About

Ghost Town Directory tells the histories of abandoned towns across the United States. Each page covers one place: why people came, what kept them there, why they left, and what is still standing.

Who writes it

Every page is published by Ghost Town Directory Editors. We publish under the site's name rather than individual bylines. What we write should stand on the sources listed on each page.

What counts as a ghost town

A ghost town here is a formerly named settlement whose population is now under 10 and that is no longer incorporated. A place with 10 or more residents, a town government, or an active post office or school is a living community, and we don't list it.

A small number of exceptions are places the editors have decided to include as partially inhabited, where a few people remain but most of the original town is gone. Those pages are about what was lost.

How the pages are made

Each history is built from public records, historical societies, archives and published local histories, and every page lists its sources. AI tools help with research and drafting. A person reviews every page before it is published.How we research explains the process.

Photographs

We use licensed archival photographs and Creative Commons images, most of them from Wikimedia Commons. Each photo is credited where it appears, with a link to its source.

Errors and questions

If something on a page is wrong, email hello [at] ghosttowndirectory [dot] com. Our corrections policy explains what happens next.