List of ghost towns in Kansas

Bushong located in Lyon County

This is an incomplete list of ghost towns in the state of Kansas. Many of the sites listed here are on private property and may be dangerous or illegal to visit. Inquire with local authorities or property owners for access to these places.

Classifications

There are many factors and reasons as to why a town becomes abandoned (or nearly abandoned). A ghost town can be defined as "a town or community that at one time had a commercial or population center, and is either wholly abandoned or faded greatly from its peak, and now is just a shadow of its former self"^[1] or basically a "town that is a shadowy remnant of what it once was".^[2] There are several reasons why a town ceases to exist.

• 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.
• Industry/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.
• Schools – Schools can serve as a place of civic pride. Towns that lose their local school to consolidation can no longer root for their home team. When a school district is closed and students moved to another district, the remaining abandoned school just adds insult to injury.
• National economic depressions - There have been several economic depressions and recessions that have wiped towns off the map. As people lose their jobs or have to move because of another job, towns lose population.
• 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, Kansas.^[3]

Ghost towns

Town name	County	Established	Disestablished	Current status[4]	Remarks
White Cloud[5]	Doniphan County	1856		2008 estimated population of 227
Ray[5]	Pawnee County			Most of the houses were demolished or moved in the 1950s. The old Co-op remains and still bears the town name. Large berm south of the co-op is what is left from the demolition 38.174742,-98.962701
Iowa Point[5]	Doniphan County	1854	Post Office closed in 1933	Small population near K-7
Eagle Springs[5]	Doniphan County	1883		Townsite was abandoned, only ruins remain	Was a health resort that lasted into the 1930s.
Geary City[5]	Doniphan County	March 23, 1856		Only foundations remain
Doniphan[5]	Doniphan County	1854	1943	Still on maps but little remains	A trading post was established on the site in 1852
Four Houses[5]	Wyandotte County			Exact location unknown	Was actually a trading post from 1826-1828
Rising Sun[5]	Jefferson County	1857	mid-1860s	A Kansas River access point is near the location and named after the town.	Was a Lecompton satellite community.
Hickory Point[5]	Jefferson County	1855		A Kansas State Historical Marker is near the location along U.S. 59.	Location of the Battle of Hickory Point, a skirmish between pro-slavery and free state forces.
Arrington[5]	Atchison County	1854		A small population resides along K-116.
Kennekuk[5]	Atchison County	1858
America City[5]	Nemaha County	February 14, 1857	Post office closed in 1933	A couple buildings and a cemetery remain
Juniata[5]	Pottawatomie County	1854	1858	On private property and not accessible
Pawnee[5]	Geary County	1854	1855	The old territorial capitol building still stands is well-preserved	Was the territorial capitol until 1855 when it was moved to Shawnee Mission.
Randolph[5]	Riley County	1855		2008 estimated population of 198	Moved two miles west when Tuttle Creek Lake was built.
Irving[5]	Marshall County	1859	1960	Located on Corps land and is easily accessible.	Abandoned for the construction of Tuttle Creek Lake.
Alcove Springs[5]	Marshall County			Now a well-preserved park	Was never an official town but was a stop on the Oregon Trail. Numerous carvings in the spring's rocks feature traveler's initials and other things. A member of the Donner Party is buried nearby.
Trading Post[5]	Linn County	1842 (established as a trading post)		A small population remains just off of U.S. 69.	Near the site of the Marais des Cygnes massacre.
Centropolis[5]	Franklin County.	1854	1930	A small population remains on a county road about ten miles northwest of Ottawa Centropolis Christian Church and Centropolis Baptist Church are open.
Minneola[5]	Franklin County	1854	1860s	Was the territorial capitol briefly in 1858. Not to be confused with Minneola in Clark County.
Silkville[5]	Franklin County	1870	1892	Several buildings remain including an old house and a stone school southwest of Williamsburg.
Black Jack[5]	Douglas County	1857 (incorporated)	1870s	Santa Fe Trail wagon swales, a roadside park, cemetery and the well-preserved battlefield site remain and are open to public.
Franklin[5]	Douglas County	1853 (early stage stop)	Post office closed 1867	Nothing remains of the town except two small neglected cemeteries and Franklin Road off of K-10.
Big Springs[5]	Douglas County	1854		A small population remains along U.S. 40.
Calhoun[5]	Shawnee County	1855	1868	Nothing remains of this town.	Calhoun was also the name of a county that was made up of northern Shawnee County, most of Jackson County and half of Pottawatomie County. When Shawnee County's northern border was extended, Calhoun ceased to be.
Indianola[5]	Shawnee County	1854	mid-1860s	Nothing remains of the site.	There is an Indianola Road located near the Goodyear Plant near U.S. 24.
Sumner City[5]	Shawnee County	Never established		Was mainly a paper town that was supposed to be an all-black community east of Topeka.
