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List of ghost towns in Oklahoma facts for kids

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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 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
  • Covered with water
  • 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

Day County OT map 1905
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 Jackson 1899 1905
Abbott Pushmataha 1897 1899
Acme Grady 1911 1930 Neglected site Grew around the Acme Cement and Plaster Company mill and power plant.
Adamson Pittsburg ca 1906 1919 Semi-abandoned Former coal mining town in eastern Oklahoma
Addington Jefferson 1890s present Historic community
Agawam Grady 1909 1919
Alluwe Lightning Creek Nowata 1872 1950s Barren site Founded by the Delaware Indians. Moved to New Alluwe after the creation of the Oologah Reservoir.
Alpha Kingfisher 1893 1903 Abandoned
Alsuma Tulsa 1906 1926 Semi-abandoned Pre-statehood community, annexed by Tulsa in 1966
America McCurtain 1903 1944 Neglected site
Antioch Garvin 1895 1932
Anvil Lincoln 1892 1904 Barren Site East of Payson about 3/10 of a mile down 3480 is where an anvil-shaped rock is found. An earthquake broke rock.
Arpelar Pittsburg 1903 1934 Semi Abandoned Site
Arthur Stephens 1890 1934 Barren site
Autwine Pierceton, Arta, Virginia City Kay 1894 1930 Barren site
Avard Woods 1904 still present Semi-abandoned site
Avery Mound City Lincoln 1902 1957 Neglected site
Avoca Pottawatomie 1894 1906 Post office and school merged with Asher
Bailey Grady 1892 1932
Balko Beaver 1904
Baker Beaver
Bathsheba Garfield
Bearden Okfuskee Semi Abandoned
Beer City White City was originally Texas, now it’s Beaver 1888 1890 Barren site
Beland Chase Muskogee All black town
Bell LeFlore 1891 1897 Abandoned
Benton Beaver 1880s 1920 Barren site
Bernice Needmore Delaware 1880s 1941 Barren site Original site flooded by Grand Lake o' the Cherokees.
Bickford Blaine 1904 1927 Barren site Site occupied by Roman Nose State Park
Big Canyon Arbuckle Murray 1904 1961
Big Cedar Bigcedar LeFlore 1903 1943
Bismark Wright,
Wright City, Oklahoma
McCurtain 1909 1920 Historic community Name changed in 1920 because of anti-German sentiment in WWI.
Blackburn Pawnee 1893 1960 Semi-abandoned site
Boggy Depot Old Boggy Depot Atoka 1837 1883 Barren site Site occupied by Boggy Depot State Park
Bookertee Okfuskee All black town.
Box Cleveland Barren site Cemetery still exists
Bradley Grady Abandoned
Braithwaite Washita 1910 1923
Bridgeport Caddo 1890s present Semi-abandoned site
Brinkman Greer 1910 1965 Abandoned site
Bromide Juanita, Zenobia Coal, Johnston 1905 present Historic community
Bryan’s Corner Bryans Corner Beaver
Burke City Okfuskee
Button Springs Johnston
Byars McClain 1903 Semi-Abandoned Named after Nathan H. Byars, local rancher
Byron Alfalfa 1898 present Historic community Population as of 1910 census: 286. Population as of 2010 census: 35.
Canadian Colored All black town.
Cardin Ottawa 1913 2010 Abandoned site Part of Tar Creek Superfund site. 2010 Population (prior to federal buyout): 3.
Carpenter Roger Mills
Carter Nine Osage 1920 1967 Abandoned site
Catesby Ellis
Cayuga Delaware 1884 1913 Semi-abandoned site
Center Pontotoc 1880s 1900 Semi-abandoned site Destroyed by fire. Old site 1/2 mile north of new community of Center, Oklahoma.
