Ghost Towns of Oregon
Ghost Towns of Oregon
This is by far the most complete list of Oregon’s Ghost Towns in existence. Many people say that Oregon has between 60 and 80 ghost towns, I have identified 268 on the map below and have another 50+ to add to the map.
*update* After much research, I believe that the number of ghost towns in Oregon is actually closer to 1600. Yes, that number is outstandingly hard to believe. But one of my primary sources, Oregon Post Offices 1847-1985” has that many entries. Another source, Lat-long.com lists 1614 “historical” post offices that no longer exist. Even accounting for absorbed post office, we still have a large number of towns that that never had post offices too, making me think that even this number is low. And yes, that is still more post offices then any other state.
Many of these towns simply do not exist anymore. If we’re lucky, they have left a name on modern maps. The ebb and flow of multiple gold strikes in the early days of Oregon, land speculation as Oregon was the last location of “cheap” land, and optimistic homesteaders choosing the wrong location, and railroads bypassing towns, led to many towns being built and then dwindling away.
Some of these towns persisted despite the odds. Maybe they were saved by the coming of the rail road, newly discovered industry or tourism. Frequently they died a few decades later as the rail roads lost profit, tourism moved on, or worse of all, highways bypassed towns completely. All of these left hints of civilization around the state. Historic Barns from past farms sit in back yards. Elegant Victorian homes are surrounded by neighborhoods of modern houses. Little green City Signs dot rural highways naming a small hamlet of two or three ramshackle buildings.
If you know anything more about any specific town, or know of any abandoned towns that are not on my list, please email me, or post a comment below on the relevant town.
An explanation of the Class and one digit codes on each town can be found here.
Town names and locations are gathered from a variety of sources. Here is a list of books that I personally own and rely on for Ghost Town Names and locations. I also rely on a variety of web based sources such as the Ghost Town Forums, WikiPedia(and it’s sources,) the Lat-Long.com Oregon Web Page, and of course, Google Maps for without, much of this research would not be possible.
Thank you for visiting my site!
The Ghost Towns
Click below to find more information about individual Ghost Towns of Oregon
Airlie – Terminus of the Oregon Railway Company
Altamont (Leland)
Bacona – isolated timber town SE of Vernonia that is now totally gone.
Bellwood – Needs more information!
Boones Landing (Boone’s Ferry, Boon)
Bourne (Cracker)
Butteville (Butes, La Butte, Buteville, St. Alexcie)
Champoeg (Encampment du Sable)
Currinsville (Young’s Prairie, Zion)
Detroit (Coe)
Dolph (Tillamook County)
Eureka (Baker County)
Eureka (Eureka Bar)(Wallowa County)
Granite (Independence)
Idaville (Jawbone)
Irving – Once a stop on the Oregon and California Railroad, now part of Eugene’s Santa Clara Neighborhood.
Kerby (Kirbeyville, Napoleon)
Kirk (Kirkford)
Little Sweden (Green Basin)
Longcoy’s Grand View Park(Longcoy’s, Grand View)
Ghost Town of Maxville Oregon (Vincent)
Millirons (Stage Coach Stop)
Shelburn (Shellburn)
Snooseville Corner (Snooseville) – Small village that contained a saw mill
Simnasho – Located on the Warmsprings Reservation
Taft (Johnson)
Tampico (No information!)
Troy (Nauvoo)
Van – abandoned ranching community in Harney County
Waldo (Sailor’s Diggings)
Westfall (Bully)
Oregon Ghost Town Books
Ghosts of Times Past: A Road Trip of Eastern Oregon Ghost Towns
BUNCOM: CROSSROADS STATION: An Oregon Ghost Town’s Gift from the Past
Willamette Landings Ghost Towns of the River
And last but certainly far from least, Lambert Florin has a huge series of Ghost Town Books. Many cover Oregon Towns.
Thank you so much for this! You’re list is very helpful! I am planning a trip to oregon (staying mainly on the coast but going into portland) and I was wondering what you think the BEST ghost town in oregon is?!
