Ghost Towns

[Jeanne]

It seems that every ghost town that we visit has residents and "no trespassing" signs everywhere, or they are on National Forest land where there is no MD allowed. Yesterday we went to one in Oregon called Westfall. There was one building that was lived in with the "no trespassing" signs and another building that looked too run down for occupancy but was being lived in and two old shacks that were falling down. Very disappointing trip. Silver City Idaho has nearly every residence occupied and the people are very unfriendly. How are these people taking possession of these old homes? Are they squatters? Are there any websites that are informative enough so that you can plan an enjoyable trip and not visit a "ghost town" that really isn't?
Thanks for any and all help.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Minelab PRO-FIND 35 Waterproof Pinpointer Metal Detector for Experts with Tone ID & Adjustable Sensitivity - Grab it through Amazon!

[CoinHunterAZ]

Many ghost towns across the west have been "revived" or re-occupied. A good example near me is Jerome. You will need to research a little more in order to find them. I'm sure there are some websites out there, but they will most likely want you to pay for info. I found that the best resource for me has been my local library. Don't overlook old rail lines, mining, and sheep/cattle camps when you do your research!

 

[Beans]

When California moved up north years ago a lot of the Ghost Towns were reinhabited and cost of living went way up. They even migrated to Eastern Oregon, why I don't know most moved to areas around Portland.

 

[hvacker]

In New Mexico there are (were) a lot of small settlements where for years I could go w/o any problems. Lately some have been fenced off. Could be the State warned of liability problems or took it on themselves to build the fences. Even individual houses have been fenced.
The squatter laws are different from state to state. Some states are surprising how ez it is to squat and just what qualifies a legal squat. North of here they have come close to small wars over squatting.
We have a former ghost called Madrid (Maa'drid). Old coal town that was occupied by hippies among others. Now you can visit art shops and boutiques. To me it was much more interesting as a ghost. Future ghosts will probably be east in the dying farm towns.
One negative aspect of visitors to ghosts is they have this compulsion to take something. Even ripping up floor boards.

 

[Jeanne]

All good ideas. Thanks!

 

[Jeanne]

hvacker, I know what you mean. I never will understand why people feel the need to destroy history. I used to think it was kids doing it but with age comes wisdom and I have since realized that "bad" kids turn into "bad" adults.

 

[relicmeister]

Good luck finding info, Jeanne. My wife (Jeanne) and I are off to a Vegas Vacation next week. SHe booked a Ghost Town tour
for us, but I don't know much about it yet. I'll find out and post an update.

 

[JunkShopFiddler]

My wife and I went on a tour of ghost towns in NM and Ariz a while back and were very fascinated, but disappointed as well. There were no unoccupied buildings and signs of poverty were everywhere. My wife's family is from an area of small Ky towns and she said, "We came all this way to see this? I could go visit my kin in Kentucky and see the same thing, a lot cheaper and eat way better food!". (Sorry good Kentucky folks, I'm a Hoosier so I say nothing, Wifey is from Kentucky so she is allowed, ha ha!)".

 

[Frankn]

I once stopped by a 'ghost town' in NM called White Oak. To my surprise a couple of buildings were being redun inside and the school was being refinished, I think for a museum or something. This town is quite a drive from anywhere. I have to admit I enjoyed the company of the good looking potter there.

As for locating ghost towns try the United States Treasure Atlas By:Thomas P. Terry. it is a ten volume set of paperbacks. They list treasure sites, but They list many thousand ghost towns. They show the location on maps also. You can just get the volume for your state. Idaho is in vol. 3, Oregon is in vol. 8 and NM is in vol. 7 They are grouped in counties.
You can try the state GIS site to get the populations in some states. In some states you can get it down to an address on the tax record info. Frank...

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

It seems that every ghost town that we visit has residents and "no trespassing" signs everywhere, or they are on National Forest land where there is no MD allowed. Yesterday we went to one in Oregon called Westfall. There was one building that was lived in with the "no trespassing" signs and another building that looked too run down for occupancy but was being lived in and two old shacks that were falling down. Very disappointing trip. Silver City Idaho has nearly every residence occupied and the people are very unfriendly. How are these people taking possession of these old homes? Are they squatters? Are there any websites that are informative enough so that you can plan an enjoyable trip and not visit a "ghost town" that really isn't?
Thanks for any and all help.

Jeanne, you're going to see very few "spaghetti western" style "ghost towns" for viewing. Most of them are either utterly nothing left (except a few foundations in the middle of nowhere), or are totally gussied up for the tourists (leaving very little to see in the way of what we think of as "ghost towns" in the true sense). Thus very few of the board-&-batton abandoned buildings-type-thing that you can just browse through to see. An exception would be Bodie. And there's a few other spots in the USA like that. But few and far between, since most burned to the ground, or are now gussied up with modern botiques, blah blah.

