Ghost Towns in America: 11 Abandoned Places You Can Visit

Abandoned due to disease, industrial collapse, or simply because their once-living residents left, these 11 locations have become known as "ghost towns," reports Travel Leisure.

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Perfectly preserved relics of our past can be found throughout the country. There are about 3800 ghost towns in America, mostly abandoned between the 19th and 20th centuries in favor of greener pastures and big city dreams. However, just because no one lives there doesn't mean you can't visit them.

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Here are 11 ghost towns in the US that you can still visit today.

Silver City, Bodfish, California

Salvation Silver City, located in the Kern River Valley in California, was a great labor of love. According to Sierra Nevada Geotourism, over 20 buildings survive to this day thanks to the efforts of Dave and Arvilla Mills, who painstakingly worked to move the structures to safety as they were scheduled to be demolished in the 1960s. Thanks to their hard work, visitors today can see the buildings used in the mining camps in the area, as well as the housing of the settlers and even the old prison. Now the city operates as a museum and is open seven days a week.

St. Elmo, Colorado

Founded in 1880 year, st elmo was once a thriving gold and silver mining community. Some 2000 people eventually moved here in search of their little piece of paradise, but the mines dried up by the early 20th century. Thus, the townspeople “left the city on the last train and never returned,” according to its website. You can see their almost perfectly preserved houses and shop windows by visiting the community during the summer months.

Terlingua, Texas

terlinguais another mining town. According to Visit Big Bend, by the 1930s, the community was the largest producer of mercury in the country. However, by the 1940s, the mining company went bankrupt, filed for bankruptcy, and many residents left. However, the place has experienced a renaissance of sorts with new residents moving in, making the once abandoned place a little busier and more inviting to visitors like you.

Rhyolite, Nevada

As you may have guessed, Rhyolite is another mining town that ended up being abandoned. Miners came here for abundant quartz. National Park Service noted on her website that in a short period of time, about 30 camps were created, and for a while the city even had its own stock exchange. However, when mining collapsed, so did the city. But you can still come here to see the old bank and former city jail and dream about what life was like in this thriving community at the turn of the 20th century.

Custer, Idaho

Custeris one of the oldest ghost towns on this list. Founded in 1879, the village has become a must-see for gold speculators. Here, many citizens worked at the mines of Lucky Boy and Black. The community reached its peak in 1896 with 600 residents. However, by 1910 the city remained abandoned.

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Luckily, many of its buildings remained intact, and in 1966 Challis National Forest took over and the community was even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Now visitors can come here to explore the mining town during the summer months with free guided tours.

Kennicott, Alaska

Head further north, all the way to Alaska, for another pristine example of what life was like in early 20th century America (although Alaska technically became an official US state in 1959). Kennicott was once a thriving copper mining community that attracted many miners and their families. However, the region was mined by the 1930s, and in 1938 it became a ghost town. However, the National Park Service again intervened to save the city, and even made a convenient map for a self-guided tour.

Calico, California

California was a hotbed of mining activity in the 1800s due to the availability of gold and other minerals. Some went to Calico, a city in Bernardino County, to try and find silver. And so it was - at least for a while, until the mid-1890s, when silver lost its value and those who sought a fortune left as quickly as they came. But the city has stood the test of time thanks to Walter Knott, who bought the site and its buildings in the 1950s and restored those that had lost their luster. You can visit the city every day from 9:00 to 17:00.

South Pass City, Wyoming

South Pass City started out as another gold-mining town in the mid-1800s, but the gold dried up after the initial boom. However, instead of leaving the city, many who came for gold remained on the fertile land, establishing farms and estates. The state declared it a historic site in 1968, along with a dedicated group of volunteers who maintain it to this day. Come on a tour throughout the summer season.

Independence, Colorado

Prospectors found gold in Independence, Colorado, sometime in the late 1800s, causing others to quickly follow suit. According to the Aspen Historical Society, by 1881 the Farwell Mining Company had purchased most of the leading mines and employed hundreds of people thereafter.

The city reached its peak with a population of about 1500 and local businesses flourished until the workers left in search of other riches, leaving the city abandoned. However, in 1975, the Aspen Historical Society undertook to restore the city to the public. You can visit it during the summer months as part of a self-guided tour.

Nevada City, Montana

nevada city could just be another mining ghost town languishing in the annals of history. However, this former gold-mining settlement was restored by the Bovey family, who worked on the project between 1945 and 1978. Many of the city's original wooden structures survive today. There are even several intact music boxes and a piano inside. Admission for adults is $10 and guests can visit during the summer months.

Goldfield, Arizona

I bet you don't have to guess what people were looking for in Goldfield, Arizona, in the mid-1800s. Prospectors came here to work at the Mammoth gold mine and quickly turned it into a city that would later become an inspiration for Wild West movies.

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While here, visitors can still see its many salons, general store, boarding house, and more. You can even watch a recreation of an old shootout thanks to Goldfield Gunfighters. The city is open to visitors every day.

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