s worth a visit to poke around this “living ghost town;” we especially recommend the said-to-be-haunted Mozart Tavern, where locals treat visitors with special kindness. Paranormal ghost tours take place here regularly, and the Goldfield Days in August temporarily fill the town back up to its boomtown population.

15.  Goldfield, AZ

There’s more than one Goldfield Ghost Town in the U.S., and this one in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains may provide less of that quiet contemplation of ruin and abandon than a ghost town usually provides; things are hopping here and the latest addition is a zipline. But there are tours of a legitimate century-old mine, a narrow gauge railroad, a walking ghost tour at night, seasonal historic gunfights over the contents of a Wells Fargo box, the typical gold-panning, and the not -typical chance to talk with a ‘floozy’ at Lu Lu’s Bordello. Bring the kids?

16.  Castle Dome, AZ

This place is enormous, with 80 buildings and 300 mines (not all are safe to enter). It represents a salvaging of the once-booming mid-1800s settlement (only seven buildings are original), with reconstructions harking to the gold and silver mining claims enacted here. The tales here are impressive, with an 1863 mine owner attacked by 180 Apaches and left in an arroyo to be half-eaten by coyotes, and the wild chain of events that followed, including an opium overdose, a stagecoach robbery and a fellow being shot trying to stop a lynching. There’s much more: an $800 million fluorescent minerals wall and a doomsday cult that wintered here, but we’ll just say it’s worth the visit.

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Texas has more ghost towns than any other state—these 5 are worth exploring

Posted: October 20, 2023 | Last updated: October 20, 2023

Have you ever taken a ride down Interstate 35 near San Antonio and felt the hair on the back of your neck stand on end? If so, you're in excellent, albeit eerie company. A study by GeoTab revealed Texas is home to 511 ghost towns—more than any other state in the U.S., many of which are clustered along the I-35 corridor. The highest concentration of ghost towns are just outside of San Antonio in Wilson County, which has 31. Travelers to New Braunfels also have a chance of catching a glimpse of a ghost town, since there are 25 located within 25 miles of the charming city. 

You may be familiar with the ghost tours invading Galveston , but do you know the history behind Texas's ghost towns and where to find some of the best ones in the Lone Star State? Keep reading to learn more about the mystery and history around some of the most popular ghost towns in Texas, and why they're worth the trek from Houston to see. 

Why are there so many ghost towns in Texas?

We can thank the energy-dependent boom and bust economy that goes back to the turn of the 20th century. According to a statement on the GeoTab website by  Peter Ling , a professor of American Studies, "Texas and California top the list thanks to mining and oil towns, with Texas surging after 1901's Spindletop discovery and California towns booming in the rail expansion of the 1880s." 

The Spindletop oil gusher increased Beaumont's population from a sleepy town of 10,000 in 1901 to a roughneck crowd of 30,000 in just three months. These population increases created towns where there was once nothing, and when an inevitable downturn hit, the bustling settlements were abandoned. 

Texas ghost town tours offer glimpses at history, and possibly ghosts

Thousands of years before Texas's first oil gusher, ghosts have fascinated people—many blamed haunted spirits for mysterious apparitions and unexplained occurrences. These days, ghosts and ghost towns are still a subject of curiosity. Anna C. of Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours in San Antonio says that their guests are initially drawn to their tours because they are interested in the macabre. "Many guests book a tour because they are curious about ghosts, but afterward, they are fascinated by the historical aspects they learn about during the tour." 

And although Sisters Grimm never guarantees paranormal events during their tours, sometimes visitors are in for a treat. "Guests are always really excited to show us their tour photos with orbs of light or silhouettes," says Anna. 

A Texas ghost town recently sold for a bargain price

Those with a love of the supernatural beyond unearthly photos had the opportunity to buy an entire ghost town when Lobo in West Texas hit the market for $100,000. The abandoned town between Van Horn and Valentine on U.S. 90 was for sale by its owners due to the expense of upkeep and the scarcity of water on the land. According to Stripe Realty , who handled the Lobo listing, the sale was finalized in October 2023. At $100,000, the West Texas ghost town was a bargain compared to Cerro Gordo, a ghost town in California that sold for $1.4 million in 2018 . 

According to a 2019 Ipsos poll , 46 percent of respondents believe in ghosts. If you are part of the "I ain't afraid of no ghosts" crowd and exploring Texas ghost towns to conjure up spooky excitement is your idea of a good time, add these five ghost towns in the Lone Star State to your must-see list. 

Old Bluffton 

About an hour northwest of Austin in Burnet County is Bluffton, well, new Bluffton, that is. Old Bluffton is usually submerged 30 feet under Lake Buchanan . In the 1800s, it was home to about 50 families before the Buchanan Dam project brought electricity to the Texas Hill Country. When the dam was completed in 1937, flooding and a series of storms filled the lake much quicker than anticipated, leaving the town underwater. 

