List of ghost towns in Oklahoma

Autwine, in Kay County, Oklahoma.
Picher, in Ottawa County, Oklahoma.

This is an incomplete list of ghost towns in Oklahoma, United States of America, including abandoned sites.

Classification

Ghost towns can include sites in various states of disrepair and abandonment. Some sites no longer have any trace of civilization and have reverted to pasture land or empty fields. Other sites are unpopulated but still have standing buildings. Some sites may even have a sizable, though small population, but there are far fewer citizens than in its grander historic past.

Barren site

  • Sites no longer in existence
  • Sites that have been destroyed
  • Deserted
  • Covered with water
  • Barren site
  • Reverted to pasture
  • May have a few difficult to find foundations/footings at most

Neglected site

  • Only rubble left
  • Roofless building ruins
  • Buildings or houses still standing, but majority are roofless

Abandoned site

Only traces remain of Grand, the county seat of Old Day County.
  • Building or houses still standing
  • Buildings and houses all abandoned
  • No population, except caretaker
  • Site no longer in existence except for one or two buildings, for example old church, grocery store

Many of these communities played important roles in the history, settlement, and growth of the state. Platted town sites organized by railroads, speculators, or the government during the opening of Oklahoma, many times, failed to prosper after initial settlement. Other communities grew up around rural schools, post offices, or general stores, and faded away when the attracting facilities closed. Several important Indian settlements developed around frontier forts, trading posts, Indian agencies, or where natural resources attracted permanent dwellings and dissolved when the Indian lands were opened. Oil boom towns also sometimes attracted thousands of people but disappeared when the boom ended. Abandoned sites in Oklahoma are almost always located on private, state, tribal, or federal land, and trespassing laws apply.

Semi abandoned site

  • Building or houses still standing
  • Buildings and houses largely abandoned
  • few residents
  • many abandoned buildings
  • Small population

Historic community

  • Building or houses still standing
  • Still a busy community
  • Smaller than its boom years
  • Population has decreased dramatically, to one fifth or less.

Ghost towns

Town name   Other name(s)   County   Established   Disestablished   Current status   Remarks   
Aaron[1]Jackson18991905
Abbott[2]Pushmataha18971899
Acme[3][4]Grady19111930Neglected siteGrew around the Acme Cement and Plaster Company mill and power plant.
Adamson[3]Pittsburgca 1906Semi-abandonedFormer coal mining town in eastern Oklahoma
Addington[3]Jefferson1890spresentHistoric community
Agawam[4]

[5]

 Grady19091919
Alhambra[4]Johnston18961904Barren site
Alluwe[3]Lightning CreekNowata18721950sBarren siteFounded by the Delaware Indians. Moved to New Alluwe after the creation of the Oologah Reservoir.
Alpha[3]Kingfisher18931903Abandoned
AlsumaTulsa19061926Semi-abandonedPre-statehood community, annexed by Tulsa in 1966[6]
America[3][4][7]McCurtain19031944Neglected site
Antioch[5]Garvin18951932
Arthur[5]Stephens18901934Barren site
Autwine[3]Pierceton, Arta, Virginia CityKay18941930Barren site
Avard[3]Woods1904still presentSemi-abandoned site
Avery[3][4]Mound CityLincoln19021957Neglected site
AvocaAsherPottawatomie18941906
Bailey[8] Grady18921932
Bathsheba[4]

