What You'll Discover In These 8 Deserted Oregon Towns Is Truly Grim
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Tessa Metcalf
Author
There’s something eery about walking the streets of a ghost town. The dilapidated buildings, broken-down cars, and dusty windows give us a glimpse of the town’s former life—and the ghosts that linger behind. Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state in the country. From abandoned gold rush towns to old farming communities, these eight ghost towns in Oregon are absolutely fascinating:
Located in Josephine County on the lovely Coyote Creek, Golden is an abandoned gold mining town that dates back to the 1840s. The town has a complicated history of changing hands, being abandoned, and being reclaimed. At it's largest, there was a population of over 150 people as well as a school, church, post office, store, and stamp mill. Nowadays, some of those buildings are still standing, and the town's "historic district" is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Granite is an incredible ghost town located near the Umatilla National Forest. There are 38 residents currently, and a number of eery abandoned structures like this one.
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Long ago, Greenhorn was a popular little gold mining town in Eastern Oregon, but the mines were closed during World War Two and the town was eventually abandoned. Today, Greenhorn has zero residents.
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Located in Sherman County, this fascinating ghost town is full of creepy abandoned buildings like this gas station (as well as a grain silo and numerous other structures). Like most of Oregon's ghost towns, there are some residents that still live here, so you should always be careful not to trespass.
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Located near Sumpter in the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest, Bourne was once a bustling, prosperous gold mining town; one of the most successful in Oregon. Over 1,300 residents lived there until it was badly damaged during a flood and was subsequently deserted. To this day, you can still go see the ruins of the town and find some remnants of how it once was.
Located in Jackson County, Buncom became a popular little mining town after gold was discovered in a nearby creek in 1851. The mine ran out of gold in 1918, and the town began to dwindle. Later on, many of the buildings were destroyed in a fire, and nowadays the historic post office, bunkhouse, and cookhouse are the only buildings still standing.
Cornucopia is an interesting ghost town in eastern Oregon that was once a bustling gold rush town dating back to the 1880s. Nowadays, when you wander through the area you'll find many spooky old buildings including the Cornucopia Jailhouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Once a lively farming town, Hardman is now home to only 20 residents, as well as many incredible old ruins.
Oregon has tons of incredible ghost towns, including the famous gold-mining town of Shaniko. Learn about more of Oregon’s ghost towns here and be sure to check out our Ultimate Oregon Ghost Town Road Trip.
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