Ghost Towns of America - An Official TransCyberian Express Station Stop

Alcatraz Island, California:

Alcatraz was one of the most notorious Federal prisons in the United States. Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and the Bird Man of Alcatraz were its most famous inmates. Its isolated location in the middle of San Francisco Bay made it seem escape proof. Ironically, it was so isolated that it became too costly for the government to maintain and it closed in 1962. Today, it is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. In recent years, Alcatraz has gained fame for being haunted.

For additional information please visit:

Alcatraz History.com

Welcome to the Rock

Haunted Alcatraz

Asbury Park, New Jersey:

Asbury Park was founded as vacant beachfront property during the 1870s and by the 1880s was attracting over half a million people during the summer months. It's real boom period occurred between the 1920s and the 1960s, however, when it was the Jersey Shore's number one destination. It's downfall came about due to race riots that began during the 4th of July weekend in 1970. Visitors never returned. During the 70s, 80s, and 90's all attempts to revitalize Asbury Park were thwarted by government corruption. As a result, every town surrounding Asbury Park prospered, while Asbury Park crumbled. The once beautiful city and it's world-class Boardwalk fell into total disrepair. Throughout it's abandonment, however, Asbury Park did offer a few rays of hope... the Howard Johnson's restaurant on the Boardwalk still packed 'em in year round, as did the Stone Pony night club, which was made famous by Bruce Springsteen. Today, there are plans to completely rebuild most of Asbury Park from the ground up, and renovations have already begun along the Boardwalk.

For additional information please visit:

A Seaside Ghost Town - Rising Again

Beyond the Palace.com: Asbury Park

Welcome to Asbury Park, Then and Now

Side-O-Lamb.com: Asbury Park

Oceanfront Asbury

Nowever There: Asbury Park

Aspen, Colorado:

Aspen began to thrive as a major silver mining community in 1879 and it's population reached 12,000 at it's height. In 1893 the mines began to close and its population dwindled to a few hundred people until skiers discovered it. It is now one of Colorado's most popular vacation destinations.

For additional information please visit:

Wikipedia.org

Ghosttowns.org: Colorado

Atlantic City, Wyoming:

Atlantic City is a gold mining town which was founded in 1868 and supported 2,000 people. Although mining operations largely ended in 1878, the tiny town remains a tourist attraction with one of it's authentic Old West saloons still operating, and a few modern day prospectors.

For additional information please visit:

Still Looking For Gold

Ghosttowns.com: Wyoming

Auraria & Dahlonega, Georgia:

Auraria & Dahlonega were the sites of Georgia's first and biggest gold rush. In 1828 gold was discovered on a Cherokee Indian Reservation. Prospectors soon established the two towns in order to support illegal mining operations on the reservation. The Cherokees also mined the gold but buried much of it throughout the reservation to prevent the prospectors from getting their hands on it. The area's population soon reached over 20,000 and in 1832 Auraria's population moved to larger Dahlonega which prospered until many prospectors were lured to California in 1849. While the original Auraria lies in ruins, gold still exists in Dahlonega and mining continues on a small scale. Tourists flock there to pan for gold, tour the mines, and fantasize about the buried Indian treasure.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Georgia

Auraria

Historic Dahlonega, Georgia

Batsto, Allaire, & Atsion Villages, New Jersey:

Batsto, Allaire, & Atsion were communities located within the New Jersey Pines Barrens. Their history dates back to the Revolutionary War when they produced iron for American patriots. While all three towns continued to produce iron after the War, Batsto became a glass making center and Atsion became a cotton producing center. The state of New Jersey purchased the towns during the 1940s and 1950s and all three are currently listed on the National Resister of Historic places. Batsto and Allaire are larger and are almost completely restored as living history museums. Atsion consists of ruins ranging from the colonial period to the 20th century as well as state park buildings.

