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Ghost Towning/exploring abandoned places

Started by Max Rockatansky, October 05, 2018, 10:17:57 PM

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Max Rockatansky

Anyone else into the hobby of ghost towning?  I've often found searching for ghost towns often coincides with my highway and rail related research, especially when it comes to map research.  For the most part I've found that there are several ghost town types which are common:

-  Former rail sidings that are no longer necessary due to diesel locomotives.
-  Former communities located on old highway alignments that were bypassed by newer routes.
-  Anywhere a large mine claim was struck tends to have a large cluster of ghost towns.
-  Former company towns related to mining or agriculture.
-  Communities destroyed by natural disasters like hurricanes.
-  Communities that were located in what became National Parks.

Regarding the definition of a ghost town, that seems to be somewhat vague.  The most obvious type I've seen cited is a "total" ghost town which is completely devoid of population.  Another type that typically pops up is a community that lost the overwhelming majority of it's population; mining communities tend to fit that definition quite commonly.

To that end I've featured a Ghost Town Tuesday on the Surewhynotnow blog but many of my road and rail topics include ghost towns as well.  These are the ghost towns featured the two previous months on Surewhynotnow:

Laws Depot near the western end of US 6
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-western-end-of-us-route-6-and-laws.html

Millerton and the Stockton-Los Angeles Road
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/09/ghost-town-tuesday-millerton-california.html

Brewster, Florida
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/09/ghost-town-tuesday-brewster-florida.html

NV 341/342; Lousetown, Gold Hill, and Silver City
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/09/nevada-state-route-341-nv-342-and.html

Slavia, Florida
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/09/ghost-town-tuesday-slavia-florida.html

Edit: I added "exploring abandoned places"  to the thread title since that tends to go hand in hand with exploring ghost towns.


Hot Rod Hootenanny

Please, don't sue Alex & Andy over what I wrote above

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Hot Rod Hootenanny on October 05, 2018, 11:11:21 PM
You need to move east, young man.
https://www.sunburynews.com/news/4294/ohio-ghost-towns-at-big-walnut-area-historical-society-meeting

Heh...actually I've done a little bit of it in the Cleveland Area, originally from Detroit and have a bunch of family in the area.  Florida and Michigan (the UP) have a surprisingly large number of former settlements.

bing101

#3
http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/ca/locke.html

Locke,CA its viewed as a ghost town but its in the Sacramento Delta and its on the southern half of Sacramento County.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodie,_California

Bodie CA its on the east side of the Sierra Nevada of California.

https://www.kqed.org/news/11549263/the-island-ghost-town-in-the-middle-of-san-francisco-bay

And there's Drawbridge, CA its a ghost town just outside of San Jose and Palo Alto.


https://trip101.com/article/ghost-towns-of-california

Here is the rest of the list.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: bing101 on October 06, 2018, 12:10:14 AM
http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/ca/locke.html

Locke,CA its viewed as a ghost town but its in the Sacramento Delta and its on the southern half of Sacramento County.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodie,_California

Bodie CA its on the east side of the Sierra Nevada of California.

https://www.kqed.org/news/11549263/the-island-ghost-town-in-the-middle-of-san-francisco-bay

And there's Drawbridge, CA its a ghost town just outside of San Jose and Palo Alto.

Been through both may times, Bodie is pretty spectacular...heading there this weekend again in fact:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/07/california-state-route-270-to-bodie.html

Locke is pretty neat, there are some other worthwhile interesting places in the Delta:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/02/disaster-tourism-road-trip-part-8-san.html


jon daly

I don't think this is the same thing, but it's close. I was curious why RI-3 left the New London Turnpike for another road instead of staying on it and found out that certain portions were pretty much abandoned well before the bicycle; let alone the automobile. Hence it wasn't paved all the way through. The stretch in West Greenwich sounds more like it was in the Wild West than in New England.

