Whispers of History: Exploring America’s 14 Most Eerie Ghost Towns
Ghost towns are deserted urban spaces with little to no permanent residents anymore. There are many reasons why these places get abandoned, economic turmoil and environmental instability being just two examples. Over time, the once thriving towns and cities become a wasteland, frozen in time and unmistakably eerie.
More recently, however, they’re gaining popularity amongst fans of the supernatural. If you’ve got a paranormal itch you want to scratch, enjoy the whispers of history by exploring these 14 ghost towns.
1. Goldfield, Arizona
Back in the 1890s, Goldfield was flourishing. It boasted a boarding house, three saloons, a general store, a blacksmith, a brewery, a meat market, and a school. The town population grew to about 4,000. However, five years later, prospectors dug out all the gold, ultimately deflating the town’s beating heart.
Goldfield did revive a little in the early 1900s, but this was only temporary. Nowadays, visitors can wander this old gold hub, learn more at an on-site museum, and tour the eerie mines.
2. Swan Island, Maine
Our next deserted ghost town is on an island, which sits along the Kennebec River, an hour north of Portland. Residents local to the area have long been spooked. Only five homesteads and a cemetery exist on Swan Island but they date back to the 1700s.
You can reach the island via ferry. Those brave enough have the option of camping there overnight.
3. Thurmond, West Virginia
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Thurmond was a classic boomtown. Established in 1900, it served as a major stop between the Chesapeake-Ohio Railroad, complete with 100-room hotels, a thriving commercial district and the wealthiest banks in the state. Modern inventions decreasing the demand for coal contributed to Thurmond’s demise, but it was the Great Depression that finally made the town barren.
4. Bannack, Montana
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This former mining time in Montana is menacingly desolate today. Even during its Gold Rush days, the city was known for being a little rough. Murders and robberies were well-documented, and even the sheriff was rumored to be an outlaw. The town was deserted in the 1950s, though over 50 of its original structures from the 1800s remain standing and ready for exploration.
5. St. Elmo, Colorado
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For a ghost town, St. Elmo stays sharp. Thanks, in fact, to the public preserving of the notorious spooky sight. This town emerged in 1880 when settlers looking for gold and silver set up shop. Forty years later, the residents fled in search of more lucrative work. Today, the dirt road introduces visitors to a few wooden houses and establishments. When driving through, check out the St. Elmo’s General Store and the post office.
6. Centralia, Pennsylvania
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Just a few hours away from Philadelphia lies the remains of Centralia, Pennsylvania. In 1962 an underground mine fire formed several sinkholes that emitted toxic fumes and drove the town’s population away. The fire underneath the town still burns today, and even though the zip code no longer exists, a few people remain in the eerie town.
7. Bodie, California
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Bodie, California, sits near the Nevada border and the Yosemite entrance. The ghost town appears out of a period-piece horror movie with school lessons decorating the chalkboards, cutlery displayed on the tables, and shelves full of much-needed supplies for the 1800s.
Similar to Centralia, fires drove out the last remaining citizens of Bodie. Legend says that if you steal anything from the ghost town, you will run into some bad luck.
8. Rhyolite, Nevada
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Rhyolite is a former mining destination in Death Valley, Nevada. In 1907, a disruptive financial crisis caused residents to pack their bags and search for new homes, and by 1920, the town became a desolate space. The rickety Rhyolite Mercantile building sits in the arid desert, surrounded by mountains, dirt, and the ghosts of the past.
9. Santa Claus, Arizona
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The ghost of “Christmas Past” permeates this Santa-Claus-themed ghost town. The town emerged in 1937 by Nina Talbot, a realtor, with the fabulous idea of creating a Santa-Claus-themed destination in the desert. The town enjoyed a peak tourism season for a few months, but soon the jolly spirit dwindled, and travelers moved to other locations throughout Arizona.
10. Cahawba, Alabama
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Alabama has over 50 ghost towns, but Cahawba is the most famous. Cahawba served as the capital of Alabama when founded in 1819 and as a location where emancipated people resided. The area features bones of cemeteries, buildings, and cemeteries. Some say an orb lights up the land near Colonel C.C. Pegues’ home, which served as a prison before he bought the property.
11. Nelson, Nevada
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Another popular ghost town in Nevada is Nelson. Many films and television shows film in the Eldorado Valley, such as Breakdown (1997) and 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001). Dilapidated trucks and cars sink into the ground around Nelson, and an antiquated Chevron gas station welcomes onlookers to explore and take pictures.
12. Kennecott, Alaska
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This abandoned mining camp’s red buildings decorate the mountains next to the Kennicott glacier in the middle of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
During its most prosperous seasons, Kennecott used its million-dollar funds acquired from copper to concoct skating rinks, schools, hospitals, stores, and tennis courts to entertain the citizens. Then, in 1938, the copper resource was depleted, and the residents fled. Today, the park hosts tours of the 14-story mill.
13. Rolling Acres Mall, Akron Ohio
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This ghost town is new compared to the others on the list. Formed in 1975, the mall welcomed multiple expansions and rebrandings before permanently shutting its doors in 2013. The building still stands, and each winter, the openings in the roof allow snow to fall through and glaze the interior of the former shopping plaza.
14. Glenrio, Texas/New Mexico
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Glenrio, Texas/New Mexico, rests on the Texas and New Mexico state lines along what used to be Route 66. The split location allowed the town to set up attractions based on the laws relative to each state.
For example, since Texas had a “dry” law, all the bars operated on the New Mexico side, and since the New Mexico side had higher service taxes, the gas stations remained on the Texas side of the town. The railroad town shut down in 1975, thanks to the construction of I-40.
What do you think? Have you visited any ghost towns that we should add to this list?
12 True Ghost Stories From People Who Work Around Death
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When you work in healthcare and other institutions that experience death, you witness some of the most intense and emotional moments in people’s lives.
In these work environments, employees sometimes encounter something else entirely- unexplainable events that leave them feeling shaken and confused. Recently, someone asked workers to share ghost stories in an online supernatural forum. You’ll be shocked at what people shared.
12 True Ghost Stories From People Who Work Around Death
15 Most Dangerous Cities in the World Where Crime Rates Are Off the Charts
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There are many ways to measure the danger of any given city—robberies, physical assaults, and even the number of fatal work accidents. However, there is one universally-accepted metric for gauging danger: violent crime rates and property crime rates. Based on recent statistics, here are some of the most dangerous cities around the world (not in any particular order).
15 Most Dangerous Cities in the World Where Crime Rates Are Off the Charts
14 Most Creepy Destinations and Paranormal Hot Spots in America
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Are you fascinated by unique and historically paranormal destinations? Look no further, as we’ve got you covered. From the desolate Everglades to the battlefields of Gettysburg, here are the top-voted ghostly and haunted places in the USA.
14 Most Creepy Destinations and Paranormal Hot Spots in America
The Haunting Truth: How Long Do Ghosts Really Live? 12 Responses From People Online
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Ghost stories have captured the human imagination and inspired countless stories, legends, and myths for a long time. From the eerie apparitions of haunted houses to the tragic spirits of lost loved ones, the idea of ghosts has been a part of human culture for millennia. Someone asked a paranormal forum how long ghosts live, and here are the interesting responses.
The Haunting Truth: How Long Do Ghosts Really Live? 12 Responses From People Online
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