[9]
Beck[4]
Beer City[3][4][9][10]White CityTexas18881890Barren site
Bell[11][12]LeFlore18911897Abandoned
Benton[3][4]Beaver1880s1920Barren site
Bernice[3][4]NeedmoreDelaware1880s1941Barren siteOriginal site flooded by Grand Lake o' the Cherokees.
Bethel[12]Grant18951895Still exists
Bickford[3][10]Blaine19041927Barren siteSite occupied by Roman Nose State Park
Big Canyon[5]ArbuckleMurray1961
Big Cedar[3]BigcedarLeFlore19031943
BismarkWright,
Wright City, Oklahoma		McCurtain19091920Historic communityName changed in 1920 because of anti-German sentiment in WWI.
Blackburn[3][4]Pawnee18931960Semi-abandoned site
Boggy Depot[3][4][5][10]Old Boggy DepotAtoka18371883Barren siteSite occupied by Boggy Depot State Park
Bookertee[8]OkfuskeeAll black town.
Box Cleveland Barren site Cemetery still exists
Braithwaite[4]Washita19101923
Bridgeport[3][4][5]Caddo1890spresentSemi-abandoned site
Brinkman[3][4]Greer19101965Abandoned site
Bromide[3][4]Juanita, Zenobia[13]Coal, Johnston1905presentHistoric community
Burke City[10]Okfuskee
Button Springs[4]Johnston
Byron[1][14]Alfalfa1898presentHistoric communityPopulation as of 1910 census: 286. Population as of 2010 census: 35.
Canadian Colored[8]All black town.
Cardin[15]Ottawa19132010Abandoned sitePart of Tar Creek Superfund site. 2010 Population (prior to federal buyout): 3.
Carpenter[4]Roger Mills
Carter NineOsage19201967Abandoned site
Cayuga[3][4]Delaware18841913Semi-abandoned site
Center[3]Pontotoc1880s1900Semi-abandoned siteDestroyed by fire. Old site 1/2 mile north of new community of Center, Oklahoma.
Centralia[3][4]Lucas[13]Craig1898ca. 1929Semi-abandoned site
Cestos[3][4]Dewey18981923Semi-abandoned site
Chahta Tamaha[3][16]Armstrong AcademyBryan18441883Barren siteFormer capital of the Choctaw Nation
ChantMcCurtain1922Merged into McCurtain, Oklahoma[17]
Charleston[11]HarperAbandoned
Chase[8]BelandMuskogeeAll black town[18]
Cheek[4]
Cherokee Town[3][4]Garvin18741877Barren site
Chism[4]McClain
Chisholm SpringPottawatomie18471862Abandoned site
Citra[4]Hughes
Clarkson[12]PayneAbandoned
Clebit[10]A logging camp of the Dierks Lumber Company
Clemscott[5]CarterAn oil camp in the Healdton Oil Field.
Cline Beaver 1894 1948 Barren site
Cloud Chief[3][4][10]TacolaWashita18921964Semi-abandoned siteFormer county seat of Washita County.
CohnPushmataha
Cold Springs[3][4]Kiowa1903Barren siteCleared for Tom Steed Reservoir.
Conditville[5]Stephens
Cooperton[3][4]Kiowa1903still presentSemi-abandoned site
Corbett[3][4]Cleveland18931930sNeglected site
Corner[10]Pottawatomie19031906
Cowboy Flats[4]Campbell, Pleasant ValleyLogan
Cox City[5]Grady19271964
Cross[3][4][10]
Crum CreekPushmataha
Dawson[4]Tulsa1949Annexed by the City of Tulsa.
Denoya[10]WhizbangOsage19211942Abandoned site
Dillard[4]Carter
DiamondHaskellBarren site
Doaksville[3][4][12]Choctaw18471903Barren siteChoctaw capital from 1850-1863.
Doby Springs[3][12]BellaireHarper19071922Abandoned
Douglas City[3]Oklahoma1894Black community
Douthat[4]CenturyOttawaNeglected site
Downs[3]Kingfisher18891900
Driftwood[1][19] Alfalfa1898presentHistoric communityUnincorporated as of 1980 census. Abandoned businesses cleaned up. Church, cemetery, and a few homes remain.
Eagle City[3][4]Blaine19021971
Eddy[4][9][10]Kay
Empire[4]Stephens
Erin Springs[5]Garvin
EubanksPushmataha19071924
Eschiti[10]
Fallis[3][4]Lincoln1892Abandoned site
Fame[4]McIntosh
Fennell[4]Choctaw
Ferguson[8]All black town.
Fisher[4]Fisher's Bottom, Fisherman's BottomTulsa
Fleetwood[3][4]Jefferson
Fonda[1] Dewey Abandoned Site Little Robe Township in 1920 census
Foraker[3][4][9]Osage1903
Foss[3]