More detail starts at page 8 (page 20 of the PDF) of the linked doc:

http://www.preservation.ri.gov/pdfs_zips_downloads/survey_pdfs/west_greenwich.pdf

SSOWorld

Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

Max Rockatansky

#7
Quote from: SSOWorld on October 06, 2018, 09:13:10 AM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing,_Arizona

Much ado about nothing

I wrote the ghosttowns.com article on Nothing, I used to pass it at least weekly on my way to work trips in Mohave and/or Clark County.  The Surewhynotnow article I did is a slight revision:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/12/ghost-town-tuesday-nothing-az-us-route.html

nexus73

Shaniko OR is close to being a ghost town.  A massive brick hotel and a collection of junk cars from the early postwar period with dulled paint plus shiny chrome are this town's features.  Will it be ghosted completely or revived as the years pass?

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

english si

Briefly visited Tyneham en route to a beach my Scout Troop was going to litter pick (it had a surprising amount given it was inside the area taken by the military and so only open a couple of weekends each year).

The village was full of visitors, so it didn't quite feel like a ghost village. There was still an oddness about - the signs warning to stay on paths, the odd bullet hole in a building or fence post, the way that the village was like a literal 1940s village rather than a fake one at a museum or for a film set.

The beach was more eerie as people didn't typically head down there and so had that ghostly vibe much more than the village - the ones either side would have been rammed on a Saturday with that weather. Add in that the beach was a major part of why the area was commandeered in 1943 - they wanted beaches to practice landing on them for the upcoming invasion (at the time rough area not chosen), which meant it took on much more significance than the firing ranges up by the village.

mgk920

The USA's high plains is loaded with ghost towns that were set up to serve area farms and the progressive advance of farming and transportation technology rendered them obsolete.  Also, Michigan's Upper Peninsula is chocked full of mining ghost towns that are worth checking out.

Mike

froggie

Depending on how you define the cause of it, Centralia (PA) could arguably be considered a "ghost town" these days...

thenetwork

Cisco, UT is a great little modern-day ghost town along I-70 near Moab.  Its along the original alignment of US-6/50.  At most, there may be a dozen residents still there, but the abandoned buildings well outnumber the population.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: thenetwork on October 06, 2018, 03:32:39 PM
Cisco, UT is a great little modern-day ghost town along I-70 near Moab.  Its along the original alignment of US-6/50.  At most, there may be a dozen residents still there, but the abandoned buildings well outnumber the population.

The thing I thought about Cisco was that that it is almost totally silent aside from the cranking of oil wells in the distance.  There was a hanging stuffed animal in one of the old stores when I rolled through three years ago:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/04/ghost-town-tuesday-cisco-ut-and-old-us.html

Thompson Springs is nearby and has the same classic US 50/6 abandoned Americana vibe to it.  I have my photos already but haven't uploaded to the website yet. 

freebrickproductions

There's a ghost town here in Huntsville, AL that was named Whitesburg. The town once sat where Ditto Landing is now.
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

I also collect traffic lights, road signs, fans, and railroad crossing equipment.

(They/Them)

cpzilliacus

#15
Maryland has a few ghost towns, many seem to be related to coal mining, which is effectively gone in the state.

There's the coal mining town of Kempton in the far southwest corner of the state near the headwaters of the North Branch of the Potomac River.

Also in Garrett County is Shallmar, Maryland which is also a ghost town.

Port Tobacco Village in Charles County might qualify as an "almost" ghost town.  It's still an active municipality (smallest one in the state at 13 persons), but not the important seaport (for the export of tobacco) that it once was.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

Max Rockatansky


US 89

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2018, 04:56:46 PM
Quote from: thenetwork on October 06, 2018, 03:32:39 PM
Cisco, UT is a great little modern-day ghost town along I-70 near Moab.  Its along the original alignment of US-6/50.  At most, there may be a dozen residents still there, but the abandoned buildings well outnumber the population.

The thing I thought about Cisco was that that it is almost totally silent aside from the cranking of oil wells in the distance.  There was a hanging stuffed animal in one of the old stores when I rolled through three years ago:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/04/ghost-town-tuesday-cisco-ut-and-old-us.html

Thompson Springs is nearby and has the same classic US 50/6 abandoned Americana vibe to it.  I have my photos already but haven't uploaded to the website yet.

Despite Thompson Springs's status as a near-ghost town, there is still a state-maintained spur into the town from the interstate: SR-94. Always found that interesting: there must be some mine or oil development that keeps traffic up, or there's enough population left that UDOT still finds it worthwhile.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: US 89 on December 25, 2018, 01:29:37 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2018, 04:56:46 PM
Quote from: thenetwork on October 06, 2018, 03:32:39 PM
Cisco, UT is a great little modern-day ghost town along I-70 near Moab.  Its along the original alignment of US-6/50.  At most, there may be a dozen residents still there, but the abandoned buildings well outnumber the population.

