23 Ghost Towns in TEXAS (Scary, Historical, & Surprising)

You may not realize that some towns in Texas have been deserted but still need to be remembered.

These are ghost towns with their own stories.

What may make people leave their own homes? A better future or a scary past?

You may make it your mission to tour Texas, find some of these towns, and see what you’ll find.

If you’re lucky, you can find one or two people to tell you the story of this town or have it remain a mystery.

Many ghost towns are scattered throughout the state, some close to you.

Each of the towns in this list has their own exciting stories.

Will you find them?

And by the way, you may also want to check out the best Abandoned Places in Texas.

Ghost towns in Dallas, Texas

1. Sowers (Cemetery Survivor)

Sowers is a ghost town where the only surviving structure from the original village is a creepy, old cemetery.

Originally named after the store of its earliest settler, the community’s history dates back to the late 1840s.

The settler, Sowers opened a store in the town while it was still inhabited which became notable, and then applied for a post office in the early1880s under his name.

By the mid-1880s, different professionals such as a doctor and pharmacists served the increasing community of about seventy-five residents.

However, the post office closed in 1905, a foretelling of the gloomy future.

The number of businesses shrank to a measly three during the Great Depression, and the town became deserted.

It is now under Irving and is still considered by many to be a legal entity.

Address: Sowers, Irving, TX 75061, USA, 11 miles to Dallas.

2. Kit (Railroad Boom & Bust)

Kit in modern maps is now included as part of Irving, but it was initially named Gorbett (sometimes spelled Gorbit).

As with many early settlers, this town was believed to be named after its earliest settler by the name, John B. Gorbett.

The community had its own post office from 1889 to 1894 before its struggles began.

Some older residents may still have the Gorbett postcards hidden in the attic or just laying around somewhere in their trunks.

It all began when the railway laid tracks across Dallas County in the 1880s.

The investors from Gorbett in their wisdom planted a separate town with the same name right alongside the proposed route.

Due to the sameness in name to its neighbor, the name had to be changed to get its own post office, hence, Kit.

To stop mail mix-ups, Kit became the name of the new post office in 1894, although it only stayed in business for a decade

As an unintended victim of industrialization especially the railroad industry, the city started falling when the rail tracks did not pass through the city.

This development led to the loss of livelihood, and relevance or the familiar hustle and bustle.

Many moved, including the investors, and the town became a ghost town.

Unfortunately, what is left of the ghost town is the cemetery.

Address: State Highway 356 and Loop 12 Intersection, about 7 miles west of downtown Dallas, United States.

3. Belle Plain (Railway Rivalry)

During the 1870s, at its prime Belle Plain was considered one of the most promising West Texas towns.

How did such a town praised for its promise and hope become a shadow of itself?

It was constantly showered with praises in dailies and investors wanted an in into the business scene.

At that time, the town had several stores and functioned as a whole town with its jail.

It also had salons, a hotel, and even a newspaper, the Callahan County Clarendon, to boast of.

The college had closed down, but the town was in trouble way before then.

Another victim of the railway’s construction, the town fell with the diversion of traffic to a nearby town.

Baird, a new town only 6 miles north of Belle Plain, had suddenly snatched the fame to become the prized jewel from the popularity the railways brought.

A lot of residents moved to Baird, deserting their homes and businesses.

Even the newspaper and jail eventually moved, and the last nail in the coffin was Baird winning the county seat in 1883.

Address: Belle Plain, Texas 79504, USA.

4. Hagerman (Submerged Prosperity)

The agricultural town was initially called Steedman in its early years, named after Judge Steedman.

It was given a post office in 1880 which solidified its existence in history.

In 1909 the name was changed to Hagerman after the railroad reached the town.

It was renamed after the railroad lawyer, James Hagerman.

By the following year, the town had grown to become more entrepreneurial including several businesses like a railroad depot and a cotton factory.

It also had a church and school with more than 200 residents.

However, this prosperity was short-lived as Lake Texoma was created, threatening to submerge the town completely.

By the mid-1900s, the population had dropped to about 150 residents after a couple of near incidences.

Indeed, in 1943, Hagerman was flooded with the completion of the Denison Dam.

