World’s Top 10 Ghost Towns
1. Kolmanskop, Namibia: Kolmanskop was a mining town after diamond was discovered in 1908. It is located near the town of Lüderitz in the Namib desert of southern Namibia. It was abandoned in 1956 as diamond price crashed after second world war.
2. Oatman, Arizona, US: Oatman is a former mining town in the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona, United States. In 1941 Us government ordered to stop all gold mining activities here. By 1960s the town was completely abandoned. But lately, Oatman has generated interest in tourism.
3. Fatehpur Sikri, India: It was built by emperor Akbar as his capital city. But it remained as capital for only 14 years from 1570 – 1585 due to lack of water resources.
4. Deception Island, Antartica: Deception Island is an island in South Shetland off the Antarctic Peninsula, which has one of the safest harbours in Antarctica. A recently active volcano in 1967 and 1969 caused serious damage to the local scientific stations. The only current research bases are run by the Argentine Army and Spain. After 2000 there are two scientific station there. To learn more about deception island, visit: http://www.deceptionisland.aq/
5. Rhyolite Nevada, US: Rhyolite settlement started in 1905 as mining become profitable. Famous Industrialist Charles M. Schwab bought the Montgomery Shoshone Mine in 1906 and brought in all necessery amenities like piped water, telephone, a railway connection etc. But Rhyolite also declined as rapidly it rose after the mining resource like gold exhausted. Now Rhyolite is a ghost town in Nye County, in the U.S. state of Nevada. It is located in the Bullfrog Hills, about 120 miles (190 km) northwest of Las Vegas, near the eastern edge of Death Valley. To learn more visit: http://www.rhyolitenevada.com/
6. Arltunga, Australia: Arltunga is a historic mining town located around 111 k from Alice Springs in central Australia. After gold exhausted the town was abandoned. Read more …..
7. Grafton, Utah, US: It was fertile agricultural land but it was abandoned due to conflict with native Americans and floods. Grafton is a ghost town, just south of Zion National Park in Washington County, Utah, United States. Said to be the most photographed ghost town in the West. To learn more visit: http://www.graftonheritage.org/
8. Stromness, South Georgia Island: Stromness is a former whaling station on the northern coast of South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic. Its historical significance is that it represents the destination of Ernest Shackleton’s epic rescue journey in 1916. In 1961 it was abandoned.
9. Great Blasket Island, Ireland: It was manned by a small fishing community but it was abandoned in 1953 when the Irish government felt it could no longer guarantee the safety of the inhabitants of the island.
10. South Pass City, Wyoming, US: During the 1850s South Pass city started as a stage and television station. In 1866 gold was discovered in the vicinity and resulted in a rush of people. But as the gold deposits were not huge, please began leaving. It was completely abandoned in 1949. To learn more visit: http://www.southpasscity.com/