5 Ghost Towns of America

Rhyolite, NV
Named for its silica-rich volcanic rock, this town close to Death Valley came up in 1905 with high hopes for a lot of gold, so much that one man invested so much money into the town that it included a school, hospital and a lot of prostitutes. Things didn’t go as planned, causing people to abandon it.

Bodie, CA
People say not to take anything from this ghost town, or else they will regret it. Sure enough, the man who handles the mailbox says he always gets apology letters with the items taken. The town used to be filled with at least 10,000 people along with saloons and a red-light district in the late 1870s, and closing in 1942.

Terlingua, TX
This town was once known for its lush supply of mercury, but since production decreased, the town died out in the 1940s. Unlike most ghost towns, this one found a new purpose – becoming the home of famous Terlingua Chili Cookoff.

Thurmond, WV
This small coal town from the late 1800s went from a few hundred residents to just seven in 2000, and now only has five. It turned into a museum, and is now part of the New River George National River.

Santa Claus, AZ
Launched in the 1930s, many said it was a marketing scheme to draw in tourists who wanted to meet Santa Claus himself at any time of the year. It later was just popular for its post office and postmark for kids who wanted a legit letter from St. Nick.