List of ghost towns in Alabama explained

This is an incomplete list of ghost towns in Alabama, United States.

Classification

Barren site

Neglected site

Abandoned site

Semi-abandoned site

Historic community

Ghost towns

Town name  Other name  County  Established  Disestablished  Current status  Remarks   
Aigleville[1] 1818 1830s Barren Established by French Vine and Olive colonists
Arcola[2] Arcola Ferry 1820s 1850s Historic Established by French Vine and Olive colonists
Bainbridge[3] Bam Bridge, Bambridge 1819 1840s SubmergedUnder Wilson Lake
Barnesville[4] Historic
BattelleNeglected
Beaver MillsBeaver Meadow Neglected Site of a uniform depot during Civil War
Bellefonte1821 1920s Neglected Former county seat of Jackson County
Blakeley1813 1865 NeglectedFormer county seat of Baldwin County
BlancheBarren Site at intersection of State Route 35 and State Route 273
Bluff CityBluff, Monroe 1818 1881
BlufftonCherokee1888 1934 Barren Former iron ore mining town
Boston
Brownville1925 Approx. 1989 Abandoned / demolished Former company town for W.P. Brown and Sons Lumber Co., some plots still visible near intersection of Tabernacle Road and Brownville Pike Road in Northwestern Tuscaloosa County
Cahaba1819 1865 Abandoned First capital of Alabama, from 1820-1826
CedricFour miles southwest of Roanoke
Centerdale
Chandler Springs[5] 1832 1918 Abandoned Nationally famous resort town, from 1832-1918
Choctaw CornerBarren Area now part of Thomasville
Chulafinnee Placers1835 1840s
Claiborne[6] 1816 1870s Abandoned One of the largest settlements in early Alabama
Clarkesville[7] Clarkeville 1819 1860s Barren First county seat of Clarke County
Dumphries1819 1839
Erie1819 1855 BarrenFormer county seat of Hale County
FailetownSite of the Bashi Skirmish a battle during the Creek War.
FinchburgFinchburgh, Finchberg Amasa Coleman Lee, the father of Harper Lee did live in this town.
Historic
Fort GainesHistoricDefensive fort on Mobile Bay. Now serves as a museum and tourist attraction on Dauphin Island.
Fort McClellan19121999Abandoned/historic Former army base outside of Anniston
Fort MorganDefensive fort on Mobile Bay
Gantts Quarry18302000Abandoned Former mining town
Gold Log MineFormer gold mining camp
HoustonHistoric Former county seat of Winston County
Kaulton1912 Barren Former Kaul Lumber Company company town and mill site; now part of Tuscaloosa
KowaligaBenson, Kowaliga Industrial CommunityBarren and submergedFormer historically African-American community with a focus on industry, was partially submerged under Lake Martin after the creation of Martin Dam.[8]
Louina18341905At one time the largest town in Randolph County
Manasco
Massillon
Minden
MontezumaCovington Courthouse First county seat of Covington County
Morgan Stream
Mountain Mills18721893Barren Former home of large cotton mill
NottinghamJones Camp Ground 1880s 1895 Steel town
OdenaShirtee Plantation, Odena Plantation, Oden's Mill Barren
Old Ramer1850 1895
PanseyThe 28th Lieutenant Governor of Alabama, Lucy Baxley who served from 2003 to 2007 was born here.
PikevilleFirst county seat of Marion County
Prairie BluffPrairie Blue, Dale, Daletown 1819 1870s Submerged Former Alabama River shipping port
Riverton[9] [10] Point Smith 1846-1851, Chickasaw 1851-1890, Riverton 1890-1930sColbert18461930sSubmergedFormer Tennessee River port town, now underwater due to the construction of the Pickwick Landing Dam. The only current remnant of Riverton is a cemetery located along the Rose Trail
RockcastleDavis Creek
St. Stephens1789HistoricFirst territorial capital of Alabama
Stanton
TooktocaugeeBarren Former Creek Indian village
Turkey Town1770Barren Former Creek Indian village
Valhermoso SpringsChunn Springs, Manning Springs, Valhermosa Springs, White Sulpher Springs Former health resort
ViennaFormer Tombigbee River port.
Washington18171879Barren/submergedFirst county seat of Autauga County
Bell FontaineBell Fountain ca. 1760 1880s Abandoned/replaced Former stagecoach stop and settlement

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Harris, W. Stuart . Dead Towns of Alabama . 1977 . University of Alabama Press . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . 57–58 . 0-8173-1125-4 .
  2. Book: Harris, W. Stuart . Dead Towns of Alabama . 1977 . University of Alabama Press . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . 60 . 0-8173-1125-4 .
  3. Web site: Guide to the Ghost Towns of Alabama . Ghost Town USA . Gary B Speck Publications . Dec 28, 2008 . May 12, 2009.
  4. Web site: Ghost Towns of Alabama . Ghost Towns . ghosttowns.com . May 11, 2009.
  5. Web site: Alabama Ghost-Town Project . Ghost Towns of Alabama . BamaRides.com . Feb 26, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110310090036/http://bamarides.com/rideforum/alabama-ghost-town-project/ . March 10, 2011 . dead .
  6. Book: Harris, W. Stuart . Dead Towns of Alabama . 1977 . University of Alabama Press . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . 71–72 . 0-8173-1125-4 .
  7. Book: Harris, W. Stuart . Dead Towns of Alabama . 1977 . University of Alabama Press . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . 72–73 . 0-8173-1125-4 .
  8. Web site: Hedreen . Siri . April 28, 2021 . Timeline: The rise and fall of Benson . 2023-03-06 . . en . article and image carousel.
  9. Map of Northwest Alabama Area-alabama.hometownlocator.com/al/colbert/riverton.cfm
  10. Ed Vengrouskie (1999). Colbert County Alabama History - History of the Northwest Corner of Alabama. www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ alcolber/hist-nwal.htm