Pray, MontanaLocated 22 miles from Livingston, Mont., and 30 miles from Yellowstone National Park, the town of Pray was scheduled to be auctioned on June 27, 2012, but the property failed to sell because the auction did not meet the seller's reserve. The group is now looking to sell, but only to a buyer that will preserve the town. Price: $599,800 Spirited bed-and-breakfast: This interesting property, located in the creepily named Dos Cabezas township, sounds eerie enough. Even though the buying price is low, the renovations are likely to cost much more. Soon enough, the town grew to be a fully functional German town. Later in the 1960s, a business owner tried to use it as a youth hostel. So their two houses are the only properties in the town that are not up for sale. There is a town called Machynlleth nearby, which was the ancient capital of Wales. "The old ones had bullet holes in them.". It was nearly sold in 2017, until the buyers had to back out on the deal. Here are a few of Montana's ghost towns to explore. On a YouTube channel called. When theres a will, theres a way. The idea was that they would invest $1 billion into building several luxurious mansions, a hotel, conference hall, and a water park. This was situated near the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake. The region is now privately owned, and it does paint a quaint scenario of the early silver mining towns of Montana, even with just these two existing structures which are some of the better-preserved examples of frontier architecture that still exist. As with many bygone boomtowns, Belmont was at one point a county seatin this case, of Nye Countyduring its mining heyday. Believe it or not, there are two people still living in the town. The abandoned buildings, some of them still furnished, play on the imagination as visitors try to picture life before modern conveniences like motorized . Seniors Have Both High Hopes and Major Concerns About the Future, Fears Mount as China Reports Weak Trading Data in July , 12 Towns for Sale: Montana Town Where Custer Fell to BeAuctioned. Stories about what happened in these places have been passed down through the decades, but much of their allure is in the eerie questions that will never be answered. Bannack was founded just after a massive gold deposit discovery in 1862, and quickly grew in size towards the end of the 1800s. [3] It is located at the site of the former Glasgow Air Force Base . There are deep, narrow gorges of the Mingardo River that the locals have nicknamed Devils Throat. Learn about the first gold rush in 1862 and the town of Bannack. Ghosts or not, this place shows a delightful dedication to detail. The town only had 300 residents before the earthquake, so it felt like an extended family. But it went up for sale again, this time for $3.8 million. Just 45 minutes outside of Denver, Colorado, the ghost town of Cabin Creek is up for sale for just $350,000 and comes complete with a restaurant, gas station and motel. These include theaters, steam train rides, stagecoach rides, and gold-panning, to name a few. But now, the village founded in the 10th to 11th century has been abandoned. He owned 173 acres of land, and called it Storyville. Over the years, many owners have claimed the 81 acres, but it's now up for grabs. During an interview, they said that if they got an additional 100 interested buyers to buy castles, they could break even. In the 17th Century, the village was taken over by the Normans and the Swabians under the house of Aragon. In between the tourist destinations, youll find historic buildings dating back to the days of Montanas mining boom. This could be perfect for someone who is looking to bring in rental income and start a farm. It could be a huge investment to buy the land and get it in the shape it needs to be before you could earn income from tenants. How its not turned into an awesome tourist spot or a retirement village is beyond me. There are 12 individual buildings, and plots of land big enough to build an additional 20 houses or shops. Back in 2014, the BBC traveled to Spain to film the ghost village of A Barca, advertising to the rest of Europe that they had a chance to purchase a $0 town. 4. But in 1980, there was a devastating earthquake that destroyed the entire village. But Springer bottled water from the springs on the land, and he sold them to desert travelers. Considered one of the best-preserved ghost towns in Montana, the gold rush boomtown of Bannack is popular with hikers, living history enthusiasts and paranormal researchers. This village on the top of a mountain seems like something out of a fairytale. Over the course of 8 months, they renovated the property to make it good enough to live in. But it took until the year 2000 for it to be completely abandoned. ABC News is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. 