Uniontown[5]	Shawnee County	1848	1854	Townsite is now located in and around the Green Wildlife Refuge southeast of Willard.	Uniontown was a trail stop and a place where the Pottawatomi would spend money. A cholera epidemic killed 22 Indians and they were buried in a mass grave. The grave is located in the center of the cemetery. Not to be confused with Uniontown in Bourbon County.
Peterton[5]	Osage County	1870	1930s	There is still a small population in the area.
Bushong[5]	Lyon County	mid-1880s	1984	2008 estimated population of 50	Several ruins of the downtown and old consolidated school remain.
Volland[5]	Wabaunsee County			Several buildings remain abandoned in the area.	Located about ten miles southwest of Alma. Former store building currently in the process of being restored.
Newbury[5]	Wabaunsee County	1869	1888	A small population and a huge Catholic church remain three miles north of Paxico.
Army City[5]	Geary County	1917	1920	Any remains of Army City are currently on Fort Riley property.	Army City was built exclusively for servicemen at Fort Riley during World War I.
Diamond Springs[5]	Morris County	1825 (as a Santa Fe Trail stop)	1863	Few remains exist but a monument to Diamond Springs was erected in Diamond Springs Cemetery
Empire City[5]	Cherokee County	1877	1907	Any remains are currently maintained by Galena.	Empire City was annexed to Galena in 1907.
Wilsonton[5]	Labette County	1887	1913	Nothing remains except a cemetery.	Ella Wilson was the founder of the town and when she died in 1913, the town died with her.
Ladore[5]	Neosho County	Incorporated 1869	1874	Inaccessible	Was the site of a mass lynching in May 1870.
Octagon City[5]	Allen County	1855	1856	Nothing remains of the townsite	Octagon City was a social experiment where the settlers of the town vowed to eat no meat. The town was so called because the main streets were laid out in an octagon.
Cofachiqui[5]	Allen County	1855	1860	The site of Cofachiqui was demolished when a cement company bought the land.
Mildred[5]	Allen County	1907	ca. 1983	2008 estimated population of 58.
Bassett[5]	Allen County	1900	1930s	2008 estimated population of 21
Belmont[5]	Woodson County	1857	Post office closed in 1877	Townsite is now on private property and inaccessible.
Neosho Falls[5]	Woodson County	1857		2008 estimated population of 159
Guilford[5]	Wilson County	1861	1889	A few ruins and structures still survive.
Cave Springs[5]	Elk County	1875	1949	Now on private property.	Cave Springs was established as a "health" resort. The resort failed in the 1880s when people starting questioning the springs' healing properties. The town was officially vacated in 1949.
Elgin[5]	Chautauqua County			2008 estimated population of 71
Midian[5]	Buter County	1916	Post office closed in 1950	Townsite is now on private property.
Oil Hill[5]	Butler County	1918	1969	Townsite is on private property but the Kansas Turnpike does pass under Oil Hill Road just outside El Dorado.
Minersville[5]	Cloud County	1870s	1920s	Some houses and foundations remain along with a cemetery.
Waconda[5]	Mitchell County			The site lies under the waters of Waconda Reservoir.	Located near the Waconda Springs, a natural aquifer used by Native Americans.
Dispatch[5]	Smith and Jewell Counties	1869		A church, some houses and a cemetery remain.
Webster[5]	Rooks County	1885	1953	A small community still exists near the Webster Lake dam.
Long Island[5]	Phillips County	1870s		2008 estimated population of 140.
Brookville[5]	Saline County	1869		2008 estimated population of 263.	The population was once near 2,000 in the 1870s but after the turn of the century, the population began to decline. The city was also the site of the Brookville Hotel until 2000 when the hotel moved to Abilene.
Sveadal[5]	McPherson	1868	1870s	All that remains is the octagonal foundation of the original building. The townsite is on private property, located on the west side of the Smoky Hill River, two miles south of the southwest corner of Lindsborg.
Beach Valley[5]	Rice County	1857		Townsite is now on private property.
Dubuque[5]	Russell and Barton Counties	1887		A beautiful Catholic church and cemetery are all that remain.
Rome[5]	Ellis County	1867	1868	A marker near Fort Hays State College indicates where Rome once was.	Rome was co-founded by William "Buffalo Bill" Cody.
Chetolah[5]	Ellis County	1886	1907	Townsite is now on private property.
Hunnewell[5]	Sumner County		1940s	2008 estimated population of 75
Runnymede[5]	Harper County	1887	1892	Nothing remains of the town.
Freeport[5]	Harper County	1878		2008 estimated population of 7.	Freeport is the smallest incorporated town in Kansas.
Ash Valley[5]	Pawnee County	1916	1960s	Old roads and some structures still remain.
Achilles[5]	Rawlins County	1875	Post office closed in 1951.	Only a cemetery remains.	Achilles was the site of the Battle of Sappa Creek in 1875, it was one of the bloodiest Indian battles fought in northwest Kansas.
