List of ghost towns in Oklahoma

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The U.S. state of Oklahoma has an estimated two thousand ghost towns. These towns began for a number of reasons, often as liquor towns, boomtowns, or mining towns, with some pre-dating statehood. The population and activity later declined in these locations due to the exhaustion of natural resources, manmade or natural disasters, urbanization, the creation of a water source, or after being bypassed by highways and interstates.

These places vary in their current states with some having completely disappeared while others still have small communities. A small number have also gained notability for other reasons, such as being part of the Tar Creek Superfund Site, for existing in an unusual location, or for crimes. The earliest known ghost town in the state was said to have been one by 1839 while the latest were evacuated in 2010.

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History

Oklahoma is a U.S. state in the South Central region of the United States. It has the nation's twenty-eighth largest population and ranks twentieth in terms of land area in the United States.[1] There are an estimated two thousand ghost towns within the state.[2] Many of these sites emerged quickly for various reasons. Prior to statehood, these were often "liquor towns" (or "whiskey towns"), located in Oklahoma Territory which served alcohol to adjacent residents of Indian Territory, a then-dry territory. Similarly, towns in the Oklahoma panhandle (then called "No Man's Land") were a place for lawlessness where alcohol was also served to residents of the surrounding towns in Kansas and Texas where it was otherwise prohibited. In later years, after Oklahoma was admitted to the union, several boomtowns were established after the discovery of natural resources, such as oil or petroleum jelly. Several mining towns also took form when lead, zinc, gold, or coal was discovered.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn[3][4]

Over time, these towns ceased to exist for a variety of reasons. Some towns diminished as the natural resources were exhausted and the population moved to other locations. The residents in other places frequently relocated to be closer to newly-laid railroad tracks, a post office, a water source, or larger cities. Some towns were abandoned when the townspeople were displaced after manmade and natural disasters such as tornadoes, fires (both wild and arson), floods, sinkholes, or being declared a superfund site. A number of places were also demolished to create artificial lakes and dams. In later years, many towns faded away when they were bypassed by the U.S. Numbered Highway System, and later the Interstate Highway System.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Ghost towns in Oklahoma have been extensively researched and documented in two books, both released by the University of Oklahoma Press: Ghost Towns of Oklahoma (1978) by John W. Morris and Here Today: Oklahoma's Ghost Towns, Vanishing Towns, and Towns Persisting Against the Odds (2024) by Jeffrey B. Schmidt. The definition of "ghost town" varies from author to author. Morris, for example, classified them as such if they met one of three criteria: places that no longer exist and have no physical evidence remaining, places in which structures remain but have been abandoned and are unused, or places where the population has decreased eighty percent or more from its peak.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Schmidt, meanwhile, had a lower threshold for population decline and placed listed towns into one of five specific categories—Barren Site, Neglected Site, Abandoned Site, Semi-Abandoned Site, or Historic Community—which are used as a methodology to describe the locations' then-statuses. While still covering historic communities in his book, Schmidt did not consider them to meet the criteria of a ghost town. Further definitions of what a ghost town is have been shaped by various other authors whose scope often extends outside of Oklahoma itself.Template:Sfn

Oklahoma's ghost towns are in various states of existence. The locations of Autwine and Zincville, among others, have very little to no physical evidence remaining, such as ruins or foundations, and have been reverted for agricultural use. Other locations are similar to those of Gotebo and Warwick and may still have abandoned buildings or even a community that contains businesses, schools, or a local government, and in which citizens reside.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

A few ghost towns have also become particularly notable in their own right for other reasons. For example, Picher has been referred to as the most toxic town in America,Template:Efn while residents in Texola were classified as both Oklahomans and Texans because the town was surveyed eight different times, often with different results about whether the area actually existed in Oklahoma or Texas.Template:Sfn Kenton is known for being the only place in Oklahoma to observe Mountain Time[5] and Shamrock rose to notoriety after it was discovered that local law enforcement were issuing illegal traffic tickets because they were not actually police officers to begin with.[6]

