When does a Ghost Town become a destination? When it lives up to its name!
There is nothing more daunting than ghost towns that are actually haunted! But aren't they all, for all that survives in these once-bustling cities are the phantoms that have been left behind. So we go on a limb to declare these five ghost towns to be some of the most chilling of them all!
Vulture City, Arizona
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Nestled in the Sonoran Desert, Vulture City was first established in 1863 as part of Arizona's booming gold mine. Gold was abundant here, with 340,000 ounces produced here between 1863 to 1942. Silver was also generous, with 260,000 ounces distributed to those that worked the mines. The once buzzing town of 5,000 residents came to a halt when in 1942 the War Production Board offered the closing of all non-essential mines to ensure that resources were focused on the war effort.
Fust a few years back Vulture City had no tours, no guides, and tourists are not plentiful. It was legitimately deserted and disheveled, crumbling into nonexistence. Exploration of its haunted has been fundamentally one of the few ways it has been able to sustain itself. The notoriously haunted brothel will leave an impression on you. As well, the assay building with its gold vault and secret hideaway, and the old hanging tree where 18 men once met a bitter death for stealing gold ore will contribute.
Calico, Californa
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Laying dormant in the Mojave Desert, Calico California is named after proximal the multi-colored mountaintop of the Calico Mountains. The town was founded by four prospectors in 1881 and soon become one of the hottest destinations for gold diggers, reaching its height in 1890 with 3,500 residents. By the turn of the century, the rush ended when the Silver Purchase Act lowered the price of silver. It left the town in desolate form.
Today it is known as one of the top haunted locations in California. Meet Lucy Lance, a phantom resident who ran the general store with her husband. Her apparition is often seen in a black-laced dress walking back and forth between her home and store. There are also the spirits of the teachers and students that can be found in the schoolhouse. Calico's last marshal, "Tumbleweed harris", is also said to still keep an eye out for his city. Many visitors have found him on Main Street.
St Elmo, Colorado
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At one point this thriving town located southwest of Buena Vista in Colorado, St Elmo was a thriving area and proud to offer 150 different mines to those seeking wealth through digging. At one point, it recovered $60,000,000 worth of gold! Unfortunately, the precious metal soon dried up, leading to the abandonment of the railroad in 1925 the pulse of transportation in and out of the town. It soon became a ghost town.
Like many of America's ghost towns, St. Elmo has a prolific of legends and stories of the haunted. One of the most famous is Annabelle, a native of St. Elmo. She was known to be a bit eccentric, so much that she was taken into custody for carrying a rifle irresponsibly around the old town. Her phantom continues to taunt the town, often seen sadly peering from a second-floor window of its abandoned hotel. As one of the main hotspots, many have reported windows and doors opening and closing in the hotel on their own.
While fire and other events have destroyed a good half of the town, individuals are working to restore and renovate the town slightly. Not only because of the attraction of history, but also the attraction of rumored ghosts in St. Elmo, Colorado.
Bodie, California
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In 1849, the town of Bodie was declared by prospectors called W.S. Bodie, and Black Turner when they discovered large gold deposits within its hills. Though Bodie died prematurely, a mining camp sprung up in 1876. Eventually, it became home to 10,000 people, whose hope was to seek a living, if not extreme wealth during the gold rush days. At its financial peak, the economy supported seventy saloon establishments. It isn’t surprising that violence and pain caused by greed and immorality were rampant; so much so that the town earned the nickname of “Big Bad Bodie.”
This is one of the best-known ghost towns in America. Today, serving as a historical time capsule of the wild wild west, it's a big tourist destination. But the phantoms don't seem to mind sharing their land and stories for those that wish to listen! A lot of people were killed during Bodie’s wild gold rush era during its heyday, due to bullets flying, accidents, and poor living conditions.
Run-ins with spirits often occur throughout the town, from a knitting woman at the Gregory House to voices and screams in the mines. But certainly, the most interesting lore around Bodie is what happens when you take a piece of it with you. Known as the Bodie Curse, visitors who remove anything, even something as small as a rock from the ghost town, report experiencing devastatingly bad luck. More often than not, the thief returns the item to Bodie, along with a note of sincere apologies, in hopes of breaking the curse.
Indianola, Texas
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In the 1800's Indianola was the second-largest entry point to Texas, making it a thriving city. Unfortunately, two devastating hurricanes in 1875 and 1886 ripped this city literally off the map. Later a horrific fire burnt whatever was left standing. It is classified as one of the worst disasters that hit Texas.
Today, Indianola, known as the "queen of Texas ghost towns", thrives with thrill-seekers drawn by its reported hauntings. Ghost hunters from all parts come to this forgotten port of Texas History, hoping to meet the phantoms of those that lost their lives here. Expect to hear whispers of the dead that were left to die in what is considered to be some of the worst disasters that have ever hit Texas. A few brave living souls are starting to set up holiday homes in Indianola, due to the captivating bayfront view and intense historical properties.
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