Some of my favorite towns are in this app. I guess that means I like ghost towns? How about you?

http://www.allstays.com/go/apps.php?goto=Apple/ghosttowns

Terlingua - Photo by Sean_McGee

Fort McKavett
Built in 1852 to protect the nearby settlers, this fort is now a state historic site. Originally called Camp San Saba, some of the fort’s brick buildings – which were abandoned in the 1880s – have been restored to what Gen. William T. Sherman once proclaimed “the prettiest post in Texas.”

Luckenbach
If you’re a country-and-western fan, you can probably hear Waylon Jennings crooning this town’s name.  Originally a German farming community, this hill country settlement is one of Gillespie County’s oldest. It also has a renowned dance hall for those looking for a “Texas State of Mind” and general store that has been serving customers since the town’s inception in1849.

Shafter
Only in Texas would you call a silver mining town Shafter (named after Col. William R. Shafter, who was then the commander of nearby Fort Davis).  This West Texas camp was established in the 1880s but has since been abandoned.  Movie buffs might recognize the town from early scenes from the sci-fi flick The Andromeda Strain.

Terlingua
Not far from the Big Bend National Park, this former mining town has seen a renaissance: artists’ studios and cafes line the dusty streets of this desert paradise.

By Anna Philpot

Eureka
Once the Tintic Mining District’s financial seat, this silver town boasted more than 4,000 residents at its peak.  Now it is home to less than 700.

Grafton, Utah - Photo by respres

Grafton
Established originally in 1859 as a Morman farming community, the town flooded in 1862 and a new site chosen further up the Virginia River.  Many residents moved away after a canal – which many of the citizens helped to build – diverted most of the town’s water in 1906.

Sego
Ancient petroglyphs are visible on the rocky canyon walls surrounding this old coalmining town, which struggled with its water supply from the beginning.

Silver Reef
This town – with its a mile-long Main Street – boomed until the mines flooded in the 1880s.  The original Wells Fargo bank building is now a museum.

By Anna Philpot

Bisbee, Arizona - Photo by Adam Longfellow

Bisbee
Once a copper camp queen, Bisbee’s day-to-day life was fraught with pollution, deforestation and the possibility of Indian raids.  The town has since re-invented itself as an artist’s haven.

Fairbank
It took this town a while to get a name: it wasn’t until the post office opened in 1883 that the town was dubbed Fairbank.  Silver was this location’s mainstay so when the mine quit producing in the 1890s, the town began to decline.  In 1901, a wealthy Californian purchased the town and evicted its citizenry – unless they wanted to pay him rent for their houses.  Angered, many of the townspeople torched their homes and moved elsewhere.

Photo by ArizonaGlo

Goldfield
Ride in a narrow-gauge train before panning for gold – just like the miners did back in the 1890s. In its heyday, the town had a boarding house, brewery, meat market and multiple saloons.  Then the vein faulted and the town began its slow demise.

Oatman, Arizona - Photo by Adam Longfellow

Oatman
Named after a woman who was captured and later released by Mohave Indians, Oatman has handled a sporadic population and mining income over the past century. In1913, the population was close to 10,000 thanks to a big strike, but by the early 21st century, the town had dwindled to a few hundred people.

Tombstone, Arizona - Photo by Adam Longfellow

Tombstone
You knew this one was on the list: Tombstone, made into a movie based on its violent reputation, was once home to 15,000 residents.  Yes, you can visit the OK Corral, site of Earps’s stand, as well as Silver Nugget Saloon, Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, Birdcage Theater  and the Tombstone Courthouse.

By Anna Philpot

Virginia City, Montana - Photo by zetrules

Coolidge
This place did about as well as the Presidential namesake.  Not only is the place completely abandoned, many of the buildings are collapsing, making it a perfect Halloween haunt.

Elkhorn
Another state park, Elkhorn was a silver mining town.  The cemetery is the big draw here.

Garnet
One of the best-preserved ghost towns in Montana, this place was a gold mining town. Visitors may poke through the jail, blacksmith’s and various private homes.

Virginia City
Its location near Yellowstone National Park has made Virginia City a popular tourist attraction.  The lovely Victorian buildings housed many of the gold-mining towns’ best residents.

Do you have a favorite ghost town in Montana?

By Anna Philpot

Ancho
A short drive from Carrizozo, Ancho was settled by cattle ranchers looking for a fertile grazing land.

Hagan, New Mexico - Photo by Killbox

Madrid
Drive the historic Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway to stop in this quaint town.  About 400 residents live here year-round, and the art scene is booming.

Madrid, New Mexico - Photo by jessicareeder

Dawson
Home to some of the world’s worst mining disasters, this was once a bustling metropolis of nearly 9,000.  The town, originally owned by Phelps Dodge, boasted schools, an opera and even a bowling alley.

Hagan, New Mexico - Photo by Killbox

Hagan
Coal was the moneymaker behind this Sandoval County town. Built around the turn of the century, it was deserted by the end of WWII.

Shakespeare
Located off I-10 near the Arizona border, this was once Billy the Kid’s stomping ground.  You can walk along the Butterfield Trail and see Billy’s Old West.

Photo by George Self

Steins
Within miles of the Arizona border, this privately owned ghost town offers guided tours through the ten refurbished buildings.

The best ghost town is often the one you are visiting next, what is your favorite New Mexico ghost town?

By Anna Philpot

Ashcroft
Once home to two newspapers, 20 saloons, and a school, only nine buildings still stand – and one is an outhouse.