Hello Sierra, I hope you enjoy your trip to Oregon. There aren’t really any good ghost towns along the coast. There are several historic communities such as Waldport and Toledo that are worth visiting. The sea air, scavenging for building materials, forest fires, and flooding ruined most towns.
If you can take the time, Shaniko is probably your best bet. It’s only a couple of hours east of Portland. If you’re further south traveling along I-5, Golden and Buncom are both good trips.
Hey Rick, do you know of any abandoned radio or cellphone towers in Oregon? Thanks I’m advance!
Hello Timothy, thank you for stopping by. I do not know of any abandoned radio or cell towers. I’m making the assumption that most of those get reused or taken down for safety reasons pretty quickly .
I love this list you have put together although I have two other ghost towns for your consideration. Marmot, OR and Wapinitia, OR both have ties to my family. Marmot was established by my great grandfather around 1886. Wapinitia is where my family currently lives and though the population be small many buildings still stand including the church, school gymnasium and one of the hotels along with many other small buildings and homes. Both are ghost towns I think would be a great addition to your list!
How about the Wreck of Peter Iredale? Is that still around? Maybe they’d like to see that. It’s like a ghost ship.
The wreck of the Peter Iredale is still around, you can find more information about it here: http://pnwphotoblog.com/peter-iredale-at-fort-stevens/
My grandmother and her family used to live on a farm near the town of Mineral Springs. Nearly everyone had to leave because they lost their farms during the Depression. I’m not finding any info about it online. I have been to this place. I don’t know the exact location, but I have been there myself and there is a sign saying “Mineral Springs.” When everyone had to leave, because they lost their farms and businesses, my family donated some land to the state to be used as a burial ground for the people leaving, so the families leaving would have a place to bury their loved ones. The bodies were moved from their farms to our family’s little cemetery. I’ve seen that too. There’s a little jar that you can open, hidden somewhere, with the names and locations of everyone in the cemetery. I’m surprised you don’t have Mineral Springs in your list. At least one person still lives there, they have what looks like a little B&B where the hot springs are located.
Hello Hanna, thank you for stopping by. Mineral Springs is a new one for me. The name does not appear in Oregon Posts Offices or Oregon Geographic names so I haven’t run across it at all. There is a springs called Mineral Springs here in Malheur County: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mineral+Springs,+Oregon/@43.4451595,-117.556283,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x54b035f062ac01f1:0x46fc7378a65b493e There was a town called Mineral a few miles east of Bohemia outside of Cottage Grove.
Hi Rick –
Awesome site! I’m trying to find reference to a ghost town in Curry County on the Sixes River called Somersville, or possibly Summersville / Sommersville or some other variant. I’ve heard it was located at the site of the current Sixes River Recreation area, but I’ve not been able to pinpoint its exact location. Any ideas?
Hello Brian!
I just took a look over at Lat-long.com for anything I could find. Unfortunately the only version of that spelling is Sommerville Dam, OR in Malheur County. If the town existed, it wasn’t big enough for a post office. I have no doubt it did exist though, that area was the location of a major gold strike and towns would have sprung up all over the place.
I’d suggest going into the Coos County or Marshfield Newspaper archives and see what might be found. Or contacting the Coos County Historical Society might generate some leads.
Thanks Rick – Appreciate the assistance! I’ll check with the Coos County Historical Society on my next visit.
Regards,
Brian
FYI there was a gold mine camp at the site of the current Campground in the recreational area on the sixes River they have several informative dioramas explaining the history of the site well worth the visit good luck! Alan
Melissa Shatka
Larry Blymyer
David Kealoha Folsom
You missed Kansas City just north of Forest Grove on the way to Clapshaw Hill, Snooseville Corners North of Mountaindale Cochran Outside Timber,and Cherry Grove not a ghost town but a zombie town.
Hello Nitro! Do you perhaps have GPS coordinates for those towns, along with any information about them?
Austin Galvan Dani McNally check this map out.
Ghost towns in Nevada are way cool
Check my site out for a couple more around the Madras area:
http://www.meccagrade.com/vintages/
Your missing the town of Booth – it was located on Tahkenitch Lake .
