Tucked in hidden places and concealed within the folds of time, rest the remains of forgotten worlds - the ghost towns of the United States. These abandoned towns tell the story of the rise and decline of prosperity while giving insight into the mysterious and romanticized past of life on the American frontier.
What is a ghost town?
Simply put, a ghost town is a once-thriving settlement now abandoned or mostly depopulated. Buildings, streets, and other infrastructure may remain intact but have no occupants. In the United States, ghost towns are often associated with the expansion west - mainly the gold rush, mining, and logging. These once-thriving towns became abandoned when natural resources dwindled, the economy declined, industry demand changed, or population patterns shifted. The result was entire towns leaving to start a new life and civilization elsewhere, hoping that starting fresh would bring new promises of wealth and prosperity.
These frozen-in-time towns are fascinating and insightful to tourists, archaeologists, and historians, offering a rare glimpse into the past. Some of these towns have quite the tourism draw and are undergoing ways to preserve the remaining structures for historical and educational purposes.
The now-vacant streets used to hold many establishments: lively saloons flowing with alcohol and ruckus brawls, a general store with food, tools, clothes, and household items, a hotel for prospectors and travelers passing through, plus a schoolhouse, church, mining structures, bank, jail, blacksmith shop, and a post office.
Who owns ghost towns?
These abandoned places are often on private land, so individuals, corporations, and organizations hold ownership rights. In these cases, the private landowners may decide to maintain, develop, or preserve the ghost town and can even deny the public access to it. The Bureau of Land Management manages ghost towns located on public land that may be regulated but accessible. Some ghost towns have also been labeled as historical or cultural sites, thus transferring the ownership to preservation groups, nonprofit organizations, or historical societies to upkeep the town's heritage.
Best 6 ghost towns in USA
Bodie
About 75 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California is Bodie, a town that in 1876 peaked at 2,000 structures with 8,000 people. Centered around a lucrative gold vein. In 1915, Bodie was declared a ghost town and registered as a California Historical Landmark in 1962. Over 200,000 visitors go through annually to enjoy the city's remaining parts and experience some gold mining firsthand.
Vulture City
This ghost town became the most productive gold mine in Arizona's history. It was in operation from 1863 to 1942, yielding over 18,750 pounds of gold and over 15,652 pounds of silver. Its original establishments include a post office, five boarding houses, stores, saloons, and a school. The ghost town is now privately owned, and the owner gives two-hour tours, telling tales of eras past while walking along the dirt roads and through crumbling buildings.
Saint Elmo
A well-preserved ghost town in Colorado established in 1880 that flourished in the 1890s. The town peaked at nearly 2,000 people and had a telegraph office, general store, hotels, saloons, dancing halls, a newspaper office, and a schoolhouse. Although considered a ghost town, Saint Elmo is still occupied (not just by ghosts!). It has become a beautiful place for tourists to explore and go fishing in Chalk Creek, and the general store is even open during the summer.
Rhyolite
Founded in 1905 during the gold rush frenzy in the Bullfrog Hills, Rhyolite is about 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The town attracted thousands of miners with gold on the brain, capping the city's highest population at 5,000. The infrastructure development in Rhyolite was unique and more developed than other mining towns - electric lights, water mains, a hospital, a stock exchange, and telephones. Eventually, the town's population decreased as the gold decreased, and now the ghost town is overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.
Baldy Town
Established in 1868 in New Mexico on the east side of Baldy Mountain. Between 1868 and 1886, Baldy Town experienced many highs and lows as investors and prospectors searched for profitable veins. At the height of its population, the ghost town was home to 1,000 residents and had stores, stables, a post office, saloons, and boarding houses. Today, due to a generous donation, the Boy Scouts of America own Baldy Town, and it functions as a family-friendly tourist spot.
Cerro Gordo Mines
A collection of abandoned mines in Inyo County, California. These mines operated from 1866 to 1957, producing silver, zinc, ore, lead, and occasionally gold and copper. The town surrounding these mines was unique because it had its own smelting operations. Though now an abandoned town, Cerro Gordo was once home to 4,700 people. During its functioning years, the mines produced over 70,000,000 pounds of lead, 300,000 pounds of silver, and 23,600,000 pounds of zinc, estimated to be valued at over $17 million. The town was purchased in 2018 to turn it into a tourist attraction.
Long Story Short...
In the twilight of abandoned dreams, ghost towns live on as mysterious whispers, their silent, dusty streets echoing the untold stories of greed and determination of those who once walked them. Many are now home to just the rattlesnakes, vultures, coyotes, and the brave souls that venture to uncover their secrets and maybe a speck or two of gold.
Written by Andrea Jeschke