7. Way back in 1908, Kolmanskop, Namibia was a part of a territory called German South-West Africa. More Info. The 205 High Plains Drive Movie Ranch is a 58 acre town located in Catron County, New Mexico. It was so affordable, even Gwyneth Paltro recommended it as a Christmas gift on Goop. This event set off an epic gold rush that caused Bannack's population to boom to over 3,000 by 1863. This can be seen from some of the remaining structures today which are the remnants of former saloons, brothels, and gambling dens rather than churches or schools. Old buildings and storefronts are staged to mimic an 1880s era western town. Most of the homes are at a point where they would need to be torn down. The mining town of Elkhorn is 18 miles from Montanas Boulder. Others, however, remain partially inhabited by various communities based around activities other than mining although even some of that does still go on in a few of the towns. A revival came about in 1926 when the Basin Montana Tunnel Company took over operations and built a 200-ton concentrator. The nostalgia and throw back imagination made it worth it. Price: $1,600,000 Tourist town: This prominent portion of the Silverton mining and ghost town sits just one block from the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad depot. The new buyers are a religious organization called Iglesia Ni Cristo, also known as Church of Christ. Disused building in the self-proclaimed ghost town of Cook, South Australia. And most of the prices arent even remotely scary. If you are looking for a truly unique vacation experience, you may want to direct your attention to the ghost town of Garnet, Montana. To step foot in one of these places is to experience the quiet, if not eerie solitude, the mystery, and the history of the ghost towns. Ever dreamed/nightmared of owning your very own ghost town so you could freak out lost road-trippers as they drive through looking for gas and a place to lodge for the night? 14. There are also camping facilities and other amenities available in the park, which get busy during peak tourists season. It has become the starting point for many beautiful bush walks and trails in the region. In a bid to rescue the peaceful community and reopen its shuttered buildings, an independent. Elkhorn State Park. On the channel, you can see his journey to bringing Cerro Gordo back to life. Along. However, the place is ready for those who are occupied in agriculture. Bannack is known as Montana's first major gold discovery town back in 1862. The original mine was closed in 1904 but there have been reports of fairly recent new discoveries. Rimini 3. The town was originally built in the 1880s, and it was called the Town of Gabriella. Now? Nobody wanted it! They fixed up the general store, and turned it into a bed and breakfast. People who had no idea that Indian Ridge Resort existed suddenly became interested in the development. It was called. So right about now you may be asking yourself what is wrong with it? (Image: John Darrington/Wikimedia) Connected to Eyre Highway by 100km of dirt road, Cook's current population can be counted on one hand. Of course, the government also called it a Sperrgebiet, which is a National Park where the public was not allowed to enter for any reason. With enough time, the town may eventually be completely buried by the desert sands. The Montana City That Vanished Overnight Ghost towns share an eerie silence. This is still a property with such a strange history, that it has become the subject of books, documentaries, and more. When shes not writing (with her border collie asleep at her feet), shes devouring books, exploring the world, or planning her next trip. Unfortunately, this plan seemed to be poorly thought out, and I personally dont see the appeal in this at all. But with El Mortorio in Asturias, Spain, the opposite happened. Castle Town, aka: Castle City, Castle - Meager County, mining ghost town, no residents, just a few buildings, privately owned. Current population is zero, which is down from the single resident the town claimed in 1940. There is a bathroom facility, water hookups, and more. Drive-by footage of this ghost town recently went viral on Tiktok. Toomsboro, GeorgiaOn sale for $2.5 million, the town of Toomsboro, Ga., is about halfway between Atlanta and Savannah.5. The74-acre parcelincludes the remnants of the Millican Store, and most of the land is zoned for commercial use. A railroad worker named Zacharias Lewala found diamonds while he was digging in the sand. You'll be provided with a furnished cabin, complete with a propane powered refrigerator and range (sorry, no electricity or running water available in historic. A buyercan acquire the 154 acres, includingremnants ofdozens of buildings and plenty of artifacts on the ground. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Water Valley, Tennessee, is just one of the many ghost towns that sit empty all over the country, Abandoned in the mid 20th-century, Water Valley's seven acres now hold only a stock barn, four former general stores, and a small creek, Bridgeville boasts of scenic riverfront views, swimming holes, and its very own haunted cemetery, Swett's old town signs had bullet holes in them, proof that this old mining town has its own ghost stories, The Town of Gabriella is a 58 acre property currently being utilized primarily as a film set, Tuthill began as a passion project for an antiques dealer named Kenneth Tuttle, Inside the rare ghost towns on sale for as little as $250,000 how you can own a whole village haunted by former locals, First picture of Windsor Castle suspect Jaswant Singh Chail, 19, after masked man threatened to kill the Queen, US spy plane spotted over Ukraine 'for first time' as it's feared Russia might exploit holiday to invade neighbour, Seven shocking murders committed by women as Brittany Wilson charged with killing her boyfriend with a SWORD, Shocking moment massive brawl breaks out between hunt protesters and riders before iconic Avon Vale Hunt, Russia warns of new Cuban missile crisis unless demands over Ukraine met 'here and now' as troops stage drills, Dad of murdered woman wants Dog the Bounty Hunter to search for killer after sleuths claim Brian Laundrie link. She said that especially during the winter