Named for Tom B. Owens, who built the schoolhouse. I have two books on Texas ghost towns: Ghost Towns of Texas and More Ghost Towns of Texas, both by T. Lindsay Baker. No longer exists. Medicine Mound is named due to its ranging elevations. The Light of Saratogais a legend located in the Big Thicketof Southeast Texas. Originally left a ghost town during the 1940s, Terlingua has evolved into a haven for artists, outsiders, and those seeking solitude. Leave the stroller in the car and go on a windy or overcast day. Houston Date Ideas: 50 Romantic Things to Do in Houston for Couples, How to Visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris, TX (+ Photos & FAQ), 10 Great Texas Gulf Coast RV Parks (Beach Trip Ideas), 10+ Tips for Round Top, TX Shopping Trips (Antiques Fair Advice! 30.81402, -104.75298Status: Semi-Abandoned. Deep in East Texas' towering forests lie the ruins of the Aldridge Sawmill, once the beating heart of a town of nearly 2,000 people. Once the home of outlaw. Broken windows lead into a black interior; the door is chained shut. It was started as a small village when settlers started to arrive. While its not the most interesting ghost town in Texas I think it is still worth exploring if youre nearby. So the story goes, if you shine car bright headlights on the man and woman statues from the driveway that runs behind them, they will come to life, turn around, and kiss. There was a courthouse and post office established to carry out business operations both privately and for the government. We rate ghost towns in Pennsylvania based on their status. More than just "big, beautiful Texas oysters served raw" will . By Cathy Kozub | June 10, 2016. Take a paranormal tour of spaces around the ship where sightings or activity have been reported or stay overnight to investigate yourselves. There is no actual address for this ghost town, but you can pull it up on Google Maps. One of these is a stretch of rugged country road called Bragg Road, in Saratoga, southeast Texas. It expertly sifts the waters from the Colorado River, and while most towns died due to lack of water, Bluffton had an abundance of it. Located on a dirt road, it is a light that may appear and disappear at random during the dark of night without explanation. Among the many haunted places of East Texas are various spooky roads and remote areas that are suffused with scary myths and urban legends, possibly real ghosts. It borders the Sabine River to the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. 10. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Pictured above is part of the ruins of the Baylor Female Building. Despite its small population, Gilliland has a haunting beauty. It also has a claim to fame through Amelia Earhart, who visited Toyah in 1928 when flying across the US. Youll be pleasantly surprised by this small towns charms. There are places to eat, lots of funky trailer homes, and an interesting cemetery. Texas, on U.S. Adds to the ghost town feel, just not great for impulsive little kids! In the early 1900s, a railroad used to run through this town, and slowly small farmers started to farm the surrounding land. A 1933 tornado wiped it off the map, leaving no trace of the town. This small residential property is believed to be haunted. The unincorporated community of Eliasville is located in Young County, Texas. 31.99597, -99.22561Status: Semi-Abandoned. The historic district is listed on the National List of Historic Places. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Nearby Van Horn is probably the closest place to load up on fuel and food prior to entering this arid part of Texas. And its not just a movie stereotype: there are real-life abandoned ghost towns in Texas throughout nearly every region of the state. Terlingua 262 Formed in 1880 for miners in search of gold and silver, the . An oil boomtown . Haunted Places in EAST TEXAS 1. Although, the markers are an interesting reminder of what once was. This legend of a mysterious light is also known as the Ghost Road of Saratoga, the Saratoga Light, and Bragg Lightby local residents. This small town is located in Knox County and was first settled in 1871. I own a wine, craft beer and coffee bar in the historic district of Baytown, Texas. Median Home Price: $138,738. more. Beaches are never crowded. After the Pecos River broke in 1904, the towns economy crumbled. Youre in the right place. We missed the rains but it was soaked Everywhere. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. It was soon on its way to rival New Orleans. Love Texas? Today, not much is left of Gilliland, as its basically a small cluster of buildings along an old intersection. We rate ghost towns in Texas based on their status. Despite the towns long history, residents are now looking for new ways to make it a vibrant town. A man named Howard E. Perry from Maine owned much of the land and started the Chisos Mining Company, which brought many people to the town in the early 1900s. Coyote was renamed after a district judge when the first post office was established which formally changed the name to Gilliland. People claim that his chambers are colder than the rest of the building (no reports Reported to be haunted by the ghost of a former caretaker and his dog. Supposedly rife with spirited activity. Unfortunately, the lack of accessibility to water and a poor economy forced the town downwards. Located halfway between Laredo and Uvalde, you'll find this dried up town that once boomed with its promises of abundant water and a long crop season. The town still retains its historical sites and Baptist church, though. 