Mina[6]	Marshall County	1889	1940s	A railroad town, founded in 1889. The property fell into private hands and was plowed under.
Mingo[5]	Thomas County	1887	1940s	The townsite become the private property of Pat Reilly, who plowed some of it under, until 1972 when it was sold to the Brown brothers.
Voltaire[5]	Sherman County	1885	1889	Nothing remains of the townsite and is now on private property.
Blufton[5]	Trego County			Nothing remains	The site of Blufton is the same as Threshing Machine Canyon which is part of Cedar Bluff State Park which is a part of the Cedar Bluff Reservoir.
Sidney[5]	Ness County	1870s	1880s	Only foundations remain.
Amy[5]	Lane County	1887	1954	A small community still exists.
Farnsworth[5]	Lane County	1880	1891	Nothing remains.
McAllaster[5]	Logan County	1887	1930s	A small population exists and several buildings remain.
Sheridan[5]	Logan County	1868	1870s	Townsite is on private property.
Coronado[5]	Wichita County	Incorporated 1885	1889	Nothing remains but some older buildings in Leoti are from Coronado.
Colokan[5]	Greeley County	1886	1897	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Lexington[5]	Clark County	1885	1900	Nothing remains of the townsite except a community building.
Cash City[5]	Clark County	1885	1895	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Beersheba[5]	Hodgeman County	1882	1886	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Beersheba was established as an experimental Jewish agricultural community.
Ravanna[5]	Finney County	1882	Post office closed in 1922	Only foundations remain.	Battled with Eminence for county seat of Garfield County. In 1893, Garfield County was annexed to Finney County and the feud was over.
Eminence[5]	Finney County	1886	Post office closed in 1943.	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Battled with Ravanna for county seat of Garfield County, which ended in 1893 when Garfield County was annexed to Finney County.
Terry[5]	Finney County	1885	1890s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Hartland[5]	Kearny County	1885	1910s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Chantilly[5]	Kearny County	1887	1893	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Coolidge[5]	Hamilton County	1883		2008 estimated population of 86.
Kendall[5]	Hamilton County	1885		A small population (approx. 50) remains.
Trail City[5]	Hamilton County	1885	1890s
Ulysses[5]	Grant County	1885		The old Ulysses townsite is currently on private property but the "new" Ulysses site has an estimated population of 5,557 as of 2008.	In 1908, Ulysses moved three miles down the road to a new location in an attempt to avoid paying bonds that had become due.
Santa Fe[5]	Haskell County	1886	1918	Nothing remains and a portion of the townsite is on private property.
Fargo Springs[5]	Seward County	1885	1910s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Springfield[5]	Seward County	1885	1890s	Springfield was located at the intersection of U.S. 83 and U.S. 160 north of Liberal.
Palermo[7]	Doniphan County	1855	Post office closed 1904	A small population still remains eight miles southeast of Troy near the Missouri River.
Bendena[7]	Doniphan County	1886	1890s	A small community remains along K-20.
Kickapoo City[7]	Leavenworth County	1854	Post office closed 1920	A small population remains in the area.
Bain City[7]	Leavenworth County	1867	1964	Bain City was annexed to Leavenworth in 1964.
Quindaro[7]	Wyandotte County	1850s	1862	Any remains of Quindaro are now in the city limits of Kansas City in Quindaro Park.
Six-Mile House[7]	Wyandotte County			Nothing remains of the site.	Six-Mile House, so called because of its distance from Wyandotte (Kansas City) on Leavenworth Rd, was the headquarters of the Free-State 'Redlegs' who guarded the border of Kansas from pro-slave incursions.
Padonia[7]	Brown County	1850s	Post office closed in 1933	Padonia lies among a cluster of houses and farm fields.	Padonia was the site of a bloodless skirmish in the 1850s called the Battle of Padonia.
Ash Point[7]	Nemaha County	1859	1870	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Neuchatel[7]	Nemaha County	1857		The cemetery, church, town hall and schoolhouse have all been restored and well-kept.
Blaine[7]	Pottawatomie County	1880s		St. Columbkillane Catholic Church and former Catholic School still stand at the intersection of K-99 and K-116.
Louisville[7]	Pottawatomie County	1857		2008 estimated population of 207.
Afton[7]	Marshall County	1893		A small cemetery and church mark the townsite.
Bigelow[7]	Marshall County	1880s	1960	All that remains is the Antioch Cemetery.	Bigelow was demolished during construction of Tuttle Creek Lake.
Bala[7]	Riley County	1870	Post office closed in 1966	Fort Riley has now expanded into what was Bala.
Monticello[7]	Johnson County	1857	Post office closed in 1905	The old school house, cemetery, and a few houses from the 1940s remain south of Shawnee Mission Parkway in west Shawnee Shawnee and Lenexa.