Most of Hagerman remains underwater or at least barely seen.

However, the church and cemetery remain above water level and are still visible.

During dry periods of less water, you can also glimpse this town that once was.

Address: Hagerman, Texas 77011, USA.

5. Toyah (Oil Boom to Bust)

Toyah was one of the oldest yet notable towns in the country.

It had great popularity in agricultural trading and ranching.

This began when Youngblood, an early settler, relocated with his family from Midland in the late1800s.

Bringing with him enough goods to open a store, he opened one and began pushing his merchandise from ranch to ranch.

Before long, he had a small store that was famous to passersby where ranchers and travelers would come for their purchases.

The one-room store later expanded into lodging, creating a type of bed and breakfast.

This small town also had many flowing springs hence the name which is Native American phrase meaning, “flowing water.

Its fortune changed for the better when it discovered oil fields in the small town. However, this lasted only a short time.

The town fell alongside others during the time of the Great Depression.

As at last count, the population had reduced drastically to less than a hundred people from a town that was once a bustling railway stop.

Also see our article on Small Towns in Texas.

Ghost Towns in El Paso, Texas

1. Terlingua (Mining & Chili)

Perhaps the most famous ghost town in Texas, this town was famous for two things in the 60s, mining, and the first chili cooking championship.

Impressively, this competition till date still draws chili lovers nationwide for the cook-off.

This town was also home to famous mining companies such as “The Chisos” which was established in 1903.

During the next three decades, this famous miner and one of the leading producers of mercury moved from very simple methods to more mechanized ones.

This discovery came at the right time to support the war efforts of World War I; this meant an increase in demand particularly from the military for the product.

Hence, the company became really successful and profitable.

This boom also reflected on the city making it famous and one of the best places to be, and before long, its inhabitants of up to 2,000 persons became acquainted with modern facilities and had a taste of civilization.

Unfortunately, it didn’t last long because the war ended, there were substitutes and production declined.

Eventually, by the early 1940s, the company had to file for bankruptcy.

Address: Terlingua, Texas 79852, USA.

2. Orogrande (Gold Dreams Faded)

This ghost town started with the name Jarilla Junction when it was merely a stop.

Built in 1897, they changed the town’s name to Orogrande, meaning “big gold”, after gold deposits were discovered in the area.

It was a small quantity that had been discovered in the nearby mountains; however, it quickly brought about the hope that the gold would make them rich and successful.

Unfortunately, the gold was never found in commercial quantity, so a lot of the residents were disappointed and had to readjust to their previous lives of being a railway community.

From the time of the boom, low-scale housing was hurriedly constructed to accommodate this rapidly growing population; however, housing remained an issue.

Everyone wanted their portion of big gold, Oro grande.

Today, this town is a small town that still needs to live up to its name.

The rough road leading into the Jarilla Mountains still houses the community’s school.

Address:  Orogrande, New Mexico 88342, USA, about 49 miles from El Paso.

3. Acala (Cotton Success to Decline)

Although a desert region, Acala had at a time attempted agriculture by a form of irrigation of the waters of the Rio Grande.

The breakthrough for this desert town began when they began planting cotton in the region.

In 1917, three farmers came together, and combined their resources and expertise in planting cotton in what is now known as Acala.

Its success in the first year prompted these three wise men to invest more, get more land and grow more cotton in the next season using irrigation.

Their success stories brought a lot of farmers to the area who were looking to tap into the successful scene.

One of them was Young, who relocated from El Paso to try his hand and luck at cotton farming.

The town got its name from its source of fame, the Mexican variation of cottonseed called Acala.

Inspired by the success, he quickly built a cotton mill named after the seed variety and which became the landing spot from which the town was named.

Later, a road was constructed thereby increasing the town’s economy.

The town became a ghost town due to the increased mechanization of the processes involved in cotton-making.

Also, the railway was introduced thereby diverting traffic from roads and the eventual replacement of the road and the trickling traffic it brought.

Address: Acala, Texas 79839, USA, about 20 minutes from El Paso.

4. Lanark (Railroad Dispute)

Lanark as a town began in 1870 after a railroad was constructed to pass through the town.