Centralia Lucas Craig 1898 ca. 1929 Semi-abandoned site
Ceres Noble
Cestos Dewey 1898 1923 Semi-abandoned site
Chahta Tamaha Armstrong Academy Bryan 1844 1883 Barren site Former capital of the Choctaw Nation
Chant Haskell 1922 Merged into McCurtain, Oklahoma
Charleston Harper Abandoned
Cheek
Cherokee Town Garvin 1874 1877 Barren site
Chism McClain
Chisholm Spring Pottawatomie 1847 1862 Abandoned site
Citra Hughes
Clarkson Payne Abandoned
Clebit A logging camp of the Dierks Lumber Company
Clemscott Carter An oil camp in the Healdton Oil Field.
Cline Beaver 1894 1948 Barren site
Cloud Chief Tacola Washita 1892 1964 Semi-abandoned site Former county seat of Washita County.
Cogar Caddo
Cohn Pushmataha
Cold Springs Kiowa 1903 Barren site Cleared for Tom Steed Reservoir.
Conditville Stephens
Cooperton Kiowa 1903 still present Semi-abandoned site
Corbett Cleveland 1893 1930s Neglected site
Corner Pottawatomie 1903 1906
Cornish Jefferson
Cowboy Flats Campbell, Pleasant Valley Logan
Cox City Grady 1927 1964
Crawford Roger Mills
Cromwell Seminole
Cross Kay
Crum Creek Pushmataha
Daisy Atoka Abandoned Site
Dawson Tulsa 1949 Annexed by the City of Tulsa.
Denoya Whizbang Osage 1921 1942 Abandoned site
Denver Cleveland
Devol Cotton
Dillard Carter
Diamond Haskell Barren site
Doaksville Choctaw 1847 1903 Barren site Choctaw capital from 1850-1863.
Doby Springs Bellaire Harper 1907 1922 Abandoned
Douglas City Oklahoma 1894 Black community
Douthat Century Ottawa Neglected site
Downs Kingfisher 1889 1900 Barren town moved south, now known as Cashion
Driftwood Alfalfa 1898 present Historic community Unincorporated as of 1980 census. Abandoned businesses cleaned up. Church, cemetery, and a few homes remain.
Durwood Carter No remnants of town. Now a community of homes, also Indian Territory
Eagle Eagle Town, Eagletown McCurtain
Eagle City Dillon Blaine 1902 1971
Earlsboro Pottawatomie
Eddy Kay
Elmwood Beaver 1888
Emet Johnston
Empire Stephens
Eram Okmulgee
Erin Springs Garvin
Eschiti Eschite Tillman
Eubanks Pushmataha 1907 1924
Eva Texas Abandoned Site
Fallis Mission Lincoln 1892 Abandoned site
Fame McIntosh
Fennell Choctaw
Ferguson All black town.
Fisher Fisher's Bottom, Fisherman's Bottom Tulsa
Fleetwood Jefferson
Floris Beaver
Fonda Dewey Abandoned Site Little Robe Township in 1920 census
Foraker Osage 1903
Foss Washita 1900 Semi-abandoned
Fowlerville McCurtain
Francis Newton Pontotoc Historic community
Franklin Cleveland
Frazer Jackson Relocated to higher ground and renamed Altus
Frisco Veteran City Canadian
Gaar Corner Pontotoc
Garnetville Oklahoma 1892
Gas City Stephens
Gate Beaver Historic community
Gee Pushmataha 1909 1911 Abandoned site
Gene Autry Lou, Dresden, Berywn Carter 1883 present
Gibson Station Wagoner All black town.
Glenwood Oklahoma
Gotebo Kiowa Semi-abandoned site
Grand Ellis 1892 1943 Abandoned site Second county seat of Day County, first seat of Ellis County.
Gray Horse Osage
Gumbo Pit Oklahoma
Hale Tulsa Abandoned
Hanson LeFlore Flooded by Arkansas River.
Harrison Sequoyah 1908 1912 Abandoned
Helsel Cleveland
Hext Beckham 1901 1902 Along historic Route 66.