For additional information please visit:

Batsto Village.org

Fieldtrip.com: Batsto Village

Historic Allaire Village

Fieldtrip.com: Allaire Village

Monmouth.com: Allaire Village

Atsion Village

Ghosttowns.com

Nynjctbotany.org: Atsion Lake

Bannack, Montana:

Bannack was one of the most corrupt towns in the Old West. It's Sheriff was a murderous gang leader and was hanged inside one of the town saloons. The town was founded in 1862 following the first major Gold discovery in Montana. Bannack is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been amazingly well preserved.

For additional information please visit:

Battelle, Alabama:

Although Battelle no longer exists, the ground where the iron producing town once stood is said to be haunted by the spirit of an iron worker who fell into a furnace containing liquid iron ore.

For additional information please visit:

The Ruins of Battelle

Bayocean, Oregon:

Bayocean was once a prosperous seaside resort that was promoted as "The Atlantic City of the West". It's success was short lived, however, when beach erosion erased it from the map. Very little remains today.

For additional information, please visit:

Rootsweb.com: Bayocean

Alta, Utah:

Alta was established in the mid 1860s as a silver mining community and quickly became one of the most notorious towns of the Old West. Legend says that, during its 30 year boom period, 500 murders were committed in one year alone. The town eventually boasted over 25 saloons and a population of 5000. Sporadic silver production lasted well into the 20th century. Located high in the Rocky Mountains, the site is now part of a ski resort.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Utah

Utah History Encyclopedia - Alta Mining and Skiing Center

Belmont, Nevada:

Belmont was a pretty typical Old West town and although it may mot have the most interesting history, it did host a lynching and a few murders. Belmont is, however, considered by many to be one of the best ghost towns in America. Belmont was home to silver and lead mining operations during the mid 1800s and attracted over 4,000 people to the area during its peak period. It became so large that it was named its county seat in 1867. Its prosperity afforded it over 100 businesses and saloons and a very large music hall that attracted the biggest names in show business. Belmont was never completely abandoned, although it's population dwindled to under 100 by World War II. Today, much of it has been restored and it thrives as a tourist attraction with it's own bed and breakfast and a do-not-miss cemetery.

For additional information please visit:

NV Ghost Towns

The Town of Belmont Nevada

Ghosttowns.com

Belmont, Wisconsin:

The original town of Belmont was founded in 1836. Shortly after serving as Wisconsin's first capital, it was abandoned in favor of Madison. Old Belmont has ben restored and is now a State Park.

For additional information please visit:

Wisconsin's First Capitol

Berlin, Nevada:

Berlin is so remote that it's silver mining inhabitants left many of their belongings behind upon their abandonment of the small town in 1911. The area encompassing Berlin is now a state park which is famous for fossils of marine animals.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns: Nevada

Nevada Division of State Parks: Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park

CmdrMark.com: Berlin

Bodie, California:

Haunted and cursed Bodie is one of the largest ghost towns in the western United States and began to prosper in 1877 when the discovery of Nevada's Comstock Lode prompted thousands of California prospectors to relocate to the northern California/Nevada border. At its peak, Bodie's population exceeded 10,000 and, although its boom period lasted only 4 years, it earned one of the most notorious reputations in the Old West. Legend has it that "souvenir" thieves are often plagued by bad luck following a visit there and that many have returned the stolen items in hopes of ending their misfortune. Today, what remains of the abandoned town is being maintained as a state park.

For additional information please visit:

Bodie.com

Americanwest.com: Bodie

Ghosttowns.com: Bodie

Committee For Skeptical Inquiry: Investigative Files: The Curse of Bodie: Legacy of Ghost-Town Ghosts?

Brecken Ridge, West Virginia:

Brecken Ridge may or may not have ever existed. The enigmatic Potomac River town may have declined after having prospered for over 60 years as a sand producer for the construction and toothpaste industries. One story says that shortly after its operations were re-tooled to supply computer chip manufacturers with silicon, a bust occurred in the high tech industry and it's population plummeted from about 20,000 to just over 100. If anybody has any information regarding the existence of Brecken Ridge, please email us at info@clickywicket.com.