Meghan Haley Janet Haley
Frank Cunningham
Emily Piercy David B. Jammin
Damon would love this
I am writing a book abut Grandview, it’s the story of Hope Nance, who was born there in 1917. I have been interviewing her for over a year now, and hope to have the book done and out in late 1916. I have a sample chapter on the internet at http://www.photographicimage.com/FindingHope.html. It will basically cover the history of the town of Grandview from the mid-teens of the 20th century to the early 1930’s when it began to decline. comments welcome.
Why is Drain considered a ghost town? Are there just a lot of ghosts here?
Generally, a town is considered a ghost town when the population reaches 1/10th of what it was at it’s population height.
Perrydale has a school, one of the best in Polk Co. There was a mechanic shop there also. And I went to the first grade in Westfir, OR. Edward J. Hines Lmbr. Co. was there then. Maybe it went the way of Valsetz?
My boyfriend and i are trying to plan a trip allover oregon to check out old overgrown abandoned houses and property, things deep in oregon the hidden stuff. I’m however having a extremely hard time finding all these locations i would appreciate any sort of help to get either a general area or addresses anything too help us find these long forgotten homes or old cars we want rusty creepy broke down and beautiful thanks for reading and i can be reached by email [email protected]
My name is shay enjoy your day.
What happened to West Fork? Flooded out by the Rogue River, and never rebuilt.
Hello larry, this is the first I’ve heard of West Fork. Do you know where it was exactly and any history about it?
I saw the location of the remnants of West Fork in 1992, but I don’t remember the exact location, just that it was on the Rogue. It had been a “Criteser” town to start with, according to a cousin, Larry McLane and wife Dariel. They said the town was destroyed by a flood of the Rogue R. and never rebuilt. I have found an old photo of West Fork: https://www.oldoregonphotos.com/waiting-at-the-west-fork-depot-c-1895.html
Are you refering to the West Fork Rd near Trail, OR? The Rogue River flooed a lot of Trail and Shady Cove. I didn’t think there was ever a town there. I know there was a mill on that road that has since been turned into a lake and possibly a resort. My ex-husband worked at that mill. Trail might also be considered a ghost town. There is a market on the highway near there, and the old tavern has been turned into a museum. There are still several homes there.
There is Brownsboro, located about 5 miles out of Eagle Point, OR. Named after my ancestor, George Brown. Nothing left there, except newer homes, a church and a cemetary. Also, there’s Climax, OR which is between E. Antelope Rd and Lake Creek, Or. My grandparents Walter and Bertha Charley and their 10 children lived there. My grandmother was the post mistress, and the pigeonhole sorter was in their house. My aunt found part of that when they explored the homestead, but the house was down. There’s a beautiful hand-pegged barn near by that is over 100 years old
Also, there was Laurelhurst, above Shady Cove across the Rogue River from Hwy 62
. There was an orchard there, and my brothers worked there for a while. It is all gone now. Some of it possibly under water from Lost Lake. And there was McLeod, which is above Shady Cove, and on the way to Prospect. There used to be a store near there, and they had a bear chained in the yard. The bear drank soda, so people bought it for him. All that is left now is McLeon Park, which sets on the Rogue River. There is also Wonder, which is between Grants Pass and Cave Junction. There’s only a store and some old buildings, and new homes. And there’s an actual ghost town further up toward Kerby. I believe it is called Gold Gulch. And there’s Wilderville, which isn’t very big.
You forgot Copper, Oregon. Now under the Applegate Lake in southern Oregon.
Does anyone remember a ghost town in northwest Oregon which was built possibly by German settlers, and that contains a number of elaborately made organs in it? I’ve been trying to find this town for a while, and remember it having dirt roads, 6-10 buildings, all with beautiful, working, organs (the musical instruments). Would much appreciate any info, including the towns name. Thanks!
Saw no reference to Kingston. It was located approx 1/2-3/4 miles SE of Stayton on what is now Kingston Jordan Rd SE (where it is bisected by Kingston Lyons Rd SE). They had a post office and store and more, I believe. I grew up 1/4 mile away. Is well known. Definitely a ghost town.