It is an example of an advantage of railways as it was one of the few towns that gained popularity from the construction of railways.

A post office was created in Lanark and remained operating till 1877.

Before the small town could reach its prospect of prosperity, there arose a dispute as to the ownership of the community.

This dispute greatly hindered its success.

There needed to be more clarity as to who owned the land or who had the titles to the land hosting the community.

The inhabitants relocated to other parts of the state including as far as Atlanta due to the nature of this dispute.

By 1983, the population had trickled down, and the community looked like a ghost town.

Finally, by early 2000s the population was reportedly less than fifty.

The town is now a ghost town, a shadow of its former self.

Address: Lanark, Texas 75572, USA, about 32 miles from El Paso.

Also see our article on Haunted Houses in Texas.

Ghost towns in Fort Worth, Texas

1. Thurber (Coal Town’s Legacy)

Just less than a hundred miles to Fort Worth, Thurber as a town still stands proud in spite of its past.

Between 1888 and 1921, the town was home to one of the largest producers of coal in the state and arguably the most famous company town in the entire region.

It is now a historical town that used to boast tens of thousands of residents’ numbers but is now a shadow of itself.

The town’s central chimney still stands proud at 128 feet more than a century later giving a spectacular view of what used to be.

Then the town’s business problems began when demand shifted from coal to alternative methods like oil-burning locomotives.

While many of the buildings have since crumbled, the smokestack is still standing, as well as the catholic church and some other structures made from the famous Thurber brick.

With the backdrop of the sunset, it remains a picturesque view that captivates those who dare to visit.

Address: Thurber, Texas 76463, USA, approximately an hour to Fort Worth.

2. Burkett (Oil, Roads & Decline)

About two hours from Fort Worth lies another ghost town; Burkett is located along the Pecan Bayou Highway.

Formerly called “Pleasant Valley,” they renamed the town in 1886 after its first postmaster because the Post Office rejected the community’s original name.

The town became successful in the early 1900s, with numerous businesses opening up and flourishing.

By 1918, they discovered the first oil well, and five years later, they got their first road.

Burkett was fully functional having churches, businesses as well as a school by 1940.

They also had about 200 residents in the community which the school catered to.

In 1957, the high school closed as a result of its consolidation with neighboring schools.

The downfall of the town finally came when the highway was constructed.

A year after, the new highway – Highway 206 – was completed but bypassed the Burkett business hub hence killing the businesses.

It ended the series of events that eventually led to the inhabitants deserting the town.

Address: Burkett, Texas 76828, USA about 2 hours to Fort Worth.

3. Proffitt (Cemetery Chronicles)

This town was popular enough to be featured in the book, “Ghost Towns of Texas,” written in the 1980s by Texas historian, T. L. Baker.

R. S. Proffitt was an early settler of the area in 1862 hence it was named after him.

However, you’re likely to lose your way or, at the least, need clarification if you follow random directions to this ghost town.

What’s left of Proffitt is a historic cemetery, an eerie reminder of the lives that once lived there.

The cemetery is odd, containing marked and unmarked resting places.

It also shows the burial of infants and children, detailing the harsh realities of the time with limited medical science, especially during the flu.

The town was also known for the death of three young men killed by Native Americans in the 1860s.

Profitt was an agrarian society that crumbled at the onslaught of industrialization.

When you can, visit and see the historical markers; you will love them.

Address: Proffitt, Texas 76372, USA, about 30 minutes from Fort Worth.

4. Indian Gap (Fading Frontier Town)

Indian Gap is a ghost town dating back to 1857, but that is fast disappearing.

This deterioration is apparent from age as well as demolition activities by authorities.

The older structures are still there constantly giving off an eerie feel to anyone who dares visit.

You can see some buildings cordoned off with the only sign of life being some randomly roaming livestock.

Due to the town nestling between hills, it is said to be named after the narrow passages which served as the route for the Native Americans’ many travels.

The travel was not for fun; however, it was noticed that they passed this route to raid settlers and other travelers.

It had a hotel, newspaper, and the usual businesses essential for 19th-century life.

In no time, its store became the social center of community life back then.

Address: Indian Gap, Texas 76531, USA.