For additional information please visit:

Stevenbrower.com: Ghost Town 2001

Buckskin Joe, Colorado:

Buckskin Joe is an authentically restored gold mining town from 1860 which opened to the public in 1958. It has been used by Hollywood as the setting for many Westerns. The town is a living history museum that also offers live entertainment. All of the authentic buildings were relocated from the original town of Buckskin Joe as well as other authentic Colorado ghost towns.

For additional information please visit:

Buckskin Joes.com

Ghosts of Park County

Cahawba, Alabama:

Cahawba was Alabama's first capital from 1820-1826 and is now a partially restored archaeological and historic park. Prior to the Civil War it was an important and thriving center for the cotton industry with a population of about 3,000. The Civil War dramatically changed the dynamics of the town. When the railroad was relocated and a military prison was constructed, the people began to leave. The final blow to the town was a flood in 1865 and an outbreak of Yellow fever. Attempts by former slaves to revive the town failed.

For additional information please visit:

Selma Alabama.com

Selma Showcase.com

Calico, California:

Calico is an 1881 silver mining camp which was purchased and fully restored to it's former glory by Walter Knott, the founder of Knott's Berry Farm, in 1951. Because it is now a tourist attraction, there is no current resident population. In it's heyday, Calico had a population of over 1,500.

For additional information please visit:

The Blend Magazine: Calico

Total Escape.com: Ghost Town.Calico

Ghosttowns.com: Calico

Calicotown.com

Cass, West Virginia:

Cass was a turn-of-the-century company logging community whose restored remains have been converted into the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. During it's boom period it boasted the world's largest company store. Cass is unique because many of its houses now accommodate overnight park visitors and its historic railroad provides a variety of scenic tours..

For additional information please visit:

Cass Railroad State Park

The Catskills, New York:

South Fallsburg, Liberty, and Monticello are just a sample of the many blighted towns that dot the Hudson Valley's Catskill Mountains. Once known as the Borsht Belt, most of the Catskills' 600 luxurious all-inclusive resorts have closed and the towns which housed all of their employees have suffered severely. Efforts are underway to resuscitate the area, which makes up a large portion of New York City's northern suburbs, by introducing casino gambling. Plenty of other abandoned areas dot the Hudson Valley landscape as well.

For additional information please visit:

The Catskills: A Paradise Lost?

The Catskills Institute

Sullivan Battles Blight

Reinventing the Catskills

Casino Could Aid Borscht Belt

Borscht Belt: Developers Betting on a Casino

Hudson Valley Ruins

Hudson Valley Ruins: The King's College

Central City & Black Hawk, Colorado:

Central City & Black Hawk are two adjacent mining towns near Denver which thrived during the Colorado gold rush days. Central City was the larger of the two. It was first home to gold mining and then to rock mining. Black Rock was a rock mining community. During their boom years the area's population grew from under 1,000 to about 60,000. Today, casino gambling has resurrected the area's economy. While Central City's casinos are quaint and more numerous, Black Rock is now larger with bigger casinos.

For additional information please visit:

Wikipedia.org

Ghosttowns.com: Colorado

Centralia, Pennsylvania: (Inspired the 2006 movie Silent Hill )

Centralia is one of America's most unique ghost towns and one of its eeriest. Established in 1866, it became a coal mining community with more than 1,000 residents. In 1962 a garbage fire ignited coal deposits below the town. Because the fire was (and still is) impossible to extinguish, most residents were relocated by the government. Some refused to leave, however, and fewer than 10 people remain toady. As smoke billows from the earth, what remains of the smoldering town is a site to behold.

For additional information please visit:

Wikipedia: Centralia, Pennsylvania

Offroaders.com

Ghosttowns.com: Pennsylvania

The Town That Was: A Film by Chris Perkel and Georgie Roland

Cheshire, Ohio:

Cheshire is one of America's most recent ghost towns. In 2002, American Electric Power purchased it for about $20 million because of high levels of sulfuric acid emissions produced by it's adjacent power plant.

