A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it, such as mining or agriculture, failed.
Why visit a haunted house when you could get a whole ghost town? Thousands of abandoned villages await new owners across the U.S.; some are inexpensive.
There are about 3,800 ghost towns in the U.S. No matter the reason for their ruin, abandoned towns contain ghost stories of the former locals who lived there.
‘We’re selling an entire town!’ The rare, unique business of ghost towns for sale https://t.co/jryf2Ofspb
— Lucy Castaneda (@Lucy_Castaneda_) October 13, 2021
A locality often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it, such as mining or agriculture, failed.
The darker possibility is that towns are abandoned due to tragedies such as natural disasters, war, or disease.
While some remain decrepit homes for plants growing in disarray and others become tourist attractions, some abandoned towns have found their way into the real estate market.
Water Valley, Tennessee, was once known for its apple orchards and bustling businesses before it was hit by blight.
Abandoned in the mid-20th century, its seven acres now house only a barn, four former general stores, and a small creek.
For the past 20 years, four family members have owned this land. The group is now looking to sell, but only to a buyer who will preserve the town.
“The people who own it don’t want to sell it to people who will just bulldoze what’s there and create a development,” said Christa Swartz, the village’s realtor.
Water Valley is selling for $725,000.
Bridgeville, in northern California, boasts scenic river views, swimming holes, and its haunted cemetery.
In 2002, Bridgeville made headlines as the first town to be sold on eBay.
Over the years, many owners have laid claim to the 81 acres, but now it is for sale.
With its rich history and ghost sightings, the town is selling for $1.5 million.
In 2015, the price for Swett, a former mining town in South Dakota, was slashed to just $250,000 after a few failed offers.
Swett includes 6.6 acres of land, including a tavern and a four-bedroom house.
According to realtor Stacie Montgomery, the land also has its own ghost stories.
Although it has mostly been left to rot, the bank has attempted to improve the dilapidated town.
“They even installed shiny new signs,” Montgomery said. “The old ones had bullet holes in them.”
New Mexico’s Western Movie Ranch is like something out of a movie.
The ghost town, formerly Gabriella’s Town, is a 58-acre property now used primarily as a movie set.
The old buildings and storefronts are decorated to mimic an 1880s western town.
Buildings on the property include a hotel and cabin made of logs, a pool hall, and even an old stagecoach.
This authentic piece of the Wild West is for sale for S1.6 million.
In Pittston, Maine, a quaint town called Tuthill sits on 55 acres of rolling hills and old buildings.
In 1967, a passionate antique dealer named Kenneth Tuttle began building a village of 19th- and 20th-century homes and structures. Over the next 20 years, Tuttle’s dream town grew to 25 structures, including barns, houses, and a church.
After Tuttle’s death, his son Nathan inherited the property. Tuttle and his family live there, along with a few other tenants. But it’s time for a change.
“It’s been the best thing in the world growing up here,” Tuttle told Maine Homes. “But all good things come to an end.” The stunning village is now selling for $5.5 million.