Higbee Cleveland
Hochatown McCurtain
Hockerville Ottawa 1916 Neglected site
Holder
Hollister Tillman
Hope Stephens
Hough Texas
Hoxbar Carter
Humphreys Jackson Semi-abandoned site
Huntville Kingfisher Barren site
Indianapolis Grady Abandoned site
Independence Custer 1892 1922 barren site Town missed the railroad and moved to Custer City
Ingalls Signet Payne 1889 1907
Ingersoll Alfalfa 1901 1942 Abandoned site Post office closed December 31, 1942.
Ioland Ellis 1894 1908 Abandoned site First seat of Day County, Oklahoma (now defunct), Only cemetery remains visible.
Iron Post Creek
Jefferson Grant 1887
Jennings Pawnee
Jester Greer
Johns Pushmataha
Jumbo Pushmataha 1906 Named for Jumbo Asphalt Company.
Kaw City Kay
Kell City
Kenton Carrizo, Florence Cimarron 1893 Semi-Abandoned Site
Keokuk Falls Pottawatomie 1892 1918
Keystone Appalachia Pawnee ca 1958 Abandoned Site Flooded by Keystone Lake; construction begun in 1958.
Kiamichi Pushmataha
Kibby Harper
Knowles Sands City Beaver
Kosoma Pushmataha 1888 1954
Kusa Okmulgee 1916 1936
Lacey Kingfisher 1890 1909
Lake Creek Greer
La Kemp Lakemp Beaver 1909 1919
Lawrie Logan
Lehigh Coal 1882 still present Semi-abandoned site Former county seat of Coal County.
Lenna
Lenora Lanora Dewey Semi-abandoned
Letitia Comanche
Liberty Noble 1893 Abandoned All black town.
Little Axe Cleveland
Little Chief Osage
Lima Seminole Semi Abandoned Site
Lodi Latimer
Logan Beaver
Lone Pine Osage
Lone Star Lonestar Custer 1895 1904
Loveland Harriston Tillman 1908 Semi-abandoned site
Lovell Perth Logan 1889 1957
Lugert Jackson 1902 1950 Cleared for Lake Altus-Lugart Reservoir
Lyceum Pushmataha
Lyman Osage
Manning Pittsburg
Magee Garvin
Maguire Cleveland
Manard Bayou Menard Cherokee 1828 Semi-abandoned School closed in 1966, absorbed into Fort Gibson schools
Marina Payne
Marshall Town All black town.
Mayes Adair 1883 1896 Abandoned site Formed around Flint Courthouse, Flint District, Cherokee Nation.
Maxwell
Meers Comanche 1902 Abandoned site
Miller Court House McCurtain 1824 1838 Abandoned Originally in Miller County, Arkansas before boundary was redrawn.
Milton Needmore LeFlore 1870 1950s Neglected site Site of the Milton Colony.
Mineral Mineral City Cimarron 1886 1911
Mocane Beaver
Moral Pottawatomie 1891
Mouser Texas 1928
Navajoe Jackson 1887
New Spring Place
Newby Creek
New Tulsa Oak Grove Wagoner 1968 2001 Historic community Absorbed by Broken Arrow
Nicksville Sequoyah 1828 1829 Former county seat of Lovely County, Arkansas. Site of Dwight Mission.
Nicut Sequoyah
Nolia Pushmataha 1912 1920
Non Cannon Hughes 1901 1954 Abandoned site
North Fork North Fork Town, Micco 1836 ca 1886 Established by Mvskoke Creeks in 1836 part of the Eufaula District of the Creek Nation.
Numa Grant 1898 1943 Abandoned site
Oakdale
Oak Wall
Oil City Wheeler Carter 1886 1930 A Healdton Oil Field camp.
