Jan 2, 2024 - News
Mapped: Arkansas' ghost towns
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There are thousands of abandoned "ghost" towns across the U.S., and while many are no more than memories, a few hundred still have free-standing structures or museums to visit.
Why it matters: Many of these places are disappearing with time and being absorbed into newer towns or by nature.
- Bodie, California, is an abandoned gold-mining town turned state historic park. Visitors can see the old church, mining museum and over 100 original buildings.
- Capitol City, Colorado, is a remote town near Telluride created in the hopes of becoming the state capital. Now, all that is left is a post office.
Between the lines: Geotab has mapped 3,800+ of these places, but the data is not conclusive.
- In Kansas alone, there were once estimated to be thousands of mostly undiscovered ghost towns.
- The map above shows locations of ghost towns confirmed to have at least some sort of building ruins.
Zoom in: The only site listed in Arkansas is the former town of Rush near the Buffalo National River.
- Yes, but: One might not count Granny Henderson's cabin, also on the Buffalo, but it should be on your list of places to visit.
- Notably missing is Dogpatch USA near Harrison; however, it's technically an abandoned amusement park and is roped off as private property.
- Wikipedia lists several sites in the Natural State as ghost towns, including Monte Ne, the former berg now covered by Beaver Lake.