This State Is Home To The Most Ghost Towns In The Country (2024)

There was a time when people began to flock to towns that were rich in valuable mineral resources such as gold and silver, and these places have turned into prosperous cities, but a few of them have been deserted and have become ghost towns. A study conducted by a company named Geotab has compiled a list of over 3,800 ghost towns across America. According to the company, Texas has the most ghost towns of any state, with over 500.

Usually, western Hollywood movies conjure up images of abandoned ghost towns with scattered tumbleweeds, but this can actually be seen in real life by visiting Texas, especially in its central area. Many of these ghost towns date back to the 1800s, which coincides with the era of industrialization and westward expansion. And as per Peter Ling, professor of American studies at the University of Nottingham, "these abandoned cities are vivid reminders of the country’s compressed, dynamic, and turbulent past." Due to the unpredictability of the oil, mining, and agricultural industries, many inhabitants had to abandon their towns in Texas. But today, very few of them still live there.

Texas Ghost Towns You Should Visit

Thurber

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Miner's house in Thurber, Texas

Once a flourishing community with a population of over 10,000, Thurber is one of the most well-known ghost towns in central Texas, tucked close to the Palo Pinto County line just 75 miles west of Fort Worth. It gained popularity between 1888 and 1921 due to its fast-growing bituminous coal industry. It was known for being a leading coal producer in the state and having full electric services. But things changed with the oil boom in Texas, and locomotives began burning oil instead of locally mined bituminous coal. Consequently, the town’s coal supply was no longer in demand, while at the same time, people were facing the Great Depression. These have certainly led many people to abandon Thurber. By the late 1930s, the town had turned into a ghost town, and today there are fewer than 50 people living there as per the 2010 United States Census report.

Terlingua

Terlingua, Ghost Town

Terlingua, located in southwestern Brewster County near the Rio Grande and villages such as Study Butte, Lajitas, and the Mexican state of Chihuahua, is another popular ghost town in Texas. What made people rush to this town in the late 1800s was the discovery of cinnabar, from which quicksilver (metal mercury) is extracted. Interestingly, Native Americans supposedly used cinnabar for its brilliant red color in producing pictographs. Thanks to the new discovery, the town quickly grew with a population of about 2000 people and then slowly declined. The latest census report (2020) suggests that Terlingua has about 79 inhabitants.

Visitors can find the remains of the Big Bend Quicksilver Mine at the base of Study Butte and the Howard Perry-owned Chisos Mining Company. Some facilities include motels, restaurants, and outfitters. There are also tiny rock structures that serve as residences for Big Bend’s desert dwellers.

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Indian Gap

Indian Gap School

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Those who are interested in learning about ghost towns that once were inhabited by the Comanche Indians should consider visiting Indian Gap, an unincorporated community tucked between two hills in the southeast corner of Hamilton County in Central Texas.

The Comanche Indians were once part of the Shoshone tribe of the Great Basin and lived a nomadic lifestyle, riding horses and hunting bison. They were trading with the other native tribes and Spanish and French settlers. They settled in Texas in 1877, and later there were many facilities such as a post office, a barber shop, three stores, a church, and a social center.

From the Indian Gap school to the post office, one by one, facilities were closed, and people started to move away to other towns looking for better life opportunities. As of the 2019 census report, there are about 35 people who still live there.

Carlton

Hamilton County

Another ghost town not to miss in Hamilton County is Carlton, with a small population of 70 people. The town was settled in the late 1800s thanks to prosperous businesses such as cotton production. During this time, Carlton had a school, several churches, a stagecoach line, and a post office. In 1907, the Stephenville North and South Texas Railway were built. They both form part of the historic Cotton Belt Route. And by 1910, the town registered around 750 residents. There were two small weekly newspapers operational during that time. They were the Courier which operated between 1907 and 1909 and the Citizen, which ran between 1909 till 1936. Eventually, like many other ghost towns, the residents chose to abandon Some of the reasons were the effects of the boll weevil blight and the Great Depression.

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Visiting Etiquette At The Ghost Towns In Texas

Thurber Historic District

As much as the history of the ghost towns sounds enticing, visitors should understand that these towns form an integral part of the historical legacy of the state. So necessary precautions should be taken while visiting different areas without disturbing the integrity of the physical structures.

It is important to ask for permission before entering any area. Avoid going to places that have signs that say "Private Property" or "Do not enter." Instead, look for places that say "Open to the Public."

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