This volume received numerous awards and accolades after it was released. Concise and easy to read, this book is as entertaining as it is educational. It focuses on 100 towns that have either disappeared without a trace or are only a shadowy remnant of what they once were, telling the story of each town s settlement, politics, colorful figures and legends, and. Over 6,000 ghost towns have existed in the history of kansas.
Organized by region, it tells the story of 100 towns that have either disappeared without a trace or are only a shadowy remnant of what they once were. The county was one of the original 33 counties created by the first territorial legislature in 1855, and it was. This was the longawaited sequel to ghost towns of kansas. A travellers guide, can best be described as big, bold, and brash. Many of the sites listed here are on private property and may be dangerous or illegal to visit. A lot of the towns we visit are still on the map, but in this fast paced society are bypassed by the everyday driver.
Inquire with local authorities or property owners for access to these places. At one point the population reached drury founded in daniel c. Some of these fascinating places were mining towns, steamboat towns, trail stops, railroad hubs, and county seat contenders. Here are 6 more ghost towns in missouri that are nothing. A travelers guide 9780700603688 by fitzgerald, daniel c.
A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it usually industrial or agricultural has failed, or due to natural or humancaused disasters such. Ghost towns of kansas, paperback by fitzgerald, daniel c. Your guide to ghost towns, mining camps, and historic forts of oregon, washington, and british columbia nevada. It could have been something as simple as bad weather or depletion of minerals, or the lack of railroad construction and the unpredictability of local politics. I would like to buy some pictures, but i would like the descriptions of their locations first. A biography of thurman, kansas rural america univ pr of kansas. Any way you look at it kansas has a lot of ghost towns. The series won several awards, including four news emmy awards, a rock album, and numerous accolades. A project of the kansas historical society to identify and document extinct and declining communities, this compilation includes information about over 5000 kansas places, ranging from longvanished ghost towns to stillthriving but littleknown smaller communities in. Your guide to ghost towns, mining camps, and historic. One of the best regional history books i have ever read, ghost towns of kansas. Fitzgerald is famous for his ghost towns of kansas series, which began in 1976 and spanned six volumes over thirty years.
The original volume that started the longest running kansas history. Just a few of the towns discussed are ghost towns in the most commonly used sense, with a lot of standing, abandoned buildings, and some more have just one or two buildings standing. Originally published in 1979, this 30th anniversary reissue documents the histories of a hundred exciting kansas ghost towns that grew, prospered, and died. Credit must be given to daniel fitzgerald and his ghost towns of kansas series. Ive been chronicling kansas dead towns for the news through this blog and newspaper stories since 2010. If you would prefer to read the unedited articles in their old format for free, we have provided a list of the article titles under chapters below. Legends of kansas history, tales and destinations in the. The travellers guide was actually a greatest hits packaging of the first three volumes, which were published from 19761983. Kansas city was named haunted house capital of us, by cbs moneywatch in 2012. Although one of its most haunted locations, serial killer bob berdellas home on charlotte street, was demolished in 1993, there are still a large number of. Much of the information will come directly from these books and many of the stories have already been published on our parent site, legends of america. I love kansas and i have a passion for telling stories centered on kansas agriculture, rural life and kansas history.
According to wikipedia, a ghost town is an abandoned village, town, or city, usually one which contains substantial visible remains. Ghost towns of southeast kansas kansas ghost town travels. List of ghost towns in kansas project gutenberg self. This is the third volume in the original ghost towns of kansas series.
From what ive seen in the ghost towns of kansas books and a few other sources, redundant names were pretty common in kansas but were over time eliminated as the post office and the railroad companies changed names to reduce confusion though i imagine it was pretty confusing trying to keep track of how to address a letter to a distant cousin. This volume documents the histories of a hundred exciting kansas ghost towns that grew, prospered, and died across the state. Here are 6 more ghost towns in missouri that are nothing like they used to be. This site shares information and pictures of ghost towns of kansas. I provide references in books that list ghost towns, so that intrerested people know where to get more information.