List of ghost towns

List of ghost towns in OklahomaTemplate:Efn
Town Other name(s) County ExistedTemplate:Efn Current remnants/status Template:Abbreviation
Incorporated Dissolved
Academy Armstrong Academy,
Chahta Tamaha 		Bryan 1844 Script error: No such module "sort". Foundations and cemetery Template:Sfn
Acme — Grady 1911 1930 Residences and ruins Template:Sfn
Adamson — Pittsburg Script error: No such module "sort". 1950 Residences and grocery stores Template:Sfn
Addington — Jefferson 1901 Script error: No such module "sort". Businesses and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Afton — Ottawa 1886 1997 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn[7]
Akins — Sequoyah 1894 1943 Few residents in an agricultural community Template:Sfn
Aline — Alfalfa 1894 2000 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Alluwe Lightning Creek Creek Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". Current site of Oologah Lake Template:Sfn
Alpha — Kingfisher 1893 1902 None Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
America — McCurtain 1907 1944 Current site of the Ouachita National Forest Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Atwood Newburg Hughes 1897 1967 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Autwine Virginia City Kay 1899 1930 None Template:Sfn
Avard — Woods 1904 2010 Restaurant, grain elevator, and abandoned structures Template:Sfn[8]
Avery — Lincoln 1902 1957 Residences and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Beer City White City Texas 1888 1890 Agricultural use Template:Sfn
Benton — Beaver Script error: No such module "sort". 1920 Agricultural use Template:Sfn
Bernice Needmore Delaware Script error: No such module "sort". 1941 Current site of Grand Lake o' the Cherokees Template:Sfn
Bessie — Washita 1903 1950s Small community Template:Sfn
Bickford — Blaine 1904 1929 Current site of Roman Nose State Park Template:Sfn
BigheartTemplate:Efn — Osage 1905 1921 Few structures Template:Sfn
Big Cedar Bigcedar LeFlore 1903 1943 Gas stations and John F. Kennedy monument Template:Sfn
Blackburn — Pawnee 1893 1960 Churches and abandoned structures Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Boggy Depot Old Boggy Depot Atoka 1837 1883 Cemetery Template:Sfn
Bridgeport — Caddo 1893 1909 Grocery store Template:Sfn
Brinkman — Greer 1910 1974 None Template:Sfn
Bromide Juanita,
Zenobia 		Coal Script error: No such module "sort". 1930 Grocery store Template:Sfn
Johnston
Brooksville Lelian,
Sewell 		Pottawatomie 1909 1955 Residents and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Burke City — Okfuskee 1901 Script error: No such module "sort". None, flooded by North Canadian River Template:Sfn
Byars — McClain 1902 1964 Residences and abandoned buildings Template:Sfn
Caney — Atoka 1879 1960 Small community Template:Sfn[9]
CardinTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn Tar River Ottawa 1913 1938 Abandoned [10][11]
1983 2010
Carter — Beckham 1900 2002 Small community Template:Sfn
Catesby — Ellis 1902 1970 Church Template:Sfn
Cayuga — Delaware 1884 1913 Structures Template:Sfn
Center — Pontotoc Script error: No such module "sort". 1900 Vacant structures Template:Sfn
Centralia — Craig Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". Store, post office, and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Cestos — Dewey 1892 Script error: No such module "sort". Store and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Cherokee Town — Garvin 1874 Script error: No such module "sort". Agricultural use Template:Sfn
Clearview Abelincoln,
Lincoln 		Okfuskee 1889 1992 Residences and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Cloud Chief Tacola Washita 1892 1913 Church and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Cold Springs — Kiowa 1901 Script error: No such module "sort". None, cleared for West Otter Creek Template:Sfn
Colony Seger's Colony Washita 1886 1941 Abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Corbett — Cleveland 1893 1930 Church and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Crawford — Roger Mills 1910 1930 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Cromwell — Seminole 1923 1930 Small community Template:Sfn
CrossTemplate:Efn — Kay 1893 1894 Unknown Template:Sfn[3]
Denoya Whizbang Osage 1921 Script error: No such module "sort". Oil rigs and foundations Template:Sfn
Devol — Cotton 1907 1959 Small community Template:Sfn
Doaksville Fort Towson Choctaw 1820 Script error: No such module "sort". Cemetery Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Doby SpringsTemplate:Efn Bellaire Harper 1907 1912 City of Buffalo park and water source Template:Sfn
Dougherty Henderson Flat,
Strawberry Flat 		Murray 1887 1993 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
DouthatTemplate:Efn Century Ottawa 1916 1970 Abandoned [12]