Paris[7]	Linn County	1854		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Moneka[7]	Linn County	1857	1870s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Lone Star[7]	Douglas County	1870s	Post office closed in 1953	A small population remains just south of Clinton Lake near Lone Star Lake.	A community existed in the area before Lone Star was organized. A post office was formed in 1875 under Bond, then Gideon. The name Lone Star was chosen in the 1890s.
Potwin Place[7]	Shawnee County	1869	1899	The site is well-preserved off of SW 6th Avenue in Topeka and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.	Potwin was annexed to Topeka in 1899.
Auburndale[7]	Shawnee County	1888	1899	Auburndale is currently a neighborhood in Topeka and is commemorated by Auburndale Park.
Willard[7]	Shawnee and Wabaunsee Counties	1860s	1950s	2000 estimated population of 86.
Richland[7]	Shawnee County	1872	1960s	Nothing remains of the townsite except some ruins and the cemetery.	Richland is notable for being the birthplace of Georgia Neese Clark, the Treasurer of the United States under President Truman from 1949-1953.
110 Mile Creek[7]	Osage County	1854	1870s	Nothing remains of the townsite, it is on private property. A Santa Fe Trail marker marks the general location along U.S. 56.
Arvonia[7]	Osage County	1860s		Some old buildings, ruins and a church still stand in the area.
Fostoria[7]	Osage County			Nothing remains of the townsite.
Strawn[7]	Coffey County	1870s	1961	"Old" Strawn is now located underneath the John Redmond Reservoir while New Strawn is located along U.S. 75.
Miller[7]	Lyon County	1886		A small population and some abandoned businesses remain in the area.
Dunlap[7]	Morris County			2000 estimated population of 81.
Skiddy[7]	Morris County	1869		A small population (approx. 20) remains in the area.
Freedom Colony[7]	Bourbon County	1897	early 1900s	Nothing remains of the townsite.	In 1905, most cabins were burned down. Frank Cotton discovered that the boards on his house were soaked with kerosene. Cotton saved his house but the remaining cabins burned to the ground.
Rollin[7]	Neosho County	1890	1921	Nothing remains of the townsite except Delos Johnson's (the town founder) house and a neglected cemetery.
Cato[7]	Crawford County	1858	Post office closed in 1905	The Cato Historical Preservation Association meets at 6:30 pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Arcadia Community Center, Arcadia, Kansas. The old school has been restored. Cato Christian Church is in good repair, but closed. A community reunion is held yearly.
Farlington[7]	Crawford County	1870		A small population remains in the area.	Farlington is located just southwest of Crawford State Park on K-7.
Croweburg[7]	Crawford County	1907		A small population remains along with some shotgun houses and some building ruins.
Monmouth[7]	Crawford County	1857	Post office closed in 1955	Very little remains of the townsite.
Treece[7]	Cherokee County	early 1900s	2012	2010 Census population of 138.[8] As of May 2012, only 2 people remain.[9]	Due to years of mining in the area, the land in and around Treece is unstable and contaminated which had led to the citizens wanting the government to buy their land so that they can move.[10]
Le Hunt[7]	Montgomery County	1905	early 1930s	Some ruins remain east of the Elk City Lake.	The town was fairly bustling thanks to a central cement factory in the center of town being the biggest employer. During the Great Depression, cement sales dropped significantly and went out of business, so the town died. Most remains are now on private property.
Votaw[7]	Montgomery County	1881	1900	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Votaw was an experimental colony founded by African-Americans. After 1900, the population slowly moved elsewhere. The last building burned down in 1915.
Hewins[7]	Chautauqua County	1870s	Post office closed in 1966	A small population remains.
Boston[7]	Chautauqua County	1871	1875	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Boston was the county seat of Howard County which was split into Chautauqua and Elk Counties in 1875. Sedan became the new county seat of Chautauqua County.
Delaware Springs[7]	Wilson County	1869		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Kalida[7]	Woodson County	1869	1883	Currently on property known as the Kalida Farm.
Defiance[7]	Woodson County	1873	1878, the post office closed in 1886	Only a hotel remains that is being used as a residence.
Reece[7]	Greenwood County	1870		A small population (approx. 50) still exists.
Smileyberg[7]	Butler County	1904	early 1920s	Some structures still remain. A transmission shop is open.
Rosalia[7]	Butler County	1879		A small population (approx. 100) still exists.
Strawberry[7]	Washington County	1861		Nothing remains of the townsite.	A plaque was dedicated in 1990 commemorating Strawberry.
Salem[7]	Jewell County	1871		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Asherville[7]	Mitchell County	early 1860s		A small population still exists.
Lake Sibley[7]	Cloud County	1865	Post office closed in 1876.	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Industry[7]	Dickinson & Clay Counties	1868		A small population (approx. 20) remains.