[5][20]

 Washita1900Semi-abandoned
Fowlerville[4]McCurtain
Francis[3][4]Newton[4][13]PontotocHistoric community
Frazer[3][4]JacksonRelocated to higher ground and renamed Altus
Garnetville[4]Oklahoma1892
Gas City[5]Stephens
Gate Beaver Historic community
GeePushmataha19091911Abandoned site
Gene Autry[3][5]Lou, Dresden, BerywnCarter1883present
Gibson Station[8]All black town.
Glenwood[4]Oklahoma
Gotebo[4]KiowaSemi-abandoned site
Grand[3][4][7][12]Ellis18921943Abandoned siteSecond county seat of Day County, first seat of Ellis County.
Gumbo Pit[4][9]Oklahoma
Hale[11]TulsaAbandoned
Hanson[3][4]LeFloreFlooded by Arkansas River.
Harrison[12]Sequoyah19081912Abandoned
Helsel[4]Cleveland
Hext[4]Beckham19011902Along historic Route 66.
Hockerville[4]Ottawa1916Neglected site
Holder[4]
Hollister[4]Tillman
Hope[4]Stephens
Hoxbar[5]Carter
Humphreys[4]JacksonSemi-abandoned site
Huntville[5]KingfisherBarren site
Indianapolis[4]GradyAbandoned site
Independence[3][4][9]Custer18921922barren sitetown missed the railroad and moved to Custer City
Ingalls[3][4][7][9]Signet[21]Payne18891907
Ingersoll[3][4][10]Alfalfa19011942Abandoned site
IolandEllis18941908Abandoned siteFirst seat of Day County, Oklahoma (now defunct)
Iron Post[4]Creek
Jefferson[3][4]Grant1887
Jennings[4]Pawnee
Jester[4]Greer
JohnsPushmataha
Jumbo[10]Pushmataha1906Named for Jumbo Asphalt Company.
Kell City[10]
Keokuk Falls[3][4][7][9][10]Pottawatomie18921918
Keystone[3][4][9][10]AppalachiaPawneeca 1958Abandoned SiteFlooded by Keystone Lake; construction begun in 1958.
KiamichiPushmataha
Kibby[4]Harper
Kosoma[10]Pushmataha18881854
Kusa[4]Okmulgee19161936
Lacey[4]Kingfisher18901909
Lake Creek[4]
La Kemp[4]LakempBeaver19091919
Lehigh[3][4]Coal1882still presentSemi-abandoned siteFormer county seat of Coal County.
Lenna[4]
Lenora[3]LanoraDewey CountySemi-abandoned
Liberty[8][12]Noble1893AnandonedAll black town.
Little Chief Lone Pine[4]Osage
Lone Star[4]LonestarCuster18951904
Loveland[3]HarristonTillman1908Semi-abandoned site
Lovell[3]PerthLogan18891957
Lugert[3][9][10]Jackson19021950Cleared for Lake Altus-Lugart Reservoir
LyceumPushmataha
Lyman[4]
ManningPittsburg
Magee[4]
Marina[4]
Marshall Town[8]All black town.
Mayes[3]Adair18831896Abandoned siteFormed around Flint Courthouse, Flint District, Cherokee Nation.
Maxwell[4]
Meers[3][4][5][9][10]Comanche1902Abandoned site
Miller Court House[16]McCurtain18241838AbandonedOriginally in Miller County, Arkansas before boundary was redrawn.
Milton[3]NeedmoreLeFlore18701950sNeglected siteSite of the Milton Colony.
Mineral[3]Mineral CityCimarron18861911
Moral[10]
Mouser[3]Texas1928
Navajoe[7]Jackson1887
New Spring Place[4]
Newby[4]Creek
New TulsaOak GroveWagoner19682001Historic communityAbsorbed by Broken Arrow
Nicksville[3][4]Sequoyah18281829Former county seat of Lovely County, Arkansas. Site of Dwight Mission.
NicutSequoyah
NoliaPushmataha19121920
Non[3]CannonHughes19011954Abandoned site
North Fork[8][10]North Fork Town1836ca 1886Established by Mvskoke Creeks in 1836 part of the Eufaula District of the Creek Nation.
Oakdale[4]
Oak Wall[4]
Oil City[5]WheelerCarter18861930A Healdton Oil Field camp.
Old Kaw City[10]
OlneyParmicho[13]Coal
Omega[5]Kingfisher
Orr[3][4]Love18921957Neglected site
Paw Paw[7]Sequoyah18821915
Parkland[4]Lincoln1894Historic community
Parkersburg[3][10]Custer19011906Barren site100 buildings moved into Clinton