5. Carlton (Haunting Abandonment)

Carlton was a town named after early settler F. M. Carlton.

It was a booming, agricultural-forward town that benefited greatly from the traffic from merchants due to its proximity to a popular road.

The railways came, and unlike many other towns, the town flourished even more.

As of 1920, they had about a thousand inhabitants and many flourishing businesses.

They had their shopping centers, churches as well as home factories, financial institution, and other businesses.

Things quickly take an eerie turn as you look at the buildings.

It seemed as though the town was haunted, and the inhabitants left hurriedly.

Only some residents may be ready to tell its story and even show you around.

You may still find the bank still standing, as well as an old gas station.

Address: Carlton, Texas 75006, USA.

Also see our article on Places to Visit in Texas.

Ghost towns in Houston, Texas

1. Indianola (Coastal Aspirations)

The town still maintains its serene outlook and a statue indicating what once was.

In 1844 this town located just by Matagorda Bay, was considered a port city and the next best thing.

Popular opinion was that it would give nearby port cities like Galveston and New Orleans a run for their money.

By the late 1800s, the population has reached about five thousand people.

However, the town suffered from multiple natural disasters especially hurricanes due to its proximity to the sea and limited weather technology.

Especially in the late 1870s and early 1880s, the town saw its worst hurricanes, and many residents reckoned they had had enough.

Also, their projections for the bay were not being manifested, so it was time to move.

If you decide to explore, you will still find a granite monument dedicated to the French Explorer La Salle.

Address: Indianola, Texas 77979, USA, about 140 miles from Houston.

2. The Grove (Highway Refusal Fallout)

This city was founded in the 1950s and was not named after an early settler as was the usual practice.

Instead, it was named after a grove of beautiful oak trees growing in the area.

Not long after its founding, it started to grow economically.

This growth began with two general stores, a cotton mill, and a church.

The church still exists today despite the town being a shadow of itself.

During its peak era, the town grew up to about 400 people.

The story was that the government gave some directives to the town to cover their well so that the new highway to pass through the town.

The town refused, and the highway was built just outside, diverting the much-needed traffic.

This refusal resulted in a series of events that eventually killed the town’s business in the 1940s.

Surprisingly, the town has not been designated a ghost town but has instead been listed by as a historic Texas town.

If you go there, you will get many opportunities to take lovely pictures and own a slice of history.

Address: 453 The Grove Ln, Gatesville, TX 76528.

Also see our article on Escape Rooms in Texas.

Ghost Towns in Austin, Texas

1. Old Bluffton (Submerged Past)

This town used to be about an hour northwest of Austin.

It was one of the few towns that the railway didn’t affect adversely.

Instead, it was a pit stop on the rail line in the mid-1800s.

It was home to about 50 families.

The land was rich with fruit gardens and cornfields.

Unlike Atlantis, this city is an underwater ghost town.

Lake Buchanan is a well-known tourist spot, but many need to learn how it swallowed up this town.

The town can only be seen when the region has a severe drought.

Although it remains sunken at the bottom of the artificial lake, many reports claim it was already deserted before its immersion.

Address: Bluffton, Texas 78607, USA.

2. St. Mary’s of Aransas (Rivalry & Natural Fury)

Founded in 1850, this town took a short time before becoming a port town in the region.

When the federal warships captured the port during the civil war, some warehouses as well as a wharf were burned.

The town still rose from the ashes to become a port for steamships.

However, the fall began in the late 1860s, when St. Mary’s lost the county seat to their fast-rising rival, Rockport.

To make matters worse, the railway built a line to their rival instead of St. Mary’s, where it was originally planned.

The forces of nature also took its pound of flesh from this city when in 1866, a hurricane caused massive damage to their school and wharves.

 Just before that damage could be repaired, another storm nearly destroyed the town.

This storm caused the residents to move and the population to slowly decline.

Finally, by the early 1900s, the post office and general store were permanently closed.

If you visit, you may still find the shadow of the ghost town’s past.

Address: Refugio County, TX 78377, USA.

3. Drop (Railroads & Decline)

In 1854, just some miles off Justin in Denton County, a small town petitioned to have a post office.