Holland[7]	Dickinson County	unknown	1942	A church, now used as a town hall, and a few houses, is all that remains.
Elmo[7]	Dickinson County	1866	Post office closed in 1966.	A few buildings and population remain.
Abram[7]	Lincoln County	1870	1872	Nothing remains of the townsite.	A monument was erected in 1936. Abram was the first Lincoln County Seat.
Carneiro[7]	Ellsworth County			A small population remains just north of Mushroom Rock State Park.
Zarah[7]	Barton County		1872	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Was originally a part of Fort Zarah which was abandoned in 1869. The last resident left Zarah in 1875.
Galatia[7]	Barton County	1885		2000 estimated population of 61.
Boyd[7]	Barton County	1886	1930s	Some abandoned buildings and ruins remain.
Hitschmann[7]	Barton County			Some old buildings still remain.	All of Hitschmann is currently on private property.
Raymond[7]	Rice County	1872		2008 estimated population of 80.
Frederick[7]	Rice County	1878		2008 estimated population of 11.	Frederick is the second-smallest incorporated town in Kansas.
Yocemento[7]	Ellis County	1906		Some ruins of the old cement company remain as do some abandoned houses and other buildings.
Alexander[7]	Rush County	1869		2008 estimated population of 66.
Geuda Springs[7]	Sumner County	1857		2008 estimated population of 191.
Bluff City[7]	Harper County	1886		2008 estimated population of 73.	Bluff City was originally founded as a fraud in 1873 to swindle money from the Kansas legislature. The first settlers in the area didn't arrive until 1876.
Camchester[7]	Harper County	late 1880s	Post office moved to Manchester, Oklahoma in 1903.	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Originally named Cameron until 1900.
"Old" Clear Water[7]	Sedgwick County	1868	1894	Little remains of old Clear Water but Clearwater has an estimated (as of 2008) population of 2,405.
Marshall[7]	Sedgwick County	1872	1883	Nothing remains of the townsite.	The entire town of Marshall was moved to Cheney in 1883.
Waterloo[7]	Kingman County			A small population (approx. 20) remains as well as some houses and other buildings.
Castleton[7]	Reno County	1872	Post office closed in 1957	A few homes and abandoned buildings remain.	Castleton was used as the setting of Sevillinois for the 1952 movie Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie.
Lerado[7]	Reno County	1886	1887	An old schoolhouse, church, and abandoned grocery store remain but most of Lerado is now farmland.
Old Kiowa[7]	Barber County	1872	1884	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Old Kiowa was abandoned when the railroad was built four miles to the south and a new Kiowa was established.
Lake City[7]	Barber County	1873		A small population (approx. 30) remains. The United Methodist Church is open.
Sun City[7]	Barber County	1871		2008 estimated population of 72.
Comanche City[7]	Comanche County	1885	1905	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Hopewell[7]	Pratt County	1901	1920s	A small population (approx. 10) remains.
Byers[7]	Pratt County	1914		2008 estimated population of 49.
Zenith[7]	Stafford County	1886		A small population (approx. 20) still remains.
Trousdale[7]	Edwards County	1916		A small resident population of about 40 remains.
Devizes[7]	Norton County	1873	1930s	A few ruins and structures remain.
Kanona[7]	Decatur County	1880		Some ruins and abandoned buildings remain.	The site of Kanona is currently on private property.
Burntwood City[7]	Rawlins County	1860s		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Blakeman[7]	Rawlins County			Little remains of the townsite.
Ludell[7]	Rawlins County	1884		A small resident population remains along with some ruins and abandoned buildings.
Eustis[7]	Sherman County	1885	1887	Nothing remains of the townsite.	The entire was moved in 1887 to Goodland.
Itasca[7]	Sherman County	1885	1887	Nothing remains of the townsite.
California[7]	Lane County	1879	1880s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Vega[7]	Wallace County	1880s	Post office closed in 1908	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Pond City[7]	Wallace County	1866		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Pierceville[7]	Finney County	1872		A small population remains along U.S. 50.
Englewood[7]	Clark County	1884		2008 estimated population of 95.
Sitka[7]	Clark County	1909	Post office closed in 1964	A small population and some abandoned buildings and ruins still remain.
Arkalon[7]	Seward County	1888	Post office closed in 1929	A few ruins remain, but are on private property.
Woodsdale[7]	Stevens County	1885	late 1880s	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Battled with Hugoton for county seat of Stevens County.
Voorhees[7]	Stevens County	1887	late 1890s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Goguac[7]	Stanton County	1889	1890s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Borders[7]	Stanton County	1887	1888	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Pardee[11]	Atchison County	1855	1888	Nothing remains of the townsite but the Pardee Cemetery.	Named for Pardee Butler, a farmer and preacher who was sent adrift on a raft in the Missouri River by pro-slavery men.