months, Garnet visitors see visions and hear unearthly noises. You get to see all of the steps in the process, and learn a whole lot about restoring and re-establishing a small town. Since these homes are halfway finished, you would wonder why no one has bought these and at least completed the ghost town. Castle Town wasnt founded until 1891 but had a fair-sized population of around 2,000 within a couple of years. If youre looking to start a business, all of this can be yours for $2,750,000. Located in Silver Bow County, Butte itself has a rich mining history. The darker possibility is that towns become abandoned because of tragedy such as natural disasters, war, or disease. In 2015, the former mining town's price sharply dropped to only $250,000 after a few failed offers. But all good things come to an end.. There are 15 ghost towns within 50 miles of Fort Smith. It's the site of the world's richest silver mine, which employed approximately 3,000 miners and yielded over $40 million in silver. But the property actually sold for $635,000 in 2019. Now, the town has an inn, a dairy barn, and it hosts guests as a, 13. The town does rent cabins to people daring enough to visit during the winter. After carefully navigating their car on tiny mountain roads, they still had a long hike up the mountain on foot after they found a place to park. However, in 1974, this plan came crashing down when the federal government decided to claim the land back. But it's time for a change. Dr. Story chose to build houses, stores, a church, and a school house on the land. All rights reserved. The latter generated $13 million in silver, copper, gold, lead, and zinc, and boomed in the late 1800s before declining by the end of World War I. Marysville is famous for its many well-preserved historic buildings and while Rimini has fewer buildings to see, the abandoned miner cabins are currently being restored to modern living spaces. Garnet, Montana, is the state's most intact ghost town, and some people maintain that it's actually haunted. ranger Nacoma Gainan told The Montana Standard this week, three volunteers have spent every summer there for more than a decade. These Wyoming ghost towns transport you back to the 1800s when the west was wild and hard work was fueled by aspirations of a better life. Despite the fact that this is a bargain to buy an entire town, no one had the money or the patience to maintain this property. Now there are hundreds of identical Disney-esque castles just sitting there without any plans to complete. They shipped all of their belongings over, but it took months to arrive. Technically, its not a ghost town, even though its relatively empty. Washoe 18. And another set of buyers in the 1990s tried to fix it up even more to accommodate tourists as a historic ghost town. Now, the town has an inn, a dairy barn, and it hosts guests as a wedding venue. There are several ghost towns to explore near Helena, including Rimini, Marysville, and Comet. The supplies were all but depleted by the end of the First World War. The job comes with certain perks -- a furnished cabin, a food stipend and freedom from modern amenities like running water and social media. South Pass City Nestled in a protected canyon, South Pass City is one of the best ghost towns in Wyoming. Water Valley is selling for the low price of $725,000. In reality, this was federal land, and he was only allowed to use it due to mining claims on 12,000 acres. After getting in $200 million of debt, the builders ran out of money and abruptly had to walk off the job. Kendall had a couple of hotels, banks, restaurants, a school, and the regulatory saloons and brothels. There is even a solar yard to help power everything on the property. The village went up for sale for 1.6 million, which is roughly $2.2 million. This New Mexico ranch is straight out of a movie. The park is open year-round, though amenities and hours differ from . This is one of the best of all ghost camps. There is a town called Machynlleth nearby, which was the ancient capital of Wales. The damage on many of the buildings was so expensive, it wouldnt make sense to try to repair it. Thousands of abandoned villages are waiting for new owners all across America, and some come pretty cheap. Theres a main house with a kitchen and bath, a greenhouse with raised beds and drip irrigation, a workshop with office/studio space, and guest rentals called the Casita and the Pioneer House. Now's your chance. According to. Montana town for sale, just $1.4 million. Its perfect for a buyer looking to go off the grid, and the nearest neighbors are miles away. Soon enough, the town grew to be a fully functional German town. Houses Absarokee 459,000 $ View pictures 31 Laurin Loop Road Single-Family Home Visiting one of these ghost towns is literally like stepping back in time. Burj Al Babas Abandoned Disney Castles, In 2014, builders in Turkey planned that these would be luxury vacation villas called. This is still a property with such a strange history, that it has become the subject of books, documentaries, and more. 20. This large 80 acre property is a California ghost town called the Historic Nomadic Town of Magical Tipton. Chris Stuber 15. The owner has been trying to sell the ghost town since 2015 for $3.5 million. Technically, its not a ghost town, even though its relatively empty. Ghost Towns of Washington is the most comprehensive site on the web sharing listings of ghost towns, historic mining sites, and other abandoned historic points of . But there was a fire, and the mill burned down. The Grove, TexasFounded in 1859, The Grove was a farming community until it became a ghost town after a highway was re-routed away from it in the 1930s because some residents wanted less traffic. The previous owner has used this property as a hotel, and there have also been weddings there. Sixteen 16. The listing suggests an RV park would be a hit next to a resurrected general store. Theres a three-bedroom main house on the 5-acre spread, but out back is where thespectral action goes down. In between the tourist destinations, you'll find historic buildings dating back to the days of Montana's mining boom. Bannack, Montana. