When you wander through a deserted settlement, the reasons for its emptiness are usually obvious—perhaps a raging underground fire like Centralia, Pennsylvania, or wartime devastation as seen in several French villages. Yet there are places where the buildings remain sturdy, the location stays attractive, and the political climate stays calm, and still, no one lives there. Below, we count down the top 10 towns that were left behind with no apparent justification.
Why These Places Make the Top 10 Towns List
10 Dudleytown, Connecticut: The Dark Forest
Perched on a secluded rise within Cornwall, Connecticut, lies the ghostly village of Dudleytown, now enveloped by the privately owned “Dark Entry Forest.” Founded in 1747 by the Dudley family, this settlement initially thrived with homes, farms, and even a modest iron forge. Over time, as the surrounding iron industry waned, residents began to trickle away, and by the late 1800s the hamlet was essentially deserted, with the final inhabitant departing in the early twentieth century.
While the economic downturn offers a straightforward explanation, local folklore adds a darker layer: a curse allegedly brought from England that drives anyone who settles there to madness. Noted paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren claimed the area was possessed by malevolent forces in the 1970s. Although nearby residents deny any supernatural activity, self‑styled ghost hunters who have trespassed swear they encountered unsettling phenomena and demonic presences.
9 Ordos Kangbashi, China: Ghost Town
Planned as a futuristic metropolis capable of housing a million souls, Ordos Kangbashi was envisioned to accommodate 200,000 residents by 2020. Construction delays and steep property taxes, however, left the city dramatically under‑populated—falling short by roughly 47,000 inhabitants. Though technically not deserted, it now holds the dubious honor of being the world’s largest ghost town, boasting impressive architecture, abundant real estate, and potential employment opportunities that remain oddly unfilled.
8 Parksville, New York: Doomed to Depression
Parksville, nestled in the Catskills, once buzzed with activity thanks to early settlers Martin and Eber Hall and the entrepreneurial spirit of William Park. The hamlet flourished with a network of hotels and resorts, and the Ontario and Western Railway funneled tourists seeking a tranquil countryside retreat.
The Great Depression dealt a severe blow, shuttering many of the town’s hundred hotels. Although a few establishments, like Young’s Gap, managed to stay afloat, the decline of the railway reduced visitor traffic dramatically. The last train rolled through in the 1950s. A brief resurgence seemed possible when Route 17 (later Interstate 86) promised renewed flow, yet the highway’s rerouting siphoned traffic away, leaving Parksville without its lifeline. Repeated attempts to revive the community have yet to restore its former vibrancy.
7 Thurmond, West Virginia: Haunted Train Town
Thurmond stands as a remarkably preserved snapshot of American coal‑mining heritage. Its population plummeted from roughly 500 in 1930 to just five by 2010. A pivotal event was the fiery destruction of the famed Dun Glen hotel, which had hosted the world’s longest poker marathon—a staggering 14‑year streak. Coupled with the town’s near‑inaccessibility until a single road opened in 1921, these setbacks crippled its growth. Today, beyond rumors of lingering spirits, the historic train depot serves as a visitor center for the New River Gorge National River.
6 Adaminaby, Australia: The Drowning City
In 1957, the Australian government forced the relocation of 700 residents to make room for the artificial Lake Eucumbene. While some homes were physically moved, the rising waters submerged most of the original town’s structures. Only about 250 people chose to stay, marking a sharp population decline. A prolonged drought in 2007 exposed the submerged ruins of the original settlement, offering a haunting glimpse of a town that vanished not by choice but by engineering.
5 Roanoke Colony, North Carolina: Disappearing Act
The enigmatic Lost Colony of Roanoke arrived in August 1587, with 115 English settlers establishing a foothold on Roanoke Island. Governor John White departed for supplies a year later, only to return three years afterward and find the settlement utterly deserted—no women, children, or men remained. The only clue was a carved word, “Croatoan,” etched into a post, leading some archaeologists to speculate that the colonists relocated to present‑day Hatteras Island.
4 Glenrio, New Mexico and Texas: Roadside Rubble
Glenrio once thrived as a vital stop along the iconic Route 66, drawing travelers across the New Mexico‑Texas border. Though its peak population never exceeded 30, the town was a bustling waypoint, even serving as a filming location for John Steinbeck’s adaptation of “The Grapes of Wrath” in 1938. The post‑World War II boom seemed to promise prosperity, but the closure of the Rock Island Railroad depot and the construction of Interstate 40 diverted traffic, leaving Glenrio isolated. By the 1980s, only two souls remained, and today the boarded‑up Little Juarez Café stands as a relic of a bygone highway era.
3 Johnsonville, Connecticut: Twilight Zoning
Established in 1846 by Emory Johnson, who built his residence and the Triton Mill on a 64‑acre parcel, Johnsonville grew into a modest industrial hub. In 1965, entrepreneur Raymond Schmitt purchased the Neptune Mill and surrounding structures, aiming to transform the area into a heritage tourism destination—a plan that ultimately faltered.
Compounding setbacks included a catastrophic lightning strike that razed the Neptune Mill in 1972, and restrictive zoning regulations enacted in 1994 that forced the town’s closure. Subsequent revitalization attempts, including a 2001 hotel venture, failed to gain traction. After several auctions, the Philippine‑based Iglesia ni Cristo acquired the property in 2017 and has since been restoring the buildings, repurposing Johnsonville as a religious center.
2 Rhyolite, Nevada: Glass Bottle Buildings
Rhyolite’s meteoric rise in the early 1900s showcased the ambition of mining prospectors: a bustling town with a stock exchange, board of trade, basketball courts, a notorious red‑light district, schools, and an electric plant. In 1906, the community erected the Kelly Bottle House, a quirky structure constructed from roughly 50,000 discarded beer and liquor bottles salvaged from local saloons. Despite this ingenuity, the town’s fortunes waned as mill operations declined, and by 1920 the population had evaporated. Today, the Bottle House remains one of the few intact edifices, a testament to the town’s brief but flamboyant existence.
1 Inis Cathaigh, Ireland: Forgotten Island
Inis Cathaigh, also known as Scattery Island, offered a rare opportunity for solitary island life. Settled around 1842 by a handful of families—primarily Shannon Estuary pilots—the island flourished even during the famine, bolstered by a rich ecclesiastical heritage and the leadership of its first bishop, St. Senan. Today, the island features an old artillery building, a ruined monastery, and a classic Irish round tower, drawing tourists interested in its spiritual legacy.
Despite its appealing attributes, the last inhabitants departed in 1969, leaving the island uninhabited. The abandonment underscores the paradox that even seemingly perfect locations can become deserted, reminding us that every ghost town has its own hidden story.