Port William[11]	Atchison County	1856		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Fort Cavagnial[11]	Leavenworth County	1744	1764	Nothing remains of the old fort.	Cavagnial is an old French fort and trading post. When Lewis and Clark came through the area in 1804, they saw no sign of the old fort. The exact location is unknown.
Delaware City[11]	Leavenworth County	1854	1870s	Some ruins and street grades are all that remain.
Springdale[11]	Leavenworth County	1860	1920s	The Kansas City Metro area has grown into the area of Springdale.
Owl City[11]	Jefferson County		1930s	Nothing remains of the site and it is rumored that it is now under the waters of Perry Lake.	Owl City was mainly a section house on the Leavenworth and Topeka Railroad.
Granada[11]	Nemaha County	1855		Some ruins and abandoned building remain on what used to be Main Street.
Richmond[11]	Nemaha County	1855	1860s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Guittard Station[11]	Marshall County	1857	1900	Some abandoned buildings remain.	Guittard Station was a major stop for the Pony Express.
Marietta[11]	Marshall County	1881	1920s	A small population remains as does some buildings.
Stockdale[11]	Riley County		1957	The townsite is under the waters of the Tuttle Creek Reservoir.
Cleburne[11]	Riley County	1860	1960	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Originally called Big Timber until 1878.
Garrison[11]	Pottawatomie County			Nothing remains of the townsite.
Aubry[11]	Johnson County	1857	1888	Nothing remains but Aubry Township is named for the town.	Aubry was located around 192nd Street and Metcalf.
Oxford[11]	Johnson County	mid-1850s	1871	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Not to be confused with Oxford in Sumner County, an existing city with a population of 1,049 as of 2010.[12]
Sunflower Village/Clearview City[11]	Johnson County	1943	1959	Old residences, streets and other buildings remain in and around Clearview City.	Sunflower Village was established exclusively for the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, the plant and town remain just off of K-10 south of DeSoto.
Tontzville[11]	Miami County	1866	1874	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Stanton[11]	Miami County	1855		Several houses and businesses remain.	William Quantrill lived in Stanton during the winter of 1859-60.
Hyatt[11]	Anderson County	1856		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Lone Elm[11]	Anderson County	1869		2008 estimated population of 26.
Ransomville[11]	Franklin County	1878	1914	The Ransom house still stands as does some other houses and buildings.
Peoria[11]	Franklin County	1857	1880s	A small population remains and Peoria Township is named for it.
Stull[11]	Douglas County	1857		A couple of churches, some houses and the old schoolhouse remain.	Originally called Deer Creek Community until 1899 when the post office opened, the post office closed in 1903.
Ottumwa[11]	Coffey County	1855		A small population remains on the north edge of the John Redmond Reservoir.
Havana[11]	Osage County	1858	early 1870s	Ruins of the Havana Stage Station and hotel remain and a sign has been posted on the site.	Not to be confused with Havana in Montgomery County.
Superior[11]	Osage County	1859		The site is now part of Superior Game Farms just south of Burlingame.
Kansapolis/Rochester[11]	Shawnee County	1854	late 1850s/early 1860s	Nothing remains of the townsite, only Rochester Cemetery and Rochester Road in North Topeka mark the site.
Wanamaker[11]	Shawnee County	1891	1917	Nothing remains of the townsite however Wanamaker Road, Topeka's main western edge road, bears its name.	After a tornado destroyed the town in 1917, it was not rebuilt.
Wilmington[11]	Wabaunsee County	1856	1872	Nothing remains of the townsite.	The site is currently maintained as a hiking trail by a local chapter of Boy Scouts.
Alida[11]	Geary County	1858	1967	The site of Alida lies underneath the waters of Milford Lake.
Columbia[11]	Lyon County	1855	1857	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Agnes City[11]	Lyon County	1858	early 1860s	Only a small cemetery marks the townsite.	Was the county seat of Lyon County until losing to Americus who then lost it to Emporia.
White Rock[11]	Republic County	1866		Nothing remains of the townsite.	Founded by Thomas Lovewell. Most of the town lies under the water of the Lovewell Reservoir.[13]
Reamsville[11]	Smith County	1880		A small population remains.	An Old Dutch Mill, built in 1882, was moved to Smith Center in 1938.
Harlan[11]	Smith County	1877		A small population remains as well as the ruins of Main Street and a high school gymnasium.	Harlan was home to Gould College which lasted from 1881 until 1891.
Lindsey[11]	Ottawa County	1866	Post office closed in 1942.	Nothing remains of the townsite except an old well.
Lyona[11]	Dickinson County	1857	Post office closed in 1888.	Nothing remains of the townsite except for a church and the old Lyona School built in 1870.
Canada[11]	Marion County	1873		A small population (approx. 40) remains.
Boomer City[11]	Saline County	mid-1940s		Boomer City was established as a town to house the construction people working on the Kanapolis Reservoir. When the lake was completed, the town was abandoned.