Eagle City Dillon Blaine 1902 1960s Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn[13]
Earlsboro — Pottawatomie 1891 1940 Businesses and abandoned structures Template:Sfn[14]
Fallis Mission Lincoln 1892 1970 Residences and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Faxon Slogan Comanche 1902 1995 Abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Fay — Dewey 1894 1969 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Fleetwood — Jefferson 1885 1961 Farms and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Foraker — Osage 1905 Script error: No such module "sort". Few residences Template:Sfn
Foss — Washita Script error: No such module "sort". 1977 Grocery store, gas station, and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Francis Newton Pontotoc 1894 1940 Businesses and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Gene Autry Berwyn,
Dresden,
Lou 		Carter 1883 1975 Small community Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Gerty Guertie,
Raydon 		Hughes 1893 1965 Abandoned buildings remain Template:Sfn
Gotebo — Kiowa 1904 1990 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Gould Gibson Harmon 1917 1990 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Grand — Ellis 1892 1908 Landscaping and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Grayson Wildcat Okmulgee 1897 1967 Churches and community building Template:Sfn
Gray Horse — Osage 1884 1931 Residences and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Hanna Hasson McIntosh 1902 1938 Schools Template:Sfn
Hanson — Sequoyah 1888 1910 Few residences Template:Sfn
Hastings — Jefferson 1902 1960s Small community Template:Sfn[15]
Hess — Jackson 1889 1920 Abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Hitchcock — Blaine 1901 1959 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
HockervilleTemplate:Efn — Ottawa 1916 2010 Abandoned [12]
Hollister — Tillman 1909 1968 Abandoned structures and ruins Template:Sfn
Independence — Custer 1892 1922 None, agricultural use Template:Sfn
Ingalls — Payne 1889 1938 Monument Template:Sfn
Ingersoll — Alfalfa 1901 1942 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Jefferson — Grant 1866 1974 Churches and few residents Template:Sfn
Jumbo — Pushmataha 1906 Script error: No such module "sort". Small community Template:Sfn
Kaw City — Kay 1902 1970 Current site of Kaw Reservoir Template:Sfn
Kenton Carrizo,
Florence 		Cimarron 1886 1913 Museum and post office Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Keokuk Falls Keokuk Pottawatomie 1891 1918 Abandoned structure Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Knowles Sands City Beaver 1906 1966 Grocery store and post office Template:Sfn[16]
Kosoma — Pushmataha 1888 1954 Residences and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Lamar Scott Company Town Hughes 1908 1961 Churches and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Lehigh — Coal 1880 1956 Residences and businesses Template:Sfn
Lenora — Dewey 1896 1955 Small community Template:Sfn
LimaTemplate:Efn — Seminole 1904 1978 School and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Loco — Stephens 1890 Script error: No such module "sort". Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn[17]
Logan — Beaver 1888 1973 Cemetery and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Lookeba — Caddo 1898 1960 Small community Template:Sfn
Lost City — Cherokee Script error: No such module "sort". 2008 Small community Template:Sfn[18]
Loveland Harriston Tillman 1908 1968 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Lovell Perth Logan 1889 1950 Residences, abandoned structures, and foundations Template:Sfn
Loyal Kiel Kingfisher 1894 1940 School, agricultural use Template:Sfn[19]
Lugert — Kiowa 1901 1940 Ruins, current site of Lake Altus-Lugert Template:Sfn
Macomb McComb Pottawatomie 1903 1950 Small community Template:Sfn[20]
Maramec — Pawnee 1901 1957 Small community Template:Sfn
Marshall — Logan 1890 1976 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Martha — Jackson 1889 1993 Few residences and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
May — Harper 1896 1973 Post office and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Meers — Comanche 1901 1905 Abaonded structures Template:Sfn
Meridian — Logan 1902 2000 Few residences and abandoned structures [21][22]Template:Sfn
Mineral Mineral City Cimarron 1886 1910 Abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Mouser — Texas 1928 UnknownTemplate:Efn Abandoned Template:Sfn
Mulhall — Logan 1889 1920 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Payne
Nash Nashville Grant 1894 1993 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Navajoe — Jackson 1887 1905 Cemetery Template:Sfn
Oakwood — Dewey 1899 1958 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Oktaha — Muskogee 1872 1920 Post office and ruins Template:Sfn[23]
