List of ghost towns in Kansas
Introduction Map of the United States with Kansas highlightedThis is an incomplete list of ghost towns in the state of Kansas.
Causes There are many reasons as to why a community becomes abandoned (or nearly abandoned). *Transportation – With the development of major highways and interstates, people were willing to travel farther for goods and services causing local businesses in smaller towns to lose customers and ultimately close. The more businesses that close the more people are apt to want to move away to a bigger town. Transportation has played a major role in settlement in Kansas. As traffic from the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails increased, towns boomed along them. When railroads were established towns developed along the tracks or even moved to where the tracks were. *Politics – In Kansas, the political atmosphere was highly divided. Towns were either pro-slavery or abolitionist. When Kansas became a free state in 1861, pro-slavery towns died out. Survival of a town also depended on if it won the county seat. Towns that were contenders for the county seat and lost typically saw most, if not all, of their town die out. *Lack of employment  – Towns that catered to a specific industry like coal mining or military housing were boom towns that quickly died when their markets collapsed. Some towns were abandoned in the 1930s during the Dust Bowl period which mainly relied on agriculture. *Eminent domain / flood control – Since 1951, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have sought to control floods through the building of dams along rivers and the resulting outcome is a town having to be moved or abandoned and demolished. *Environmental degradation – remnants of lead and zinc mining can cause soil contamination that can render entire communities uninhabitable; e.g. Treece.
List List of ghost towns in Kansas, which aren't incorporated cities or unincorporated communities:===Allen County===* Cofachique* Octagon City===Anderson County===* Hyattville===Atchison County===* Mount Pleasant* Pardee===Butler County===* Oil Hill* Plum Grove* Wingate===Chase County===* Elk* Ellinor* Homestead* Hymer* Thurman===Cherokee County===* Treece===Cheyenne County===* Calhoun* Jaqua* Lawnridge* Marney* Orlando===Clark County===* Lexington===Clay County===* Broughton* Browndale===Cloud County===* Como* Macyville* Sibley* Yuma===Cowley County===* Floral* Wilmot===Decatur County===* Bassetville* Decatur* Hawkeye* Hooker* Jackson* Lund* Sheffield* Shibboleth* Stephen* Vallonia===Doniphan County===* Geary===Douglas County===* Belvoir* Franklin* Lapeer* Louisiana* Media* Prairie City* Twin Mound* Weaver===Elk County===* Cave Springs* Fiat* Upola===Ellis County===* Chetolah* Easdale* Hog Back* Mendota* Rome* Smoky Hill City* Stockrange* Turkville===Ellsworth County===* Terra Cotta===Finney County===* Eminence* Ravanna===Franklin County===* Appanoose* Forrest Home* Garlington* Greenwood* Minneola* Norwood* Ohio City* Pleasant Hill* Silkville===Geary County===* Alida* Pawnee===Gove County===* Alanthus* Hackberry* Jerome===Graham County===* Fargo* Happy* Houston* Kebar* Millbrook* Olean* Roscoe* Togo* Turnerville* Whitfield* Wild Horse===Greeley County===* Astor===Greenwood County===* Teterville* Thrall* Utopia===Harper County===* Albion===Harvey County===* Annelly===Haskell County===* Santa Fe===Jewell County===* Dentonia===Labette County===* Mortimer===Leavenworth County===* Delaware City===Lincoln County===* Bacon* Bayne* Cedron* Herman* Lone Walnut* Milo* Monroe* Orbitello* Orworth* Paris* Pinon* Pleasant Valley* Pottersburg* Rosette* Topsy* Towerspring* Union Valley* Woodey* Yorktown===Linn County===* Hail Ridge===Logan County===* McAllaster* Sheridan===Marion County===* Elk* Gnadenau* Hampson* Oursler* Waldeck* Watchorn===Marshall County===* Bigelow* Irving===Mitchell County===* Blue Hill* Buel* Coursens Grove* Elmira* Saltville* Victor* Walnut Grove* West Asher===Montgomery County===* Le Hunt===Morris County===* Comiskey===Neosho===* Ladore===Norton County===* Bower* Brett* Cactus* Devizes* Fairhaven* Hanback* Hedgewood* Rayville* Rockwell* Smithton* Wakeman===Osborne County===* Banks* Bristow* Cheyenne* Delhi* Deliverance* Dial* Emley* Forney* Free Will* Handy* Pleasant Plain* Potterville* Roundmound* Twin Creek* Vincent* Yoxall===Ottawa County===* Vine Creek===Phillips County===* Crow* Dickeyville* Goode* Jimtown* Luctor* Matteson* Myrtle* Pleasant Green* Powell* Wagnerville* West Cedar===Rawlins County===* Achilles* Beardsley* Beaverton* Burntwood* Celia* Chardon* Gladstone* Greshamton* Mirage* Rawlins* Rotate===Reno County===* Kent===Republic County===* Sherdahl* White Rock===Rice County===* Crawford* Galt===Rooks County===* Adamson* Alcona* Amboy* Chandler* Cresson* Earnest* Frankton* Gould City* Highhill* Hoskins* Igo* Laton* McHale* Motor* Nyra* Portage* Slate* Sugarloaf* Survey* Rockport===Rush County===* Belfield* Brookdale* Fenton* Flavius* Hampton* Hutton* Lippard* Olney* Pioneer* Ryan* Saunders* West Point===Russell County===* Bayne* Blue Stem* East Wolf* Fay* Forest Hill* Greenvale* Hawley* Jack* Kennebec* Success* Winterset* Woodville===Seward County===* Arkalon===Shawnee County===* Richland===Sheridan County===* Adell* Alcyone* Chicago* Lucerne* Museum* Mystic* Phelps* Sheridan* Ute* Violenta===Smith County===* Cora* Anderson* Clifford* Corvallis* Covington* Crystal Plains* Custer* Germantown* Hardilee* Jacksonburg* Judson* Ohio* Troublesome* Twelve Mile* Tyner* Uhl===Stevens County===* Woodsdale===Sumner County===* Bushnell* Cleardale* Doster* Ewell* Metcalf* Roland* Sumner City===Thomas County===* Copeland* Cumberland* Kuka* Otterbourne* Quickville===Trego County===* Banner* Bosna* Cyrus* Wilcox===Wabaunsee County===* Vera===Washington County===* Strawberry===Wichita County===* Farmer City
See also * List of counties in Kansas* List of townships in Kansas* List of cities in Kansas* List of unincorporated communities in Kansas* List of census-designated places in Kansas* Lists of places in Kansas* Kansas locations by per capita income* Kansas census statistical areas* Kansas license plate county codes
References
External links * Kansas Dead Town List The Kansas Historical Society has a list of the Kansas "Dead Towns" online. These lists are detailed in books available at the Society in Topeka. * Lost Kansas Communities Project from the Chapman Center For Rural Studies at Kansas State University