The thing I thought about Cisco was that that it is almost totally silent aside from the cranking of oil wells in the distance.  There was a hanging stuffed animal in one of the old stores when I rolled through three years ago:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/04/ghost-town-tuesday-cisco-ut-and-old-us.html

Thompson Springs is nearby and has the same classic US 50/6 abandoned Americana vibe to it.  I have my photos already but haven't uploaded to the website yet.

Despite Thompson Springs's status as a near-ghost town, there is still a state-maintained spur into the town from the interstate: SR-94. Always found that interesting: there must be some mine or oil development that keeps traffic up, or there's enough population left that UDOT still finds it worthwhile.

Isn't there a UDOT maintenance yard right off I-70 on UT 94?

US 89

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 25, 2018, 01:30:45 AM
Quote from: US 89 on December 25, 2018, 01:29:37 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2018, 04:56:46 PM
Quote from: thenetwork on October 06, 2018, 03:32:39 PM
Cisco, UT is a great little modern-day ghost town along I-70 near Moab.  Its along the original alignment of US-6/50.  At most, there may be a dozen residents still there, but the abandoned buildings well outnumber the population.

The thing I thought about Cisco was that that it is almost totally silent aside from the cranking of oil wells in the distance.  There was a hanging stuffed animal in one of the old stores when I rolled through three years ago:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/04/ghost-town-tuesday-cisco-ut-and-old-us.html

Thompson Springs is nearby and has the same classic US 50/6 abandoned Americana vibe to it.  I have my photos already but haven't uploaded to the website yet.

Despite Thompson Springs's status as a near-ghost town, there is still a state-maintained spur into the town from the interstate: SR-94. Always found that interesting: there must be some mine or oil development that keeps traffic up, or there's enough population left that UDOT still finds it worthwhile.

Isn't there a UDOT maintenance yard right off I-70 on UT 94?

I had no idea that was there, but I see it now. Weird place for one. Still doesn't explain why 94 goes all the way to old 6/50, though. Also, there are maintenance yards that don't connect directly to other state highways (one in Salt Lake comes to mind).

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: US 89 on December 25, 2018, 01:37:07 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 25, 2018, 01:30:45 AM
Quote from: US 89 on December 25, 2018, 01:29:37 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2018, 04:56:46 PM
Quote from: thenetwork on October 06, 2018, 03:32:39 PM
Cisco, UT is a great little modern-day ghost town along I-70 near Moab.  Its along the original alignment of US-6/50.  At most, there may be a dozen residents still there, but the abandoned buildings well outnumber the population.

The thing I thought about Cisco was that that it is almost totally silent aside from the cranking of oil wells in the distance.  There was a hanging stuffed animal in one of the old stores when I rolled through three years ago:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/04/ghost-town-tuesday-cisco-ut-and-old-us.html

Thompson Springs is nearby and has the same classic US 50/6 abandoned Americana vibe to it.  I have my photos already but haven't uploaded to the website yet.

Despite Thompson Springs's status as a near-ghost town, there is still a state-maintained spur into the town from the interstate: SR-94. Always found that interesting: there must be some mine or oil development that keeps traffic up, or there's enough population left that UDOT still finds it worthwhile.

Isn't there a UDOT maintenance yard right off I-70 on UT 94?

I had no idea that was there, but I see it now. Weird place for one. Still doesn't explain why 94 goes all the way to old 6/50, though. Also, there are maintenance yards that don't connect directly to other state highways (one in Salt Lake comes to mind).

94 used to extend north of Thompson Sorings to Sego.  Sego was a mining town and suspect was the primary driver for UT 94 at all to begin with.  The irony is that the present Route was part of an extension to I-70 and the present route doesn't have any of the original alignment. 

US 89

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 25, 2018, 01:41:40 AM
Quote from: US 89 on December 25, 2018, 01:37:07 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 25, 2018, 01:30:45 AM
Quote from: US 89 on December 25, 2018, 01:29:37 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2018, 04:56:46 PM
Quote from: thenetwork on October 06, 2018, 03:32:39 PM
Cisco, UT is a great little modern-day ghost town along I-70 near Moab.  Its along the original alignment of US-6/50.  At most, there may be a dozen residents still there, but the abandoned buildings well outnumber the population.