Claylick, licking county located at the intersection of claylick and the licking river, this was one of the largest towns to be destroyed and caused primarily by 2 floods 1 in 1919 and 1 in 1959. Because of the civil war and general order number 11, there is less evidence of the ghost towns in missouri than there is in kansas. Wikipedia that means the book is composed entirely of articles from wikipedia that we have edited and redesigned into a book format. This is an incomplete list of ghost towns in the state of kansas. Ghost towns of kansas is a practical guide to these forsaken settlements and a chronicle of their role in the history of kansas. We are trying to tour not only towns listed in his book but also towns that we feel are more than eligible for ghost status. He is also the author of a very successful history of kansas tornadoes, entitled sound and fury. Towns and cities of kansas history and information. There are many reasons a town becomes a ghost town. Dark kansas is a place for those interested in the not so ordinary places and events in kansas. This is the second volume in the ghost towns of kansas series. Now its a ghost towna shadowy remnant of what it once was, says daniel fitzgerald. Arvonia, kansas, located southeast of reading, kansas on the shoreline of melvern lake.
It focuses on 100 towns that have either disappeared without a trace or are only a shadowy remnant of what they once were, telling the story of each towns settlement, politics, colorful figures and legends, and eventual abandonment or decline. Essentially, this was the first book of all new material in about ten years. As of the 2010 census, the population was 177,934 making it the thirdmost populous county in kansas. Daniel fitzgerald is a kansas historian and columnist best known as the author of a six volume set on kansas ghost towns. Its most populous city, topeka, is the state capital and county seat. I do not know the criteria an author uses to include any particular town in hisher books, but i. This is a fascinating book that must have taken a ton of research and digging to put together. Blaine was, like most kansas ghost towns, founded after the us civil war. Barnard falling on hard times bavaria ranching on the santa fe trail big springs leading the freestaters. After the 2nd flood the dillon dam floodplain project destroyed this town. Fitzgerald mentions it in his book ghost towns of kansas approximately ten remaining residents. Many are featured in the book dead towns of central and western kansas.
Authorhistorian daniel fitzgerald, has written a series of six books on about 600 of these ghost towns. This illustrated guide to kansas ghost towns will delight travelers and armchair tourists alike. List of ghost towns in the united states wikipedia. The kansas historical society has over 6000 dead towns in their files and online database online database. The first session of the bogus legislature was held at the territorial capitol building at pawnee, kansas, now on the fort riley reservation. The final volume in the award winning series on kansas ghost towns. Shawnee county county code sn is a county in northeast kansas, in the central united states of america. Ghost towns of kansas is a history of 110 ghost towns from across the state. I am particular interested in elmsdale, kansas, larned, hays, ray, and great bend. A fascinating trip back in time to some kansas communities most of us never heard of. Ghost town list all kansas ghost towns or near ghost towns. Many of these were boom towns that evolved into major communities overnight, and disappeared just as fast. Their stories are all exciting, and many of their locations are mostly forgotten.
The first volume was released in 1976 and the last volume was just released in 2009. Some ghost towns are completely gone, he says, while others remain as abandoned ruins or foundations. Fitzgerald recently authored another kansas history book, this one on the history. More ghost towns of kansas by fitzgerald, daniel c.
Here you will be able to find kansas ghost towns, haunts, abandonments, and other not so usual parts of kansas. This resulted in a lot of historic ghost towns spread throughout the state. Kansas ghost towns features history, information and photographs of the many ghost towns in the sunflower state. The kansas city area is dotted with old towns and ghost towns, some with distinct evidence of their existence, while others have faded away completely. It focuses on 100 towns that have either disappeared without a trace or are only a shadowy remnant of what they once were, telling the story of each towns settlement, politics. Kansas ghost town books ghost towns and history of the. Fitzgerald is a kansas historian and columnist best known as the author of a six volume set on kansas ghost towns. Actually a greatest hits package of the first three selfpublished books, this is a gem to have for any library. Like hundreds of towns across kansas, palermo peaked then petered, leaving behind only a faded image of its former self. It focuses on 100 towns that have either disappeared without a trace or are only a shadowy remnant of what they once were, telling the story of each towns settlement, politics, colorful figures and legends, and. Hundreds of towns in kansas flourished for a few years then died for a variety of reasons or causes.