The State With America's Most Abandoned Towns Features Over 500 Ghostly Destinations

There is a certain allure in visiting the relics of an abandoned town — the thrilling mix of discovery and fear of what lurks in its quiet corridors. Some ghost towns become downright terrifying to visit, while others, like the hidden crowd-free ghost city of Indianola, are a blissful beach paradise. A variety of reasons exist as to why some places might see this rapid, uncanny drop in population. Pontotoc was threatened by a major typhoid fever epidemic, while Concord was flooded out to make room for a government reservoir. Aldridge's saw mill suffered several devastating fires, which proved catastrophic for the town. 

A recent interactive map showed Texas to be leading the country in abandoned ghost towns, with 511 recorded reports. It is unclear what makes this state's cities so prone to being abandoned, but some sites even report over a thousand defunct towns. Wilson County takes the lead, with 31 documented ghost towns on record, and Texas Hill Country has quite a few of these forgotten towns, too. Bankersmith and Gruene disappeared after the Great Depression, as was the case for a lot of these towns. There is even an underwater ghost town in Bluffton, now covered by Lake Buchanan.

No matter what caused residents to get up and move, the heaviness and sadness usually linger in these empty cities long after the last inhabitant has moved away.

Not even campgrounds are safe from experiencing the toils of time. A strange abandoned campsite in San Angelo State Park has become the subject of ghost stories and speculation among those who visit. Sometimes these sites become dilapidated and unlivable, while a select few manage to thrive after their apparent demise. Despite its haunting abandoned state, Terlingua ghost town boasts a vibrant art community buried in the Chisos Mountains. 

Unfortunately, despite tireless efforts, some places remain uninhabitable. The Oak Forest community still has several run-down structures standing after attempts at revitalizing the once-thriving mill town, but these buildings are now overgrown with vegetation. The town of Glenrio, a once-popular stop on Route 66, was almost forgotten after the newer Interstate 40 diverted all its traffic. Visitors can still see the abandoned graffiti-covered buildings that once comprised the town.

A lot of these ghost towns were settled between the 1880s and 1940s, a result of rapid westward expansion during the gold and silver prospecting era. Most were mining communities with worker mills, briefly succeeding in their industry before eventually fizzling away. A lot of towns died out when work was scarce or resources dwindled, and others suffered devastating tragedies, like fires or disease. Despite some sound reasons why folks would just evacuate the place they have been accustomed to living in, it is peculiar how some areas in the state have a higher concentration of these abandoned relics. New Braunfels alone has a whopping 25 ghost towns nearby.

The presence of a ghost town doesn't necessarily indicate ghosts, but sometimes, these two things go hand in hand. With the tragedy and disasters some of these communities suffered, it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine some sort of hauntings would take place. Terlingua is rumored to be haunted, complete with spooky cemetery ghosts. (Although its famous chili cookoff might counteract any supernatural fears travelers might have.) Nevertheless, there are scary stories of specters roaming the streets, which some say are the souls of the original miners haunting the town. 

Jefferson is one of the most haunted ghost towns around, with multiple ghost sightings at hotels and local homes, including a headless spirit in the Excelsior House Hotel and shadow people at The Grove. Visitors can go on the Historic Jefferson Ghost Walk to tour the various haunted buildings, starting off at the historic Kahn hotel. Several companies offer walking tours through town, taking visitors to the Jefferson Hotel and the Excelsior House as well.  

Despite being abandoned and deteriorating, the spectacular juxtaposition of some of these old structures against the surrounding landscapes is truly surreal. Overgrown vines and shrubbery wrap around the concrete exteriors, reminiscent of some ancient relic to be discovered by future generations. The Benton Cemetery is one of these locations, housing pioneer and veteran gravesites. There is no shortage of beauty in these dilapidated pieces of history, braving the test of time. These urban ruins serve as a reminder of once-booming communities that built up this land, inviting curious travelers to visit and explore their history.