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Well, thats exactly what happened with the crumbling village of A Barca in Cortegada, Spain. This idea of buying an entire village with scenic mountain views for the same price as one mansion here in the US is a bargain. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, its a perfect opportunity if youre into antiques and solitude. This spot is 25 miles to the west of Dillon and is also notable for Montana history buffs as the place where the notorious Montana Vigilante group of the time took it upon themselves to combat some of the regions ensuing lawlessness, and hanged Sheriff Henry Plummer along with a fair few others. They hide in the shadows, laugh in the wind, and come out when you least expect them.. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "abfe3389e0784ed3f8cbc35fe2451b4d" );document.getElementById("a590a7590e").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Back in 2002, Bridgeville made the news as the first town ever sold on Ebay. It was declared unfit for humans to live in 1980, and the Italian government created an eviction order. There are very few ghost towns on this list that are located in the United States. But it still deserves to be on this list. Ghost Towns of Montana - Alphabetical Listing If you have the type of kids that would enjoy something like this however, I would highly suggest looking into it. The property includes an olive grove, as well as vineyard, which is perfect for anyone who has dreams of opening up an Italian winery. The Wild West Ghost Town of Cerro Gordo, California is Being Restored, A man named Brent Underwood purchased the town for $1.4 million in 2018, and started a YouTube channel called. According to the Great Falls Tribune, Granite is renowned for boasting the richest silver mine on the planet, which generated $40 million in silver to support the miners of Granite. However, with these legal issues on the table, it may be a long time before anyone can begin construction again. Henry River Mill Village, North CarolinaHenry River Mill Village, N.C., is on sale for $1.4 million after being used as the set of the downtrodden community of District 12 in the film The Hunger Games.4. The park today covers around 1500 acres, and over 60 original buildings and other structures still stand in this state park, which hosts Ghost Walks around October time. Charter Oak Mine & Mill - Powell County, mine, mill, and a few buildings. Theres something spooky about the sheer number of ghost towns in America. In 1976, California State University began to use the buildings as their Desert Studies Center. While exploring the ghost towns in Montana, be sure to add the Granite Ghost Town State Park to your itinerary. Today there is no one living in the camp and the area serves as one of the best of all Montanas ghost camps. The mine was relocated in 1875. You get to see all of the steps in the process, and learn a whole lot about restoring and re-establishing a small town. Sometimes, in the deep winter quiet, a piano tinkles in Kelleys Saloon and the spirits dance to ghostly music. In 2021, it went up for sale at the value of the land, which was 495,000 (almost $700,000). The good news is that it is already remodeled and ready to become a, Among all of these buildings, there is also plenty of land to accommodate a campground. Comet 13. Bannack is a registered historic landmark and marks the region where the first significant discovery of gold occurred. Shes passionate about creating travel content that inspires her readers to take a leap of faith and power through their bucket lists. . In the early 1920s, a Welsh philanthropist named David Davies created a summer camp for boys who were the sons of the local coal workers. This desolate former mining town in Montana is so riddled with paranormal activity it was featured in an episode of the Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures. In 1940, the camp was briefly taken over by the military during World War II, until it went back to civilian use in 1946. They plan to turn the 62-acre property into a recreation and sport center for their church members. It features a photography studio, art gallery, gift emporium, pottery shop, and, perhaps best of all, Swanees Old Mine Sluice, where kids and adults can pan for gold and gems. Buy castles, in 1974, this plan seemed to be torn down years. For a buyer that will preserve the town grew to be completely buried by the sands... Of Wales hosts guests as a, 13 Iglesia Ni Cristo, also as. This can be yours for $ 2.5 million, which is down the. That caused bannack & # x27 ; s first major gold discovery town in! Near Helena, including Rimini, Marysville, and the spirits dance to ghostly.. Without any plans to complete volunteers have spent every summer there for more than decade!, sounds eerie enough guests as a Christmas gift on Goop $ 250,000 after a few of &! 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