They wanted the post office to be named “Dew Drop.”

Incidentally, the post office replied that the name was taken and requested they choose a new one.

They reconsidered and the town decided to be named “Drop”.

The town was popularly known as the farmer’s supply location.

However, they succeeded, and The Drop post office finally opened in 1886.

Just when it reached its peak, the railroads began to be constructed.

Unfortunately, the railroad tracks were constructed in nearby Justin thereby diverting traffic.

This development attracted more people and businesses to Justin in the late 1880s from the surrounding rural communities rather than Drop.

Eventually, people started moving away, and the post office at Drop was closed by 1910.

By the 1930s the population had declined to less than forty; however, it has declined further since then.

Address: Southwest of Denton County, Denton, TX 76205, United States.

Also see our article on Hidden Gems in Texas.

Ghost towns in Texas Hill Country, Texas

1. Blewett (Asphalt Visionary)

Originally called Carbonville, the story of this town is one of admiration.

A group of investors from the Big Apple opened a bitumen mine in 1888 but unfortunately failed to find a market for the product.

They were desperate to the point where they tried giving it out for free to no avail.

John BLEWETT Smyth, the man the town would be named after, was the visionary.

He realized the asphalt would make a good road paving material when blended with other additives.

He started mining it in 1912, and about 15 years after, he broke even.

His son, George, oversaw the Houston branch, employing more than a hundred men and paving many important streets in the town.

The mine alone produced over a million tons by 1927 establishing itself as an authority in the field.

Like everything else, it had to end for economic and environmental reasons.

Today, there’s nothing left but holes in the ground.

Address: Blewett, Texas 78703, United States.

2. Cleo (Post Office Town)

Around 1860, R. Gentry attempted a settlement on what would later be called Cleo.

However, the first attempt at getting the community together did not happen till 1880.

That was when T. Riggs opened a post office and called it Viejo in nearby Viejo Creek.

Postal and telegraph service was stopped in May of 1886, and the post office was later reopened in March of 1915.

At this time, J. Simpson ran the post from his store before later selling the office in the later months of 1920.

The new owner also inherited the post office duties with the store and was the one who renamed the town.

The population of Cleo was unstable for a time before reducing to fifties by the late 1900s.

By 1974, the post office eventually closed down after the last postmaster’s retirement heralding the end of the era.

The town’s fate had already reduced when the number of tourists reduced because the significant road had bypassed the town to its east.

Address: Cleo, Texas 76849, USA.

3. Baby Head (Eerie Legend & Decline)

This eerie name was said to have stuck in the town when an infant’s skull was found on the mountain now termed Baby Head Mountain.

The skull was reported to have been placed there by angry Native Americans.

As chilling as this information is, the town lived as a normal town with its post office, school, and small businesses until 1879.

The town is associated with Baby Head Cemetery; this ghost town was also rumored to have been haunted.

Baby Head also had a post office from 1879 to 1918 and hosted a county voting precinct.

Up until the late 1960s, the town still had residents.

By 1968 its population had drastically reduced, being home to only 20 residents; the decline continued.

Today, the only proof that a town once existed here is the chilling town cemetery.

Address: Texas 78643, USA.

4. Luckenbach (Country Music & Revival)

Luckenbach is a small town with a very obvious German influence from its architecture to its food.

It’s one of the well-known small towns famous for its country music.

This town still has inhabitants; however, it is less crowded than it used to be.

Luckenbach began to register itself in the history books when it was recognized as a community trading location in the mid-1800s.

The period between its prosperity and its fall was a short time, only a couple of decades.

By the 1960s, Luckenbach had become a ghost town.

It escalated to the point where a decade later, the town was put up for sale.

Believe it or not, it was purchased for $30,000 by an actor who was also a rancher as well as a folklorist.

If you visit the town, it still has its old feel and architecture.

Tourists still visit for that authentic feel, to enjoy some good country music, and get souvenirs before being on their way.

Address: Luckenbach, Texas 78624, USA.

If you liked this article, you may also like to read about Where to Stay, Escape Rooms, and Abandoned Places in Texas.

Looking beyond Texas? Check out our article on the best Ghost Towns in Florida and New York.