Texas Ghost Towns You Can Still Visit

When Texas joined the United States of America in 1845, towns both small and large popped up all over the vast state. Some developed into prosperous cities that still stand today, while others were left abandoned with only the remnants of old buildings, leaving the visitor to imagine what the area must’ve been like in its most lively days. Here are some of the Texan ghost towns you can still visit today.

Terlingua, TX

Once a booming mining town, Terlingua is now a Texas ghost town with 58 residents, according to the 2010 population census. In the early 1900s, the area saw a period of growth after the opening of various mines like the Chisos Mining Company. After World War 2, the price of minerals fell, and the miners and their families packed up and left for a more promising future elsewhere. Today, you can still visit the abandoned homes, mine shafts, and other buildings overgrown with weeds and cacti.

Terlingua, TX, USA

Friendship, TX

Friendship, Texas, also known as Allison, was a small but promising community in the early 1900s. In 1921, however, a flood destroyed most of the area, killing many locals and wiping out much of the livestock. The town was deep in water, persuading the survivors to leave. In 1977, a dam was constructed, and what was once Friendship is now Granger Lake. You can visit the lake and imagine what the town must’ve been like before the 1921 flood.

Granger Lake, TX, USA