It wasn't until 1984, when a severe drought struck Texas, that Old Bluffton emerged from the depths of Lake Buchanan. Preserved by years spent underwater, the remains of homes, tombstones, a bank and the town's hotel are visible when the lake levels are low. History buffs or those interested in ghost towns can hear more about the area on a tour of Lake Buchanan . Drought or not, don't try to take any submerged artifacts; they are protected by the Texas Historical Commission .

Find it : Lake Buchanan Chamber of Commerce, 19611 E. TX-29, Buchanan Dam, TX 78609; 512-793-2803 

Located in Calhoun County on Matagorda Bay, what was first known as Karlshafen and later named Indian Point functioned as a deep-water port during the Mexican-American War and was the main landing point for European immigrants arriving by ship. The area's first post office opened in 1847, and stagecoach service connecting the growing area to the rest of the state began the following year. By 1849, Indian Point was renamed Indianola and quickly became the county seat for Calhoun County. In 1874, Indianola had a population of over 5,000, was the second port of Texas, and a terminal for the Morgan steamship line.

However, 1875 began a sharp decline in the once-prosperous area when a hurricane struck and devastated the town. Although the residents of Indianola attempted to rebuild, another hurricane hit in August of 1886, and by 1887, Indianola had been abandoned.

Today, history buffs can still visit remnants of the once-booming area , including the old cistern, the original courthouse location and the town marker. Many artifacts from that time period have also been preserved, including medicine bottles, porcelain dolls, inkwells and clay pipes.

Find it: TX-316, Port Lavaca, TX 77979

Indian Gap 

The small abandoned town of Indian Gap is about two hours south of Fort Worth between Priddy and Pottsville in Hamilton County . A bustling town in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was eventually deserted, and now all that is visible are the columns of the schoolhouse and remains of weathered buildings. If going to church in a ghost town interests you, the  Indian Gap Baptist Church is still active with a small congregation that meets on Sundays and Wednesdays. 

Find it : FM 1702, Pottsville, TX 76565

In West Texas, near the intersection of I-10 and I-20, is Toyah—the oldest town in Reeves County. It was once a trading post for ranchers and then a railroad hub for the Texas & Pacific Railroad in the late 1800s. After the Great Depression, many families abandoned the town, and it never recovered. It went from a peak population of 1,052 in 1910 to less than 60 today . Many old buildings have been demolished or destroyed by floods, but several still stand and are worthy of a ghostly glimpse, including the town's high school and numerous old businesses. 

Find it : Toyah is located 21 miles southwest of Pecos, Texas, just off Interstate Highway 20.

Tucked in the lowland desert between the national and state parks lie the small communities of Study Butte, Terlingua and Lajitas. The remains of the Mariscal Mine can be found at the base of Study Butte. Today, motels, restaurants, shops and outfitters occupy the streets where miners once struggled to survive on meager wages.

The name Terlingua has been applied to three different settlements in this area, with the current version founded after the discovery of quicksilver in the late 1800s. In 1906, wealthy businessman Howard Perry built a mansion overlooking the town. The Chisos Mining Company provided employment for hundreds of workers, many of whom lived in the simple, stacked-rock structures that still stand. Quicksilver mining peaked by the end of World War I. Many of the original mining buildings are filled with saloons, eateries and small shops today, and a number of the tiny rock structures have been restored to serve as residences for Big Bend 's desert dwellers. The Perry Mansion underwent a restoration in 2015, and guest rooms are available in the historic old building.

Find it : Terlingua Ghost Town, Terlingua, TX 79852

Freelance writer Kristi Eaton contributed to this story.

This story was edited by Hearst Newspapers Managing Editor Kristina Moy; you can contact her at [email protected] .

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Investigate the remnants of these 11 us ghost towns, share this article.

Walking down the street of Rhyolite, Nevada, facades of empty buildings loom over me. Nobody is here but my husband and me — and some wild burros giving me the stink eye. A creepy feeling comes over me as I stand in this empty town that was once full of thousands of gold miners with dollar signs in their eyes. Now, the lights and power have been off for over a century.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a  ghost town  as “a once-flourishing town wholly or nearly deserted usually as a result of the exhaustion of some natural resource.” Lots of people like me feel the lure of these empty places, which are most common in the spacious western United States. Make the most of Halloween season by exploring these 11 ghost towns in all their spooky glory.

1 Rhyolite, Nevada

Rhyolite’s bottle house. / Photo by Teresa Bergen

Just outside  Death Valley National Park , Rhyolite is one of the best ghost towns I’ve ever visited. Many buildings are still at least partially standing, including a three-story bank and the old jail. There’s a fabulous house made from old bottles and an intact train depot. Watch out for the wild burros.

2 Shaniko, Oregon

Photo by Analise Schallig

Once known as the Wool Capital of the World, Shaniko was shipping over 2,000 tons of wool and a million bushels of wheat in 1903. But after rail lines changed, this north-central Oregon town was bypassed. Water issues prevent large-scale tourism, but many people visit each year to look at the jail, wooden water tower, school, post office, and other Old West-style buildings. And this year, the  Shaniko Hotel  reopened, letting guests step back in time to spend a night in the early 1900s.