Ashcroft, CO - Photo by rjones0856

Dearfield
In its hey-day during the early 1900s, about 700 African Americans lived there – it was the only all-black community in the state.  Now, because of the hard Dust Bowl years, all that remains is a diner, the founder’s home and a gas station.

Goldfield
Once a booming mining town of more than 3,000, the few buildings still standing can be seen from Road 81 as you drive past.

Pitkin
Founded during the 1870s, Pitkin is one of the best-preserved ghost towns in Colorado. Many of the buildings are privately owned and some are summer cabins.  But feel free to snap photos of the church and store.

St. Elmo
This is what you expect when you think “ghost town.” As you walk down Main Street, peak inside some of the 24 buildings (many of which date back to 1879) like the saloon, mercantile, courthouse and some houses.

Tin Cup, CO - Photo by indigoprime

Tincup
Located near Pitkin, this town also has quite a few erect structures. Tincup was known as a hell-raising kind of place where the law wasn’t really wanted.  You’d never know that now as you stand in its ephemeral quiet.

The best ghost town is often the one you are visiting next, what is your favorite Colorado ghost town?

By Anna Philpot

Natchez, Mississippi - Photo by skatoolaki

The white clothed tables are set out on the ground floor surrounded by rough red-brick walls decorated with antique paraphernalia – guns, traps, tools, you know the sort of thing. Having placed our order for food, we were invited to take a look around by our friendly waitress. Dating back to the late 1700s, the building has seen some action in its time as the local post office, tavern and inn. In 1930 some of those exploits came to light when, during renovations, the fireplace was opened up, and the remains of three skeletons fell out! The woman was believed to have been the mistress of tavern owner, Richard King, the taverns’ namesake, but the two men buried with her remain a mystery. An infant’s cry is often heard by staff and diners, but stranger yet is the room upstairs.

Climbing the wooden staircase I didn’t know whether the chill was my nerves or a paranormal presence. For sure it wasn’t caused by the 85 degree heat. One of the old lodging rooms still has the antique four poster bed. Run your hand over it, and it has spots of warmth as if someone has just been lying there. Keep your eye on the mirror too. Sometimes a figure is seen reflected in it – a passing movement, yet there is no-one in the room. Dismissive, yet strangely uneasy, we returned to our table and began to enjoy the delicious meal. But when the ball and chain next to me started swinging, I stopped enjoying my delicious prime rib. It could have been someone playing a practical joke – but there again, maybe not.

By Gillian Birch

Located in Louisville, the Waverly Hills Sanitarium is the ultimate place for a scare. Paranormal investigators have found creepy evidence of multiple hauntings here; this comes as no surprise considering that beginning in 1908, this was the site of a tuberculosis hospital. Starting as a small institution and then growing over the years, staying a TB hospital until 1961, the hospital has seen a lot of death. Thousands of people died in this place and this is evident upon entering the “body chute,” which is a tunnel that was used to transport dead bodies to the waiting hearses.  Chills will crawl up and down your skin just meandering around the place; tours are available through the Waverly Hills Sanitarium official website.

The Queen Mary, in California, is a ship on which you can take the Paranormal Ship Tour, Twilight Historical Tour, Dining with Spirits Tour, and the Paranormal Investigation Tour. Each of these options offers different aspects to exploring the mysterious Queen Mary. Walk the gangways and see if you find any ghosts or just learn the history of the ship-it’s up to you.

One last sinister stop on your path to paranormal perfection is the Paraplex, which is located in New Orleans.  It sits imposingly, surrounded by cemeteries, which is fitting considering it was a 19th century funeral home. Owned by a parapsychologist PhD, who uses the site as an experiment; the house is rigged with many video cameras, which are used to capture both any paranormal activity and people’s reactions.  Supposedly inhabited by nine spirits, the house certainly will keep you on your toes.

Paranormal attractions are not for everyone. If you scare easily, you may want to stay away, unless of course, you like being scared. These three sampling represent only a small portion of the available types of paranormal attractions. Do some research and plan your vacation today.

Colonel Buck’s cursed tomb in Bucksport, Maine (named for Buck, who founded the town), is said to be haunted. The story goes that Colonel Buck had an affair with a Native American woman and when she became pregnant, he murdered her by burning her. Supposedly, her leg rolled out of the fire. Her mother, a spiritual healer, was said to have cursed his family to never be rid of her. The monument contains a stain of a boot or leg-shaped figure, despite being replaced repeatedly by the Buck family to get rid of the stain. Stories have evolved over the years, but this place is blamed for many maladies by the residents of the area.

Located in tranquil McGregor, Iowa, another scary attraction awaits. The Spook Cave Underground Tour features a boat tour through a watery cave, said to be haunted. The cave is low in many points and ducking does become necessary in many parts. Camping is a popular activity at the site as well.

In Clear Lake, Iowa, there is another haunting tribute. The location of the Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and Big Bopper plane crash site is the perfect paranormal stop for music fans. A steel monument is also present on the site.  Iowa is one macabre state, because also located within its boundaries is the Villisca Ax Murder House and Museum. This location was the site of a heinous crime which took the lives of six members of the Moore family (including children) and two of their young overnight guests in June, 1912. To this day, the murder remains unsolved. It is certainly a creepy place to visit for those interested in the paranormal.

All over the United States, there are places to visit for scary good fun. If you wish to visit haunted hotels, monuments, houses, and caves, you can do so by visiting these locations. You had better not be afraid of the dark though.