Old Agency Village The Red Store Comanche
Old Bliss Bliss Noble County
Old Kaw City
Olney Parmicho Coal
Omega Kingfisher
Orr Love 1892 1957 Neglected site
Owen Washington
Park Hill Cherokee
Parkland Lincoln 1894 Historic community
Parkersburg Custer 1901 1906 Barren site 100 buildings moved into Clinton
Parr Grady 1883
Paucaunla Bryan
Pavilion Murray
Pawpaw Paw Paw Sequoyah 1882 1915 Abandoned
Payson Lincoln
Perryville Pittsburg ca 1849 1943 Abandoned Burned after a Civil War engagement in 1863; never regained its former population or importance.
Phroso Major 1900 1937 Neglected site
Picher Ottawa 1915 2009 Abandoned Large zinc mining town.
Pine Valley LeFlore 1926 1953 Neglected site
Piney Piney CDP Adair 1824 1940 Historic community Cherokee Nation (1794–1907) "Head Town" (re: 'informal capital') from 1824-1828.
Pleasant Valley Campbell Logan
Port Washita 1901
Provine
Pumpkin Center Oklmulgee
Pyramid Corners
Quay Lawson Pawnee and Payne 1894 2000 Semi-abandoned site
Quinlan Woodward
Radium Town Rogers Historic community Absorbed by Claremore
Redden Atoka 1903 1954 Barren site
Reed Greer 1892 Semi-abandoned site
Reeding
Reno City Canadian 1889 1899 Barren site Started in hopes railroad would arrive. When railroad went to El Reno instead, town was abandoned.
Richards Spur Comanche Semi-abandoned site
Ringo Washington Abandoned Post office December 12, 1889 - January 15, 1900. Ringo Hotel still remains.
Rodney Pushmataha 1890 1899
Ron Harmon
Roxana Logan 1927
Roy Rogers
Sacred Heart Pottawatomie 1879 1954
San Bernardo Petersburg Jefferson
Santa Fe
Sardis Pushmataha 1905 ca 1980 Abandoned site Flooded by construction of Lake Sardis
Scipio Pittsburg
Scratchout Sequoyah
Shamrock Creek 1910 2010 There is still a historical museum
Short Sequoyah
Silver City Creek
Skedee Pawnee 1902 Population of 51 in 2010; formerly called Lemert
Smackover Kay Barren site
Stecker Caddo
Stella Cleveland
Sumpter Kay
Stuart Hughes
Tangier Woodward
Tahlonteeskee Sequoyah 1828 Barren site
Texanna McIntosh 1839
Texola Texokla, Texoma, Beerola. Beckham On old Route 66.
Three Sands Kay, Noble
Trousdale Pottawatomie
Tuskegee Creek
Tussy Carter and Garvin
Ulan Pittsburg 1870s - 1900s
Uncas Kay
Violet Springs Pottawatomie
Washunga Kay
Warwick Lincoln
Webb Dewey Semi-abandoned site
Wellston Colony Lincoln All black town.
Wheeless Cimarron
White Bead White Bead Hill Garvin
Whizbang Denoya Osage 1921 1942 Abandoned site
Wildman Kiowa
Wirt Ragtown Carter 1913 present Incorporated into Healdton.
Witcher Oklahoma
Wolf Seminole Semi-abandoned site
Womack McClain 1899 1909 Barren site
Woodford Bywater Carter
Woodville Old Woodville Marshall 1944 Barren site Covered by Lake Texoma|
Wybark Muskogee All black town.
Yeager Hughes
Yeldell Jackson
Yewed Alfalfa 1902 1952 Neglected site Post office closed in 1952. Town had a population of 2 in 1977.
Yonkers Wagoner 1913 1935 Abandoned site Submerged by Fort Gibson Dam and Reservoir.
Zena Delaware 1956 Semi-abandoned site Zena had a population of 123 in 2010.
Zincville St. Louis Ottawa 1917 1954 Abandoned site Former mining town between Picher and Hockerville.
Zoraya   Pushmataha 1905 1930 Barren site Former Choctaw town; post office closed October 31, 1919. Only remnant is Zoraya cemetery.

See also

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List of ghost towns in Oklahoma Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.