With such a rich history in Texas, it makes sense that some of our smallest towns have come and gone and are now deserted. They hold memories, broken dreams, missed opportunities...and maybe a ghost or two. They're scattered all over the state, so there's bound to be one near you. Here are 6 of the most desolate ghost towns in Texas that you should definitely pay a visit to...that is, if you aren't afraid.
1. Thurber
This sign itself says it all. Thurber's demise is a true tragedy given how uncharacteristically prosperous it was. Coal mining was its primary industry, an unusual feat for a Texas city to accomplish. However, towns that are built on industry are walking a thin line - if the material loses demand, the town collapses. And that's exactly what happened in Thurber. Oil replaced coal for powering locomotives, and workers slowly started vacating the town until it became deserted.
2. Indianola
Some towns fall victim to natural disaster rather than corporate downfall. Indianola was a major docking location for German immigrants before it was hit with a catastrophic hurricane in the mid-1800s. It destroyed the town beyond repair, forcing the immigrants to move inland and never allowing Indianola to prosper.
3. Barstow
Barstow was founded by a man who was one of the most knowledgeable in the world on irrigation. Over a thousand people moved here in the early 1900s when they heard of his success, and he won a medal at the 1904 World's Fair for producing some of the plumpest grapes around. Unfortunately, that same year, the Pecos River dam broke which lead to drought, the end of the irrigation business, and, consequently, the end of Barstow.
4. Toyah
Toyah is basically the definition of a creepy ghost town. There are abandoned cars on the roadside, ruins of buildings, and even volunteer fire trucks with outdated registration in the middle of the road. Nobody knows exactly what happened to Toyah - some speculate that a 2004 tornado wiped it off the map. Regardless of how it met its demise, visiting it will definitely make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end and send chills down your spine.
5. Independence
These columns are the only remnants of the original Baylor University that was established here. It was moved to its current location in Waco when the city began to decline upon the construction of railroad tracks that ran around the city rather than through it. Now, broken dreams and unfinished business are the only indication that anything ever existed in Independence.
6. Paducah
This northwest Texas town looks as if its residents just up and left one day with no warning. The buildings are still intact and furnished, abandoned cars line the roadside...yet not a soul is to be found. It's both a saddening and spine-tingling sight for sure.
Have you ever visited one of these towns? What are some other creepy ghost towns in Texas?
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