Cerro Gordo Ghost Town, California: The Silver Mine That Built Los Angeles California Gold & Silver Mining 4WD required · ~16 min read Quick facts Primary discovery1865 — Pablo Flores District organizedApril 1866 Peak population4,000–4,800 (mid-1870s) First abandonment~1880 (post-fire) Zinc era1905–1940s Final mining endLate 1940s Primary industrySilver, lead, zinc State / CountyCalifornia / Inyo County…
Centralia, Pennsylvania: The Town That Set Itself on Fire in 1962 and Still Hasn’t Gone Out Pennsylvania Coal Mining Active hazard zone · Do not trespass · ~14 min read Quick facts Founded1832 (as Bull’s Head); renamed 1865 IncorporatedFebruary 1866 Peak population2,761 (1890 census) Current population5 (2020 census); ~8 estimated 2026 Fire startedMay 1962 Fire…
Frisco Ghost Town, Utah: The Wildest Camp in the Great Basin and the Mine That Collapsed Under Its Own Weight Utah Gold & Silver Mining Unmanaged site · Access with caution · ~12 min read Quick facts Silver discoveredSeptember 1875 Town founded1876 Peak population~6,000 (1885) Saloons at peak23 Horn Silver Mine output$20.3M (1875–1910) Total district…
Garnet Ghost Town, Montana: Two Gold Rushes, a Depression Revival, and 30 Buildings That Refused to Fall Montana Gold & Silver Mining Entrance fee applies · ~12 min read Quick facts First gold discovery (Beartown)1865 Garnet townsite founded1895 (as Mitchell) Renamed Garnet1897 Peak population (1st boom)~1,000–1,200 (1898) Revival population (1930s)~250 Final abandonment1948 (after Frank Davey’s…
Thurmond, West Virginia: The Coal Town That Out-Earned Cincinnati and Died When Steam Did West Virginia Coal Mining Free to visit · ~13 min read Quick facts Founded1873 (land surveyed by Capt. Thurmond) Peak population~500 (early 1900s) Current population3–5 residents Peak freight revenue$4,824,911 (highest on C&O mainline) Coal shipped annually4,000,000 tons (at peak) Primary industryCoal…
Grafton Ghost Town, Utah: The Pioneer Settlement That Floods Built and a Canal Killed Utah Mormon Settlements Free to visit · ~13 min read Quick facts Original settlement (Wheeler)December 1859 Relocated as Grafton1862 (after Great Flood) Peak population168 (1864) Final abandonment1944 Schoolhouse built1886 Primary industryCotton, fruit orchards, wheat State / CountyUtah / Washington County Managed…
Jerome Ghost Town, Arizona: The Billion-Dollar Copper Camp That Slid Downhill Arizona Gold & Silver Mining Free to explore · ~14 min read Quick facts First mining claims1875 Town incorporated1899 Peak population~15,000 (1920s) Current population~450 residents Elevation5,200 ft on a 30° slope Primary industryCopper mining Major mine closed1953 (United Verde) DesignationNational Historic Landmark District State…
Bannack Ghost Town, Montana: Gold Rush, Vigilantes & Montana’s First Territorial Capital Montana Gold & Silver Mining Entrance fee applies · ~12 min read Quick facts Gold discoveryJuly 28, 1862 Peak population3,000+ (by 1863) Post office closed1938 Buildings remaining50+ on Main Street DesignationNational Historic Landmark (1961) Managed byMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks State / CountyMontana…