3 Bodie, California

Photo by CALChux

This gold rush town on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada dates back to 1859. It boomed to a population of about 10,000 people and 2,000 structures but started to bust in 1881. Now,  Bodie  is designated a national historic site and a state historic park, which rangers preserve in a state of “arrested decay.” There’s still lots to see here.

4 Cisco, Utah

Photo by Teresa Bergen

In 1924, people discovered natural gas, oil, and turquoise near this Utah town. But freeways left Cisco behind, and it was officially abandoned in the 1990s. However, artist Eileen Muza has given  Cisco  a new lease on life. She bought the ghost town in 2015 and has been turning the ruins into artwork. I was excited to visit Cisco, but once I arrived, I felt totally creeped out — like I was being watched from multiple directions — and had to leave.

5 Randsburg, California

Randsburg is sometimes called “a living ghost town” because it’s semi-inhabited and semi-deserted. In the town’s heyday, miners extracted 60 million dollars worth of gold from  Randsburg . Now, if you’re lucky, the saloon might be open, and you can get a sandwich or drink.

6 Antelope, Oregon

With a population of about 46 and lots of old buildings, Antelope is an almost-ghost town. This north-central Oregon town feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere. Also, Antelope was the nearest town to  Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh’s  infamous 1980s commune. Cult members even got Antelope’s name changed to Rajneesh for a few years.

7 Old Shasta City, California

Photo courtesy of visitredding.com.

Old Shasta,  located in  Shasta State Historic Park  just outside  Redding , was a bustling gold town in the 1850s. Today, its ruins and informative signage make it a top place for ghost town travel. Rumor has it that ghosts haunt the preserved remains of the jail and courthouse.

8 Jerome, Arizona

Photo by Mike McBey

This former copper mining town sprang up in 1916 and went bust in 1953. A few people stuck around to promote it as a ghost town. Now, it’s part ghost town, part regular town of nearly 500 people. Visit and stay overnight in the  Jerome Grand Hotel . You can also find  espresso  and award-winning wine — pretty classy for a ghost town.

9 Bisbee, Arizona

Inside the Queen Bee Mine. / Photo by An Pham, courtesy of Visit Arizona

With nearly 5,000 people, Bisbee bills itself as a living ghost town. If you like to balance exploring the ruins of mines with shopping in boutiques and art galleries, Bisbee is a good destination. Take a ghost tour, visit a haunted pub, or have the ghosts come to you by staying in the 1902  Copper Queen Hotel . Best of all, you can go underground and tour the former Copper Queen Mine.

10 Clayton, Idaho

At last count, less than 10 people still lived in  Clayton , which averaged more than a million pounds of lead and silver production per year at the beginning of the 1900s. If you like off-roading, rent an ATV from  Polaris Adventures  for a self-guided tour of the surrounding area.

11 Animas Forks, Colorado

Photo by robert thigpen

Twelve miles from Silverton, at 11,200 feet in the San Juan Mountains, you’ll find the ruins of a mining community dating back to the 1870s. The high altitude made it difficult to live here. In 1884, 25 feet of snow fell during a 23-day blizzard. Residents dug tunnels to travel between buildings. To reach the town, you’ll need a jeep or other off-road vehicle.  Polaris Adventures  in Silverton can help you make arrangements.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Outdoors Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

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Two teenage Ghost Hunters, Jacob and Marley, track down ghosts in the mysterious town of Arcade Bay. Two teenage Ghost Hunters, Jacob and Marley, track down ghosts in the mysterious town of Arcade Bay. Two teenage Ghost Hunters, Jacob and Marley, track down ghosts in the mysterious town of Arcade Bay.

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Trip review for 10/18/23-10/20/23:

First time staying at the Riverside after many stays at Aquarius. Room was clean and ready for check in at 3:00pm. Recently renovated, nothing fancy but worked just fine. Elevators were quick. Was surprised at how busy the Riverside was mid week. The place was full of Midwestern folks on gambling junkets.

Riverside restaurant serves breakfast all day long. Portions are huge and tasty. Service always great. Yes- the restaurant is old school but it works. Casa Serrano was just as good.

The main reason for this trip was to visit Nelson Ghost Town in Eldorado Canyon. Shout out to forum member Marcopolko for his previous mention of this old west historical mining town gem. The place was fascinating and an absolute delight. It's about 1+ hours from Laughlin, an easy drive & the 165 is paved all the way . We burned 1/2 day driving out and wandering around. Admission is $1. Highly recommend for a side trip.

3 replies to this topic

How fun - thanks for your report.

Glad you had a good trip! I've tried to like the Riverside.....I just get claustrophobic with the low ceilings and weird rooms kinda running together.

Great TR. Thanks for sharing.

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Definition of ghost town

Examples of ghost town in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ghost town.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1894, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near ghost town

ghost story

Cite this Entry

“Ghost town.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghost%20town. Accessed 24 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of ghost town, more from merriam-webster on ghost town.

Nglish: Translation of ghost town for Spanish Speakers

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