And as for metal detecting: Go figure that if there ARE examples that tourists can just walk through, take pix, visit, etc... (like bodie), then go figure: those type places would, by mere definition, be sensitive historical monuments. In those cases, it therefore wouldn't matter WHO'S property its on (state, city, county, or fed), because .... you can just pretty much already assume that sensitive historical monuments aren't going to want people waltzing around with detectors, bottle digging "taking things" etc... (lest within 5 short years, the visitors would literally walk off with everything, and then there's nothing left for others to see )

So if you want to detect in "ghost-town-like-conditions", don't be fooled into looking and visiting at the obvious colorful ones (that can be found in RV guides, Sunset home and garden coffee table books, etc...). Instead, you want to find the one-horse towns that are long gone, with nothing to mark their site. You know, like where a stage stop once stood, but is now nothing but a cross-roads in the middle of nowhere, or a cow pasture, or an orchard, etc... Sure, maybe such a "cross-roads" (with nothing but a saloon, stage stop, and blacksmith) weren't a "city" in the modern sense of the word (like bodie or whatever), but you will find coins and relics at such places. And since there's nothing left there to mark the site, you're not going to find the level of scrutiny and preservation. I mean, quite literally, no one's there to care. Especially if you're talking about having researched in obsure sources for these short-lived little commercial ventures, or short-lived miner tent city spots, etc.... I've researched and hit these immigrant and stage route type over-nighter spots, and done quite well. Seateds, reales, a few gold coins, etc....

But you have to hit the very obscure hard to find historical sources. If the spot is colorful, and with plaques and such marking the site, then go figure someone else has tried it (or you're going to feel ... uh ... odd ... hunting right next to a plaque, etc...)

 

[JunkShopFiddler]

Hey, Mr, Tom in Ca. Is Bodie worth the trip, not for detecting, but for the photo ops, sights and sounds and history?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I've never been there, so I can't tell you from first-hand experience. You can do google images and find lots of photo shots of the town, and decide.

Oh, and what's still there now (a few blocks of various still-standing buildings) is only just a part of the town that still remains. At one time, it extended off further in all directions, with many more buildings.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

oops, double post. N/T

 

[dieselram94]

Hey, Mr, Tom in Ca. Is Bodie worth the trip, not for detecting, but for the photo ops, sights and sounds and history?

I have been to Bodie and I can tell you it is well worth the trip!! It is in the middle of nowhere and is preserved in a state of "arrested decay" you are free to walk around and there is much to see...keep in mind it's been 16 years since I was there...

Sent from my SCH-R930 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jeanne]

We are very near the Oregon trail also. Has anyone hunted any part of it? One of my GGGrandfathers came out West on it. How cool would that be to find something that he lost?? Thanks for all of the great tips.

 

[hvacker]

I once stopped by a 'ghost town' in NM called White Oak. To my surprise a couple of buildings were being redun inside and the school was being refinished, I think for a museum or something. This town is quite a drive from anywhere. I have to admit I enjoyed the company of the good looking potter there.


I've also been to White Oak. The area is still being staked. Mostly silver. There are two "mansions" there that were owned by competing mine owners. Also a fun tavern. The town has a lot of history. Once known as the liveliest town in the territory. Pat Garrett was once sheriff there. Early 1880's. Even had an opera house. Everything in New Mexico is a long way from anywhere.

 

[fuzz]

I once stopped by a 'ghost town' in NM called White Oak. To my surprise a couple of buildings were being redun inside and the school was being refinished, I think for a museum or something. This town is quite a drive from anywhere. I have to admit I enjoyed the company of the good looking potter there.


I've also been to White Oak. The area is still being staked. Mostly silver. There are two "mansions" there that were owned by competing mine owners. Also a fun tavern. The town has a lot of history. Once known as the liveliest town in the territory. Pat Garrett was once sheriff there. Early 1880's. Even had an opera house. Everything in New Mexico is a long way from anywhere.

i also live in idaho and there is a ghost town were i live and its the same but the people there are real nice and will let to md

 

[CoinHunterAZ]

Here is an interesting one near where I live Canyon Diablo- Arizona Ghost Town

 

[dieselram94]

The town I currently live in is quickly becoming a ghost town. The down town area is mostly dead and many businesses have left. about the only thing left is housing (not much being built either) The town next door Warren, Maine is even worse down town. It too used to thrive but now is mostly run down buildings that house antique stores that are really just private collections as opposed to being actual businesses.

 

[dieselram94]

Here are some pictures of Warren...