The thing I thought about Cisco was that that it is almost totally silent aside from the cranking of oil wells in the distance.  There was a hanging stuffed animal in one of the old stores when I rolled through three years ago:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/04/ghost-town-tuesday-cisco-ut-and-old-us.html

Thompson Springs is nearby and has the same classic US 50/6 abandoned Americana vibe to it.  I have my photos already but haven’t uploaded to the website yet.

Despite Thompson Springs’s status as a near-ghost town, there is still a state-maintained spur into the town from the interstate: SR-94. Always found that interesting: there must be some mine or oil development that keeps traffic up, or there’s enough population left that UDOT still finds it worthwhile.

Isn’t there a UDOT maintenance yard right off I-70 on UT 94?

I had no idea that was there, but I see it now. Weird place for one. Still doesn’t explain why 94 goes all the way to old 6/50, though. Also, there are maintenance yards that don’t connect directly to other state highways (one in Salt Lake comes to mind).

94 used to extend north of Thompson Sorings to Sego.  Sego was a mining town and suspect was the primary driver for UT 94 at all to begin with.  The irony is that the present Route was part of an extension to I-70 and the present route doesn’t have any of the original alignment.

Now you got me curious, so I went and had a look at some old maps — looks like the state considered them to be two completely different iterations of SR-94. The route to Sego was removed as part of the mass 1969 route deletion, while the connection to 70 was added that year as an immediate re-use of the number.

txstateends

\/ \/ click for a bigger image \/ \/

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: US 89 on December 25, 2018, 01:58:40 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 25, 2018, 01:41:40 AM
Quote from: US 89 on December 25, 2018, 01:37:07 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 25, 2018, 01:30:45 AM
Quote from: US 89 on December 25, 2018, 01:29:37 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2018, 04:56:46 PM
Quote from: thenetwork on October 06, 2018, 03:32:39 PM
Cisco, UT is a great little modern-day ghost town along I-70 near Moab.  Its along the original alignment of US-6/50.  At most, there may be a dozen residents still there, but the abandoned buildings well outnumber the population.

The thing I thought about Cisco was that that it is almost totally silent aside from the cranking of oil wells in the distance.  There was a hanging stuffed animal in one of the old stores when I rolled through three years ago:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/04/ghost-town-tuesday-cisco-ut-and-old-us.html

Thompson Springs is nearby and has the same classic US 50/6 abandoned Americana vibe to it.  I have my photos already but haven't uploaded to the website yet.

Despite Thompson Springs's status as a near-ghost town, there is still a state-maintained spur into the town from the interstate: SR-94. Always found that interesting: there must be some mine or oil development that keeps traffic up, or there's enough population left that UDOT still finds it worthwhile.

Isn't there a UDOT maintenance yard right off I-70 on UT 94?

I had no idea that was there, but I see it now. Weird place for one. Still doesn't explain why 94 goes all the way to old 6/50, though. Also, there are maintenance yards that don't connect directly to other state highways (one in Salt Lake comes to mind).

94 used to extend north of Thompson Sorings to Sego.  Sego was a mining town and suspect was the primary driver for UT 94 at all to begin with.  The irony is that the present Route was part of an extension to I-70 and the present route doesn't have any of the original alignment.

Now you got me curious, so I went and had a look at some old maps – looks like the state considered them to be two completely different iterations of SR-94. The route to Sego was removed as part of the mass 1969 route deletion, while the connection to 70 was added that year as an immediate re-use of the number.

It's definitely one of the stranger decommissioning/recommissioning I've seen.  I just wish that I had the time to head as far north as close to Sego as I could back in 2015. 

SectorZ

Massachusetts had 4 removed towns due to the damming to create the Quabbin Reservoir (Dana, Enfield, Prescott, and Greenwich). Enfield and Greenwich are mostly underwater. Prescott still exists but is completely cordoned off by the state. Dana, however, is accessible a mile off of route 32A in Petersham.

Many of the old roads around those towns still exist, many leading you right into the water if you so choose. All of these roads are closed to vehicular traffic.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.