Ghost towns destroyed.

[lesjcbs]

Does anyone here know or have an idea how many ghost towns the U.S. government has completely destroyed? The method or reason does not matter. All I am interested in is the number, which I suspect is very high.

Thanks.

 

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[jeff of pa]

Does anyone here know or have an idea how many ghost towns the U.S. government has completely destroyed? The method or reason does not matter. All I am interested in is the number, which I suspect is very high.

Thanks.

yes I'd imagine very High.



I'd hate to try and make a list of the ones just here in pa,
Would take Years of research

I could probably name a Dozen just around me, in

Lebanon, Schuylkill & Dauphin Counties

Bear Valley *
Strongsville
Cold Springs *
Rausch Gap *
Rausch Creek *
Blackwood
Middle Creek
Kalmia
Eckertville
Gold Mine *
Yellow Springs *
Swatara Gap *
Murrey Station *
Peoples *
Doarns
Westwood


Approximates


I Think I got All I Listed

I'd say all Within 12 Mile of me as the bird Flys Yellow Springs the Farthest at 12 Most half that

Strongsville, Ekertville & Doarns about a Mile each one east, 1 South, 1 North.

Westwood I Can see from my House in the Fall.
Now it is covered by a Culm Burning Electric Plant.
Used to be one of our Playgrounds in the Late 60's.

Train station, Buildings, Etc. all Gone Now




That's Just off the Top of My Head of the Ones Completely Destroyed.

Some on State Game Land

Some State Park Land

Some Coal Fields.

Some Strip Mines

One under Interstate 81

Over Half are due Wholly to the Government ... see*

Not sure what Involvement they had in Westwood other Then Regulatory

 

[tamrock]

More than likely they've never assigned anyone to do the research.

 

[Icewing]

It would be a monumental task to try to figure that out, especially when you try to narrow it down to the Gov't being the root cause directly or by proxy.

 

[jeff of pa]

Yes & Completely Destroyed !

The Treasure Hunting Researchers Lists of Ghost Towns Do not list actual Destroyed Sites.
Most they List Simply Lost their Post Office.

My Town fits as A ghost town as of 1955 under their Description.

imo if there is one house on the Edge, it's not a Ghost.

 

[cw0909]

searched ....history of the federal use of eminent domain...
got this, may be more info there, havent looked around it
https://www.justice.gov/enrd/history-federal-use-eminent-domain

 

[cw0909]

not much help for info your looking for
a couple of links, to look into, mostly listings of who/dept has info

searched ACQUISITION REPORTS
https://search.usa.gov/search?query=ACQUISITION+REPORTS&op=Search&affiliate=doi.gov

Land Acquisition and Deed Listings
https://www.doi.gov/ocio/policy-mgmt-support/privacy/NPS_3_Land-Acquisition_Deed20Listing

 

[rjeffw]

The US govt should NOT own private land. Burns me up, at how much of the US the govt has. Thankfully the ghost town I am going to hunt Saturday, is in private hands, surround by US Govt land. I find it funny that most of the natural resources are on Govt Land.

 

[hvacker]

It might be close who's the largest destroyer of ghost towns, the Gov or the people that take them apart.
I have watched those that think it's ok to take a brick or a board and bit by bit the town disappears.
Now there are tv shows that have guys saying how valuable old wood is. A great incentive to load up the pickup.

 

[jeff of pa]

around Here Miners are a big contributor to destruction on towns .
Strip mining owners in particular, Have so Much money they Buy entire Towns,
Just to Strip all the Coal under them.

in cases of Hold outs, They buy the Mining Rights to the Land under them So as soon as the Family Dies
The House sits till it falls in & they get it anyway. ( The house ends up on Leased Lands)

this is 2 Small Towns Up top where I live .
The tiniest town to the Right where I live,
And the One to the West Are being Bought up Bit By Bit by a Family of Miners.
Colored areas Are the Miners Purchases, Stars are Were Leased With Homes.



I expect it will eventually be all their Property.
Not sure if it it's a Preventative Measure to Protect their Homes from Strip Mines,
Or a Way to get Top Dollar If they try to Buy up the Land to Strip it.

There is a Great Animosity between Deep Mine Owners & Strip Miners.
Somewhere in the 40's there was a Small Shotgun War & Sending Shoveles
tumbling Down the Side, up here on top,
When the Strip miners Brought their Gigantic Shovels in & Started Digging up Bootleg Holes & Small Operations

 

[Mudflap]

i know several towns in WPa that were towns owned by the coal companies. When the coal barons left, they sat for years then the state somehow took them over and in the 80s the state went in and demolished everything and left only the house foundations.

 

[CoinFetcher]

Beside a new owner wanting resources nearby, what incentive would government have to bulldoze buildings be overtaken by nature?

 

[A2coins]

Very sad

 

[hvacker]

There is an old coal town here called Madrid, New Mexico. After the coal co. left, bit by bit people bought the buildings and the houses. Now it's a booming town focused on tourists and locally grown bikers. That was all that saved the town.

 

[jeff of pa]

Beside a new owner wanting resources nearby, what incentive would government have to bulldoze buildings be overtaken by nature?

They do it in PA For State Parks.
There are Supposedly No Buildings where people are allowed to live in State Parks.
Here I Have seen them Make exceptions, But only for "their Kind"
All other buildings get Dozed over.

Centralia : Mine Fire. All buildings get Dozed as soon as the last resident Dies,
to avoid Family / Squatters from moving in.

Pa state game land. Although not Technically Government Owned, When the Game land purchases land, It becomes
Building Free.
Highways & Underground Pipelines, If your in the Way, You won't be for long.

Don't pay your Taxes , Or your loan on the House.
both sides hold out sometimes till the house rots away.

Military Bases, Expand, Kick people Out & Destroy their Homes

There are many reasons the Government will Tear down your House.