2020 Featured Ghost Towns. Ghost Towns in Texas - Under 6 hours drive from Austin 1. Historical cities and towns such as Houston are now riddled with spirits, from the bloody Civil War and beyond. There's a few small shops and restaurants open for tourists now, plus it's not too far from Big Bend National Park, so there's no excuse not to visit this ghost town! From the outside, Yorktown Memorial Hospital looks like the definition of "haunted": a 30,000-square-foot building with a granite and concrete faade and overgrown bushes around its sides. They contain maps and legends, and photos by the author, of the towns included. The school was designated . Today, the town is a solitary, abandoned ghost town that still piques visitors interest. Thats in Terlingua! There are a good handful of abandoned buildings and old structures to explore. Though no one actually lived here, it's still a spooky place to visit nonetheless. (Or, to be exact, nearly abandonedits worth clarifying that many of these places do still maintain a very, very small population). George E. Barstow, the towns namesake, was a leader in the irrigation industry. After County Road 17 crosses into Colorado County it becomes County Road 190 . It's mesmerizing to watch the pump jacks working away out in the surf. Stonewall County Historical Commission. One of the most popular urban legends to be passed around Texas is the legend of the Donkey Lady Bridge which is located about 30 miles southwest of San Antonio. Toyah used to be the site of several flowing springs, in fact, the town is named after a Native American word for flowing water. There's a town in the wilds of far West Texas where time stands still save for the drifting of tumbleweeds down its deserted streets. Ghost Towns Abandoned towns abound in Texas. If you want to have a truly hair-raising night to remember, booking a room at one of Texas many haunted hotels is right up your alley. The towns economic base is agriculture, ranching, and oil products. 2. But in the late 1800s, each had a moment of glory that blazed and died like a sudden flame. This is a unique ghost town that has numerous shops and restaurants. I love sharing smiles, good food, and great conversation :). This land was sacred to the Comanches and it is about as rural as you can get when looking for abandoned Texas towns. Abandoned Places In New Mexico 1. (Submitted by Tabitha). Aspermont, Texas, pp. Reports say that very few people actually stay all night in that room, because there is an eerie presence that makes them feel uncomfortable. There are plenty of places I kept off this list so get out there and explore. Highest rated attractions on Tripadvisor, based on traveler reviews. That concludes our list of ghost towns in Texas, but that doesnt mean thats all there is to find. We rode from Victoria to get a picture of the monument for the Grand motorcycle tour of Texas. Fast forward 200 years, the town had a post office, schools, and a full community. & 28 mins. Youll also be able to sample local cuisine and buy art in the towns gift shop. It was first referred to as Pleasant Valley, but the post office rejected it as the name. The Elder Street Artists Lofts, formerly the Jefferson Davis Hospital, is said to be haunted by deceased hospital patients. The first weekend of any month on that Saturday ,vendors gather in Indianola which draws a crowd from a surprising amount of cities and towns from Corpus Christi to Galveston to San Antonio and in-between. Although it was a ghost town in the 20th century, this Texas community is worth exploring. The first settlers in the town were the Allens and Golsons, who settled the area in the 1870s. Rumour has it the protective former owner, Walter Gresham, still haunts the place, and has been known to appear during freak weather events. Although no ghost towns in Texas made the cut for the Smithsonian's coolest ghost town list, dozens remain across the state. The old post office with many old artifacts. In honor of the historic landmarks and the films famous Pontiac, temporary chain-link fences were erected around the towns most famous attractions. The activity here is said to stem from the fact that the site was built over an 1800s cemetery where about 3,000 Civil War and yellow fever victims were buried. The 3-county South East Texas region includes Hardin, Orange and Jefferson Counties, and cities such as Orange, Beaumont, Lumberton, and Port Arthur. While the town has almost no infrastructure, the area does still contain many landmarks and businesses. Explore The Strange Ruins Of Hot Wells Hotel, An Abandoned Spa And Resort In Texas, Visit The Ruins Of An Abandoned WWI Fort Near Galveston, Texas, A Mysterious Trail In Texas Will Take You To The Original Mariscal Mine Ruins, Forgotten Texas: 13 Abandoned Places Nature Is Reclaiming, A Drone Flew High Above An Uninhabited School In Texas And Caught The Most Incredible Footage, The Remote Hike Through Cullinan Park Winds Through A Forest Grove, Boardwalk, And Abandoned Graveyard, Travel Back In Time At La Kiva, A Dinosaur-Themed Restaurant In A Texas Ghost Town, This Tour Of An Abandoned Texas Prison Is An Experience Unlike Any Other. While railroads were being constructed and used as the primary method of transport, Toyah was quite popular. Even at the peak of its population, Medicine Mound, Texas was only home to about 500 residents. In the vernacular of its era, a "suck" sometimes referred to a whirlpool. ), 21 Wacky + Weird Roadside Attractions in Texas, How to Visit St. Martin's in Texas (The World's Smallest Catholic Church!). Cost of Living Index: 6.5% Below Texas Average. The unpredictability of the oil industry, the railroad industry, the mining industry, the agricultural industry, and more have resulted in abandoned towns in Texas left and right. The unoccupied second floor is the site of most of the haunting claims. Removed from all maps after the WWII rise of Nazi Germany. In every classic stereotype of the Wild West, there is a scene of a tumbleweed rolling across the dirt or gravel of an abandoned ghost town. She has been seen pacing the hallways and walking in and out of rooms in owners suites. The town was once a thriving Mexican trading post during Americas westward migration. We would go back to that same house inside the Ghost Town in a minute. Indianola is located right off of the Gulf of Mexico, and as part of the package where it is located, the town has been ravaged by hurricanes multiple times over. Today, Indianola is an abandoned industrial city and part of the Victoria, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Although Indianola became a town in 1853, the citys roots were laid three miles north of Powderhorn Bayou. Lots of seating options and a decent beverage selection too. Once a popular stopping point for Route 66 travelers, it now sits in ruins like so many other towns along the famous 66. You don't go there to experience the Ghost Town. One of the creepiest towns in Texas is Marfa, home to some of the most unusual paranormal light displays in the country. 1979. It was apparently a former sector of a nursing home, before conversion to a one story house. aka Doans, started in 1878 as a cattle drive trading post by Jonathan Doan and his nephew Corwin Doan. 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