Parr[5]Grady1883
Pavilion[5]Murray
Pawpaw, OklahomaSequoyahAbandoned
Perryville[10]Pittsburgca 18491943AbandonedBurned after a Civil War engagement in 1863; never regained its former population or importance.
Phroso[3]Major19001937Neglected site
Picher[3][4]Ottawa19152009AbandonedLarge zinc mining town.
Pine Valley[3][10]LeFlore19261953Neglected site
Piney[3]Piney CDPAdair18241940Historic communityCherokee Nation (1794–1907) "Head Town" (re: 'informal capital') from 1824-1828.
Prot[3][4]Washita1901
Provine[4][9]
Quay[3]LawsonPawnee, Payne18942000Semi-abandoned site
Pyramid Corners
Quinlan[3]
Radium Town[4][9]RogersHistoric communityAbsorbed by Claremore
ReddenAtoka19031954Barren site
Reed[3]Greer1892Semi-abandoned site
Reeding
Reno City[3]
Richards SpurComancheSemi-abandoned site
Roxana[4][9]Logan1927
RodneyPushmataha18901899
Roy Rogers[4]
Sacred Heart[3][4]Pottawatomie18791954
San Bernardo[4][7]PetersburgJefferson
Sante Fe[3][4]
Sardis[10]Pushmataha1905ca 1980Abandoned siteFlooded by construction of Lake Sardis
Scipio[4]Pittsburg
ScratchoutSequoyah
Shamrock[4][20]Creek19102010There is still a historical museum
ShortSequoyah
Silver City[3]Creek
Skedee[4]Pawnee1902Population of 51 in 2010; formerly called Lemert
Smackover[5]KayBarren site
Stecker[4]Caddo
Sumpter[4]Kay
Stuart[4]Hughes
TahlonteeskeeSequoyah1828Barren site
Texanna[4]McIntosh1839
Texola[4][20]Texokla, TexomaBeckhamOn old Route 66.
Three Sands[3][4][10]Kay, Noble
Trousdale[4]Pottawatomie
Tuskegee[4]Creek
Uncas[4]Kay
Violet Springs[10]Pottawatomie
Washunga[4]Kay
Warwick[20]Lincoln
Webb[4]DeweySemi-abandoned site
Wellston Colony[8]LincolnAll black town.
White Bead[3][5]Garvin
WhizbangDenoyaOsage19211942Abandoned site
Wildman[3][4]Kiowa
Wirt[3][4]RagtownCarter1913presentIncorporated into Healdton.
Witcher[4]Oklahoma
Wolf[4]SeminoleSemi-abandoned site
Womack[4]McClain18991909Barren site
Woodford[3][4][5]BywaterCarter
Woodville[22]Old WoodvilleMarshall1944Barren siteCovered by Lake Texoma|
Wybark[8]MuskogeeAll black town.[18]
Yewed[3][4][9]Alfalfa19021952Neglected sitePost office closed in 1952. Town had a population of 2 in 1977.
Yonkers[4]Wagoner19131935Abandoned siteSubmerged by Fort Gibson Dam Fort Gibson Dam and Reservoir.[23]
Zena[4]Delaware1956Semi-abandoned siteZena had a population of 123 in 2010.
Zincville[4]St. LouisOttawa19171954Abandoned siteFormer mining town between Picher and Hockerville.[24]
Zoraya Pushmataha19051930Barren siteFormer Choctaw town; post office closed October 31, 1919. Only remnant is Zoraya cemetery.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Shirk, George (1987). Oklahoma Place Names. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-2028-7.
  2. ↑ Shirk, George B., Oklahoma Place Names, p. 3; Post Office Site Location Reports, Record Group 28, National Archives
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 Morris, John (1977). Ghost Towns of Oklahoma. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 229. ISBN 978-0-8061-1420-0. ISBN 0-8061-1420-7.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 "Ghost Towns of Oklahoma". Ghost Towns. Atjeu Publishing. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 "Ghost and Almost Ghost Towns of Oklahoma". Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Alsuma: The Town That Disappeared From Southeast Tulsa." Arnett, David. GTR Newspapers. March 30, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Etter, Jim (May 1, 1996). Ghost-Town Tales of Oklahoma: Unforgettable Stories of Nearly Forgotten Places. Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America: New Forums Press. p. 248. ISBN 978-0-913507-74-2. ISBN 0-913507-74-1.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Historic All-Black Towns in Oklahoma". African-American Resource Center. Tulsa City-County Library. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Ghost Towns, Oklahoma (History)". Ghost Towns. Online Highways. 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Wilson, Linda. "Ghost Towns". Oklahoma Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  11. 1 2 3 United States Geological Survey. Geographic Names Information System. (accessed February 11, 2007)
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Shirk, George H. Oklahoma Place Names. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1987: ISBN 0-8061-2028-2
  13. 1 2 3 4 Grant, Foreman (September 1928). "Early Post Offices of Oklahoma". Chronicles of Oklahoma. 6 (3). Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  14. ↑ Everett, Dianna. "Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Byron". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Byron. Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  15. ↑ Everett, Dianna. "Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Cardin". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Cardin. Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  16. 1 2 Oklahoma Historical Society. Chronicles of Oklahoma. (accessed February 11, 2007)
  17. ↑ Hyder, Glenn O. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "McCurtain." Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  18. 1 2 [ Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "Muskogee County."]
  19. ↑ Everett, Dianna. "Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Alfalfa County. Oklahoma History Center. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 4 "Route 66 Ghost Towns". Legends of America. www.legends of america.com. 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  21. ↑ McRill, Leslie. "Old Ingalls: The Story of a Town that Will Not Die." Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  22. ↑ KTEN. Hair, Kris. "Secrets of the Lake: Old Woodville." November 2, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Yonkers Was Also An Area Ghost Town." Harris, Phil. Muskogee Sunday Phoenix & Times Democrat. May 23, 1976. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Zincville"

Further reading

  • Berry, Shelley, Small Towns, Ghost Memories of Oklahoma: A Photographic Narrative of Hamlets and Villages Throughout Oklahoma's Seventy-seven Counties (Virginia Beach, Va.: Donning Company Publishers, 2004).
  • Blake Gumprecht, "A Saloon On Every Corner: Whiskey Towns of Oklahoma Territory, 1889-1907," The Chronicles of Oklahoma 74 (Summer 1996).
  • Carson, Mary. Guide to Treasure in Oklahoma Volume 1. 144.
  • Shirk, George (1987). Oklahoma Place Names. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-2028-2.
  • "Ghost Towns," Vertical File, Research Division, Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma City.
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