For additional information please visit:

Forgotten Ohio

Cripple Creek, Colorado:

Cripple Creek is a former ghost town that is now a resort town with casinos and a population of about 1,500. It is located adjacent to Pike's Peak near Colorado Springs. The first rumor of gold at Cripple Creek was proven to be a hoax, but the second rumor proved to be a mother lode. During the the town's boom period the population swelled to over 35,000.

For additional information please visit:

Wikipedia.org

Ghosttowns.org

Cripple Creek, Colorado

Coloma, California:

Coloma is the Mecca of California boom towns. Here, the great California Gold Rush of 1849 began when James Marshall discovered a vast fortune in gold while constructing John Sutter's saw mill in 1848. Colona's population immediately swelled to over 12,000. Ironically, neither man benefited from the discovery. Marshall was forced to forfeit his gold claim while Sutter's agricultural and real estate interests were ruined because his workers abandoned him to seek gold themselves and because other prospectors mistreated his fortified property. The magnitude of the event, however, prevented Coloma from becoming a true ghost town and it remains one of California's best tourist attractions. Today, Coloma is part of the Marshal Gold Discovery State Park, with a population of under 200.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: California

The Discovery of Gold in California By John A. Sutter

The Era of the Clipper Ships: Sutter's Mill

Houston Chronicle: California Gold Rush

The Last Days: John Sutter and James Marshall

Marshall Gold Discovery State Park

Custer & Bonanza, Idaho:

The sister cities of Custer & Bonanza boomed during the late 19th century when Idaho's largest lode of gold was discovered. After Bonanza was destroyed by fire, Custer replaced it as a cultural center and continued to grow. Both tows died at the turn of the century when the mines ran dry. Today, Custer is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Both towns are maintained as part of a state park and many structures have been restored. There is also a museum.

For additional information please visit:

Idaho's Favorite Ghost Town

Ghosttowns.com: Idaho

Deadwood, South Dakota:

Deadwood's success began when US Army troops discovered gold in the Black Hills in 1874. The ensuing gold rush brought over 25,000 prospectors to the area. Land battles with local Indians soon erupted and led to Custer's Last Stand during the Battle of the Little Big Horn. During it's boom period several fires and floods prompted the replacement of Deadwood's wooden buildings with stone structures. Its success at rebuilding made it a destination and attracted many of the Wild West's most notorious and colorful characters including Wild Bill Hickcock and Calamity Jane. When mining operations slowed the town was able to survive as a resort. Deadwood is now a National Historic Landmark and remains a very popular tourist and vacation destination. Gambling has been legalized and Deadwood is once again a boom town.

For additional information please visit:

Ghost Town USA: Ghost Town of the Month, October 1978

Ghosttowns.com: South Dakota

Demon's Alley, (West Milford - New City) New Jersey:

The history of Demon's Alley is as mysterious as it's name. The community consists of about 8 abandoned (and possibly haunted) houses. Legend has it that a mass murder occurred in one of them long ago.

For additional information please visit:

Available Dark.com

Chesterfield, Idaho:

Chesterfield was established during the early 1880s as a Mormon farming community along the Oregon Trail. It once boasted a population of over 400. Because of its isolation and because it is not located along any major modern transportation routes, the town dwindled. Few area residents remain today, many older structures are being restored, and the area is becoming a state park.

For additional information please visit:

Outdoor Places.com: Chesterfield

Ghost Town USA: Chesterfield, Idaho

Doodletown, New York

Doodletown was a small community of about 300 people located in the Hudson Valley near Bear Mountain. Legend has it that the town's name originated when Revolutionary War troops sang "Yankee Doodle" while marching though town. In 1965 New York State completed the purchase of all of the town's property from its residents. All of the buildings were demolished and the land became part of the state park system to be used as a proposed ski resort. The resort was never built and Doodletown was reclaimed by the forest. Only foundations remain.