Omega — Kingfisher 1892 2009 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Orlando — Logan 1893 1964 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Payne
Osage Osage City Osage 1906 1961 Church and post office Template:Sfn
Park Hill — Cherokee 1836 1942 Cemeteries and tourism building Template:Sfn
PeoriaTemplate:Efn — Ottawa 1891 1941 Small community Template:Sfn
PicherTemplate:Efn — Ottawa 1916 2010 Chat piles, abandoned structures, and foundations Template:Sfn[11][24]
Pittsburg — Pittsburg 1909 1959 Small community Template:Sfn
Port — Washita 1901 1966 Few structures, agriculture use Template:Sfn
Putnam — Dewey 1895 1950 Store, abandoned structures, and foundations Template:Sfn
Quay Lawson Pawnee 1894 1957 Few structures Template:Sfn
Payne
Quinlan — Woodward 1893 Script error: No such module "sort". Church and few structures Template:Sfn
Reed — Greer 1892 1975 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Red Bird Redbird Wagoner 1902 1975 Church and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Ringo — Washington 1889 1900 Hotel Template:Sfn
Rocky — Washita 1898 1967 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Roosevelt — Kiowa 1901 1993 Abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Rosedale — McClain 1908 1971 Residences and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Sacred Heart Sacred Heart Mission Pottawatomie 1879 1954 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Santa Fe — Stephens 1921 1950 Oil rigs and foundations Template:Sfn
Shamrock — Creek 1910 2010 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn[25]Template:Sfn
Silver City — Grady 1883 1890 Cemetery, agricultural use Template:Sfn
Skedee Lamert Pawnee 1902 1963 Small community and abandoned structures [26][27]Template:Sfn
Skullyville Scullyville LeFlore 1831 1917 Cemetery Template:Sfn
Slick — Creek 1920 1930 Small community Template:Sfn
Sparks — Lincoln 1902 Script error: No such module "sort". Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Spencerville — Choctaw 1844 Unknown Small community Template:Sfn
St. Louis Simpsonville Pottawatomie 1906 1993 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Stecker — Caddo 1909 1954 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Strong City — Roger Mills 1911 1956 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Stuart Hoyuby Hughes 1896 1940 School and residences Template:Sfn[28]
Sugden — Jefferson Script error: No such module "sort". 1955 Small community and foundations Template:Sfn
Summit — Muskogee 1896 1959 Cemeteries Template:Sfn
Sumner — Noble 1893 1964 Churches and foundations Template:Sfn
Tahlonteeskee — Sequoyah Script error: No such module "sort". 1839 Unknown Template:Sfn
Taft — Muskogee 1902 1990 Small community Template:Sfn[29]
Talala — Rogers 1890 Script error: No such module "sort". Small agricultural community Template:Sfn
Tamaha — Haskell 1884 1964 Small community Template:Sfn
Tatums Tatum Carter 1894 1990 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn[30]
Texola Texokla,
Texoma 		Beckham 1901 1990 Small community and abandoned structures [31][32]
Terlton — Pawnee 1894 1962 Small community Template:Sfn
Three Sands — Kay 1921 1951 Agricultural use Template:Sfn
Noble
Vernon — McIntosh 1910 1991 Residences and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Vinson Francis,
Trotter 		Harmon 1903 1964 Churches Template:Sfn
Wanette Aberline Pottawatomie 1877 1930 Small community and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Warwick — Lincoln 1892 1972 Small community Template:Sfn[33]
Whitefield — Haskell 1881 UnknownTemplate:Efn Post office, agricultural use Template:Sfn[34]
Willow — Greer 1899 1957 Churches and restaurants Template:Sfn
WirtTemplate:Efn Ragtown Carter 1913 1972 Abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Woodford Bywater Carter 1870 1974 Abandoned structures Template:Sfn
Woodville Harney Marshall 1880 Script error: No such module "sort". Current site of Lake Texoma Template:Sfn
Yeager — Hughes 1902 1974 Few residents Template:Sfn
Yewed — Alfalfa 1898 1958 Residences and abandoned structures Template:Sfn
ZincvilleTemplate:Efn St. LouisTemplate:Efn Ottawa 1917 1954 Abandoned [12]

See also

Notes

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References

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  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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Bibliography

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Further reading

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External links

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Template:Lists of ghost towns by U.S. state Script error: No such module "navbox".

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