Ghost towns are abundant in the American West and symbolize the frontier spirit that characterized the region during the 19th and 20th centuries. Over time, these towns have evolved from abandoned relics to cultural icons and tourist attractions, making them the perfect places for your clients to explore.
Many ghost towns were originally established due to the gold rushes and mining booms that swept across the West in the 1800s. For example, Bannack State Park, one of the best preserved of all Montana ghost towns, came into existence after a large amount of gold was discovered in its area, setting off a massive gold rush that boosted the town’s population to more than 3,000 until the value of gold dwindled and its population was lost. Here, groups can tour more than 50 buildings lining its Main Street, most of which are unlocked and show the “layers of life that represent the evolution of the town,” says Bannack State Park Manager John Phillips. The park offers group tours and interactive experiences such as gold panning. Groups can also participate in “Bannack Days,” where they can view historic displays and watch reenactors tell the fascinating story of the town.
Bodie State Historic Park, sitting at 8,375 feet in the beautiful high desert east of the Sierra Nevada Range in California, is also a suitable place to take your groups. Unlike many abandoned settlements, Bodie’s resilience is unparalleled. Even in the late 1950s, a handful of residents remained, safeguarding its treasures and history. This dedication protected Bodie from widespread theft and vandalism. Today, the town offers groups the chance to see a collection of almost 200 historic structures, many built between 1877 and 1881, featuring “false fronts” of the Old West, as well as Victorian details. The town has been kept in a state of “arrested decay,” meaning everything has been left the way it was when it became a park in 1962. This makes the area a great place for groups interested in catching a “glimpse of a life when people had to work a little harder for the things they had,” says Bodie State Historic Park Interpreter Erica Hedlund. “It allows us to imagine what our lives would be like without the modern conveniences we have today.”
Credit: Nevada Bureau of Land Management
Plan a group tour in Nevada’s Rhyolite Ghost Town, a relic of the Gold Rush era. Here, your group can still view many remaining structures of the town abandoned in 1916, including the Tom Kelly Bottle House, with walls made of old glass bottles. Explore the hills surrounding Rhyolite to learn of the remnants of the town’s mining heritage and view everything from abandoned mineshafts to rusting machinery. Kenner Vorheis, Nevada Bureau of Land Management’s outdoor recreation planner, says, “It was towns like Rhyolite that helped build the state of Nevada, and the preservation of that history is phenomenal.”
Virginia City Tourism Commission
Next, take your group to Virginia City, Nevada, one of the most haunted towns in the United States. For a place considered a ghost town, it is one of the liveliest places to experience the supernatural, says Public Relations Specialist Kellie Mendez. Nearly every building, from St. Mary’s Art Center to the Old Washoe Club and Piper’s Opera House, has a story about a spirit or two that resides long past their time. Throughout the year, your group can experience ghost tours, paranormal investigations, and opportunities to tour reportedly haunted attractions. Mendez adds, “Whether you’re looking to connect with the paranormal, try your hand at panning for gold, or want to learn more about the Victorian architecture of one of the greatest cities in the West, Virginia City has it all.”
By Clarissa Casper
Main Image: Bannack State Park, Dillon, Montana; Credit: Adobe/Zack Frank