For additional information please visit:

Daytrips.org: Doodletown

Rockland Audubon.org: Doodletown

Doodletown: Bear Mountain State Park, Rockland County, NY

Dudleytown, Connecticut:

Although Dudleytown's origin dates back to the mid 18th century, a supposed witchcraft curse placed upon the Dudley family dates back to early 16th century England. Shortly after the Dudley's settled down in the area tragedy became commonplace. Bizarre behavior, insanity, epidemics, disappearances, mysterious deaths, and Indian raids were just a few of the occurrences that plagued almost all of the area's residents. The population began deserting the area and by the late 19th century Dudleytown was abandoned. Further attempts by outsiders to repopulate the area, many years later, resulted in similar tragedy.

For additional information please visit:

Ghost Village.com: Dudleytown

The Legend of Dudleytown

Prairieghosts.com: Dudleytown

The Legend of Dudleytown: A Ghost Town's Curse Haunts Dark Entry Forest

Dudleytown,Cursed Village

Ghost Town USA: Ghost Town of the Month: May 1999

Ebenezer & New Ebenezer, Georgia:

Ebenezer was a large, planned, Lutheran community of about 1,000 people founded during the early 18th century. For several years it prospered by producing rice, silk, livestock, and lumber. In 1782 Ebenezer briefly became the capital of Georgia. When the soil began to fail, the nearby town of "New" Ebenzer was founded and the population relocated there. When New Ebenezer's population reached a peak of about 2,000 it was largely destroyed by the British during the Revolutionary War. New Ebenezer is currently an archaeological site whose remains are estimated to be the size of Colonial Savannah. Only a few complete buildings remain, but they are intact. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For additional information please visit:

Savannah Now

holtzendorff.com

Elk Falls, Kansas:

Elk Falls ia an original mid 19th century East Kansas settlement and calls itself the "World's largest living ghost town". It thrives as a mere shadow of its former self by attracting thousands of yearly visitors to it's "Outhouse Tours" and other eccentric attractions.

For additional information please visit:

Blue Skyways: Elk Falls

KSN.com: Main Street Kansas

Elkmont, Tennessee:

Elkmont was a small, but booming, logging and resort community that became part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after logging operations ended. Many of it's abandoned buildings, which include a large hotel, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places but have not been maintained.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Tennessee

Imagesbuilder.com

Elko Tract, Virginia

Legend has it that the Elko Tract was a World War II decoy town built by the US government to thwart air raids from Germany and Japan. Although the town's infrastructure of roads, sewers, water, and electricity was completed no homes or buildings were ever built and the streets and driveways led to nowhere. The Elko Tract also included a fully operational air strip and many underground structures. It is a mystery as to why the town remains meticulously maintained and guarded.

For additional information please visit:

WAG: Elko Tract: Exploring The Lost City

Ellenton, South Carolina:

All of the residents of Ellenton were forced to abandon their town when the US government built a nuclear facility that would play a key part during the construction of the world's first hydrogen bomb. After it's abandonment many of the remaining structures were either relocated to "New" Ellenton or razed.

For additional information please visit:

I Don't Live There Anymore

Englewood, Kansas:

Englewood was advertised as the "Chicago of the Southwest" until it suffered a devastating fire in 1908. It's abandoned main street remains intact, however.

For additional information please visit:

Ghost Town USA: The Ghost Town Of The Month, June 2001

Fairplay, Colorado:

Fairplay earned its name after it's founders were prevented from searching for gold in a previous location. Unfettered, they relocated and discovered their own lode, a move which they considered "fair" play. Fairplay was one of the more inhospitable mining towns because of its location high in Rocky Mountains. Fairplay also has its own legend concerning the link between a mysterious "good samaritan" and an outbreak of Smallpox which hit the town in 1861. Fairplay survives today and is a popular resort area.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Colorado

Elkhorn, Montana:

Elkhorn began as a mining community in the early 1870s following one of Montana's first substantial silver ore discoveries. At the height of it's boom period its population was estimated at 2500. By the mid 1890s the population began declining due to job losses in the woodcutting and transportation industries. Declining silver prices over the ensuing decades wers ultimately responsible for its bust. Mining operations in Elkhorn have never completely ended and a small population remains. Elkhorn is one of America's most picturesque ghost towns.