Mariposa[11]	Saline County	1856	unknown	The town barely got started and was abandoned soon after its founding.
Buchanan[11]	Saline County	1857	late 1850s	The town was surveyed but soon after a local child died after arrived in Buchanan, the town was abandoned.
Kipp[11]	Saline County	early 1860s	1960s	A small population remains.
Dry Creek[11]	Saline County	1877	Post office closed in 1887.	An old blacksmith shop still stands but nothing else remains.
Terra Cotta[11]	Ellsworth County	1867	1888	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Ironically, in 1901, a railroad built a depot at Terra Cotta despite nothing being there. It was moved in 1934.
Idavale[11]	Ellsworth County		1893	The Idavale Ranch is located on the Kanapolis Reservoir Legacy Trail, along with Terra Cotta.
Fairport[11]	Russell County	1880	1940s	A small population remains.
Redwing[11]	Barton County	1890		A small population (approx. 20) remains.
Boyd[11]	Barton County	1886		A small population and building ruins remain.
Cain City[11]	Rice County	1881	1889	After the founder, Roger Cain, died, the town was slowly abandoned. Nothing remains of the townsite.
Empire[11]	McPherson County	1855, post office established in 1861	late 1870s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Hukle[11]	Sedgwick County	1885	1915	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Marshall[11]	Sedgwick County	1872	1880s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Calista[11]	Kingman County	1880s	1970s	An old grain elevator and a couple of houses remain.
Meridian[11]	Sumner County	1871	1886	The town never actually existed despite being named the county seat in 1871.
Saratoga[11]	Pratt County	1878	early 1900s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Drury[11]	Sumner County	1882		A small population (approx. 20) remains along with a dam built in 1882.
Zyba[11]	Sumner County	1888	1915	Nothing remains of the townsite, the town was wiped off the map by a tornado.
Belvidere[11]	Kiowa County	1887		A small population remains.
Leota[11]	Norton County	1873	1882	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Port Landis[11]	Norton County	1872		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Woodruff[11]	Phillips County	1885		A small population remains.
Gandy[11]	Sherman County	1885	1887	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Hawkeye[11]	Decatur County	1876	1880s	Little remains of the townsite.
Coyote[11]	Trego County	January 1868	June 1868	Coyote was the western terminus of the Union Pacific during construction. When the railroad moved on, Coyote was abandoned.
Augustine[11]	Logan County	1887	Post office closed in 1895	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Vega[11]	Wallace County	1887	1890s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Jerome[11]	Gove County	1886	Post office closed in 1943	Little remains of the townsite.
Sherlock[11]	Finney County	1872		In 1910, the people of Sherlock renamed the town Holcomb, which still exists.
Old Montezuma[11]	Gray County	1886	1895	Some ruins remain in the area.	In 1912, the Santa Fe Railroad laid out a new town named Montezuma which continues to thrive.
Hess[11]	Gray County	1887		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Morton City[11]	Hodgeman County	1877	1880s	Some ruins of old stone houses remain.	The townsite is now a part of the Hanna Hereford Ranch.
Ivanhoe[11]	Haskell County	late 1880s	1920s	Nothing remains of the townsite except for a Santa Fe Trail marker and a cemetery.
Dermot[11]	Stevens County	1887	Post office closed in 1929	Nothing remains of the townsite.	The town was short-lived but the post office existed decades longer than the actual town.
Pleasant Plains[11]	Morton County			Nothing remains of the townsite.
Taloga[11]	Morton County	1886	1890s	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Mertilla[11]	Meade County	1885	1893	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Nirwana City[11]	Meade County	1886	1888	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Carthage[11]	Meade County	1885	1885	The town was abandoned when Meade Center won the county seat. Nothing remains but a main street through Meade is named Carthage.
Pearlette[11]	Meade County	1879	1880	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Spring Lake/Artesian City[11]	Meade County	1885	1893	Renamed Artesian City from Spring Lake in 1887, nothing remains of the townsite.
Veteran[11]	Stanton County	1885	1886	The exact location of the first townsite of Veteran is unknown but the second location became Johnson City in 1886.	The town of Veteran was apparently founded by Civil War Veterans.
Annelly	Harvey County			The main street and an old schoolhouse remain.
Elk	Chase County		Post office closed in 1923	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Farmer City	Wichita County			Nothing remains of the townsite.
Hail Ridge	Linn County		Post office closed in 1888	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Millbrook	Graham County	1880	1887	The ruins of a schoolhouse remain in the area.
Prairie City	Douglas County	1857	1883	A cemetery, ruins of an old church and an abandoned stone house are all that remain of the town.
Smoky Hill City	Ellis County	1899	1905	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Sibley	Cloud County			Nothing remains of the townsite.
Thurman	Chase County	1874	1944	Little remains of the townsite.
Twin Mound[14]	Douglas County	1857	early 1900s	A small population remains along with an old cemetery, schoolhouse and the natural mounds the town was named for.