For additional information please visit:

The Montana Ghost Town Preservation Society: Elkhorn

Imagesbuilder.com: Montana

Fayette, Michigan:

Fayette was founded as an iron mining community and prospered from 1867 to 1891. It's peak population was about 500. Today, the town has been restored as the Fayette Historic Townsite.

For additional information please visit:

Historic Fayette Michigan

Visit manistique.com

Upper Peninsula Ghost Towns Page

Feltville/Glenside Park, New Jersey:

Feltville/Glenville Park is a supposedly haunted ghost town dating back to 1845 and located on the Watchung Reservation. During the 1880s the former paper mill town of Feltville became the summer resort of Glenville Park. It thrived on tourism until shortly before the 1920s, when it was abandoned. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For additional information pleas visit:

Midnight Societycom: Watchung

Foss, Oklahoma:

Foss was a prospering cotton farming community when the dust bowl hit during the 1930s. As a result , it's population of over 1,000 was cut in half and continued to decline well into the 1960s. Although Foss lies within the shadows of Route 66, it's complete demise followed the closure of a nearby Air Force base. Today, fewer than 150 people remain.

For additional information please visit:

Ghost Town USA: The Ghost Town Of The Month, April 2001

Frisco, Utah:

Frisco was a 10 year old silver mining town with a population of 6,000 when the the silver mine collapsed in 1885. As many as 20,000 people may have lived there at one time. The town currently lies abandoned at the side of the road which passes through it, although the mine is operational again. Frisco is famous for its eerie cemetery.and is rumored to be the West's most haunted ghost town.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Utah

Geocities: Frisco

Desertislands.org: Exploring the Great Basin

Online Utah.com: Frisco

Utah History To Go

Tour Of Ghost Town, Frisco, Utah, and the Horn Silver Mine!

Clint Thomsen.com: Ghost Towns

Garnet, Montana:

Garnet is the best known and best preserved Ghost town in Montana. The gold mining community was founded in 1895 and by 1898 had a population of over 1000. Today, both public and private funding preserves the town which was largely abandoned after a devastating fire in 1912.

For additional information please visit:

Garnet Ghost Town.org

Montana's Gold West Country

Glastenbury & Fayville, Vermont:

Glastenbury & Fayville are two adjacent logging towns located within Vermont's mysterious Green Mountains. Their origins date back to the late 17th century. Of the two, Fayville was larger and more prosperous. However, by the mid 19th century Fayville's boom turned to bust due to epidemics and the Civil War. Nothing remains of Fayville today. Glastenbury managed to survive and has always been one of the smallest towns in the United States. Even during it's boom period as a charcoal producer, it's population only reached about 300. When it was no longer feasible to produce charcoal, an unsuccessful attempt was made to lure tourists there by converting its logging quarters into a casino. Glastenbury's population currently fluctuates between approximately 0 and 15 because the harsh winters make living there year-round impractical. Many people are also afraid of the area because the Green Mountains are notorious for unexplained disappearances and other mysterious phenomena.

For additional information please visit:

See Vermont

This Is Vermont.com

Glastenbury: A forgotten town of Vermont

Virtual Vermont

The Bennington Triangle

Vermont Mountains Haunted by Disappearances

Strange Nation.com

Glen Haven, Michigan:

Glen Haven thrived from the mid 19th century until the early 20th century on the logging and steamboat industries. When the trees disappeared so did the loggers. The steamboat industry also suffered because logs were used as fuel. Today, the National Park Service maintains all that is left of the town, which lies on the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Michigan

The Unofficial Sleeping Bear Dunes Home Page

Godfield, Nevada:

Goldfield is one of the largest and best preserved ghost towns in America even though it has never been restored. Many of it's buildings have never even been maintained since they were abandoned. Founded in 1901, it was booming by 1906 and by 1907 it was Nevada's largest city, with a population of over 30,000 gold miners. It is famous for the "Tex Richard Northern" saloon, which had one of the world's longest bars. Although much of the town remains abandoned, a few hundred people still live in Goldfield, which is the county seat for Esmeralda County.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Nevada

Goldfield Nevada.com

Diamondfield.org: The Goldfield Hotel

Grafton, Utah:

Grafton was always a very small town. It was abandoned following an Indian attack in 1866. An attempt to resettle it never really succeeded. Grafton became famous during the filming of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" during the 1960s.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Grafton

Hill City, South Dakota:

Hill City became a successful boom town following the discovery of Tin deposits during the 1880s. It is famous for its authentic train depot. A few hundred people still live in Hill City.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: South Dakota

Holly Springs, North Carolina:

Holly Springs was founded by a wealthy businessman during the early 19th century. Its tragedy dates back to the Civil War when most of the town's men died during the battle at Gettysburg. When the war ended there were several failed attempts to revive the Holly Springs economy. While it never completely disappeared, it remains a very small but vibrant community.

For additional information please visit:

Holly Springs and Its History

Idaho City, Idaho

Idaho City is one of Idaho's most touristy ghost towns. It was founded after a gold rush in 1863 and was one of the Old West's most profitable mining communities. When the mines ceased operations most of Idaho City's population of over 6,000 fled. Only a few hundred people remain to welcome tourists.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Idaho

Indianola, Texas:

Indianola is the best known ghost town in Texas. Unlike the mining towns of the Old West, it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1886. Very little remains of the Gulf coast town, which once had a population of over 2,000 and rivaled Galvaston.

For additional information please visit:

TexasEscapes.com: Indianola

Ghosttowns.com: Indianola

Juliette & East Juliette, Georgia:

Juliette & East Juliette lie on opposite banks of the Okmulgee River from each other. Most residents of both towns worked at Juliette's huge grist mill which was one of the largest in the world. When the mill closed in 1957 both towns began to die. Juliette was almost abandoned when it became the setting for "Fried Green Tomatoes" which made its Whistle Stop Cafe famous. The movie also revitalized Juliette, which has become a very popular tourist spot with lots of antique shops.

For additional information please visit:

JulietteGA.com

Kalapana, Hawaii:

Kalapana was located on the Big Island. It was a historic fishing village with a world-famous black sandy beach. Most of it was buried by lava flows from the Kilauea Volcano during the 1980s & 1990s.

For additional information please visit:

Hawaii Web.com

Ghosttowns.com: Hawaii

Kalapaupapa & Kalawao, Hawaii:

Kalaupapa & Kalawao were both established in 1866 as remote Leper Colonies on the island of Molokai. Because Lepracy is a disease which no longer requires quarantine conditions, only a few elderly "patients" remain on a voluntary basis. Sublimely beautiful settings and horrific lifestyles make these towns truly surreal. Both towns are now part of a National Park.

For additional information please visit:

Kalaupapa National Historical Park

Ghosttowns.com: Hawaii

Kerr City, Florida:

Kerr City was a late 19th century orange and cotton producing community and is one of Florida's best preserved ghost towns. It was abandoned when several bad freezes wiped out all of its crops over the course of 2 years. All of the abandoned buildings were eventually bought, restored, and maintained by the town's founder and his son. Tourists are welcome to stay overnight in the restored cottages. The town is also home to one of the country's oldest gas stations.

For additional information please visit:

Ghosttowns.com: Florida

Kennicott & McCarthy, Alaska:

One of the world's richest copper ore deposits was discovered in 1900 near Kennicott & McCarthy. By the late 1930s, however, copper prices plummeted and the twin boom towns went bust. Today, the Kennicott site (which includes one of the period's largest and most advanced mines) is maintained as the Kennicott Mines National Historic Landmark and is part of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

For additional information please visit:

Alaska Gold.com: McCarthy & the old Kennecott Copper Mine

Ghosttowns.com: Alaska