Muncie[15]	Wyandotte County			Muncie is now a part of suburban Kansas City.
Stringtown/Woodstock[15]	Jefferson County	1865	Post office closed in 1891	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Zarah[15]	Johnson County	1902		Nothing remains of the townsite.	Zarah might have been located near Shawnee Mission Parkway and Woodland Road.
Emerald Community[15]	Anderson County	1857		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Ohio City[15]	Franklin County	1857	1864	Nothing remains of the townsite.	Was the county seat from 1861 until 1864.
Williamsport[15]	Shawnee County	1857		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Camp Whiteside[15]	Geary County		1930s	Nothing remains of the site.
Toledo[15]	Chase County	1860		A cemetery and some farms are all that remain.
Wauneta[15]	Chautauqua County		Post office closed in 1931	A United Methodist Church is located on K-166 east of Cedarvale.
Union Center[15]	Elk County	1868		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Geneva[15]	Allen County	1857	Post office closed in 1942.	Little remains of the townsite.
Fact[15]	Clay County	unknown		Little remains of the townsite, a small population remains.
Victor[15]	Mitchell County		1959	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Shipton[15]	Saline County		Post office closed in 1895	Nothing remains of the townsite.	The entire town was auctioned off in 1909.
Black Wolf[15]	Ellsworth County	1879		A grain elevator and some other buildings remain.	Black Wolf is currently on private property.
Shaffer[15]	Rush County	1892		Little remains of the townsite.
Beaver[15]	Barton County	1918		A small population remains.
Wherry[15]	Rice County			Nothing remains of the townsite.	The last building marking the site burned down in 1967.
Saxman[15]	Rice County			A small population (approx. 30) remains.
Roxbury[15]	McPherson County	1866		A small population (approx. 75) remains.
Ashtabula Colony[15]	McPherson County	1871		Merged with McPherson.
Medora[15]	Reno County			Little remains of the townsite, a small population remains.
Bayneville[15]	Sedgwick County	1884		Some houses and ruins remain in the area.
Basil[15]	Kingman County	1892	1930s	All that remains is an abandoned grain elevator.	Founded as Gage until 1901.
Elm Mills[15]	Barber County	1879		Nothing remains of the townsite.
Touzalin[15]	Meade County	1884	1885	Nothing remains of the townsite.
Centerview[16]	Edwards County	~1880		Structures still stand, and two families still live on the townsite.
Acres	Clark County		early 2000s	Town has been completely vacant for a few years. Six buildings remain standing on the townsite, including an elevator and old school.
Croft	Pratt County		2000s	Two vacant grain elevators, two vacant houses, an old school, and a few ruins remain in this town.
Comiskey	Morris County	1887, March 4	1929	Buildings owned by Day Family Farms, maintaining buildings like the schoolhouse, dance hall, and post office	First designated in 1887 by deed at File:Comiskey_Town_Deed.pdf
May Day	Riley County	1871	1969[17]	No original buildings on town site, intersection of Fancy Creek Road (Riley County 376) and 1600 Road West, in northwest Riley County. Vacant one-room rural schoolhouse, 1 mile east. May Day Cemetery, 1/2 mile west on Fancy Creek Road.	Settled 1857 by Frank Droll and Ralph Niehenke, incorporated 1871. First named Stanton, then Edgerton for local booster Asahel Edgerton, but both names rejected by US Post Office. Finally named May Day, because the Post Office opened on May 1, 1871.[18]

See also

• List of counties in Kansas
• List of townships in Kansas
• List of cities in Kansas
• List of unincorporated communities in Kansas
• Lists of places in Kansas

References

1. http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gtusa/classes.htm
2. Daniel Fitzgerald. Ghost Towns of Kansas: A Traveler's Guide, University Press of Kansas. 1988.
3. NY Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/magazine/last-ones-left-in-treece-kan-a-toxic-town.htm
4. http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en Population figures taken from the U.S. Census.
5. Fitzgerald, Daniel. Ghost Towns of Kansas: A Traveler's Guide. Lawrence: U of Kansas P, 1988.
6. "Mina, A Ghost Town Today". November 3, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
7. Fitzgerald, Daniel. "Faded Dreams: Ghost Towns of Kansas". Lawrence, Kansas. U of Kansas P, 1994.
8. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table
9. Wes Enzinna (May 16, 2012). "Last Ones Left in a Toxic Town". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
10. Saulny, Susan (September 14, 2009). "Welcome to Our Town. Wish We Weren't Here". The New York Times.
11. Fitzgerald, Daniel. Ghost Towns of Kansas 6. The Daniel Fitzgerald Company, 2009.
12. "2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
13. Blackmar, Frank (1912). Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. Chicago, Illinois: Standard Publishing Company. p. 907.
14. Soil of Our Souls by Martha Parker and Betty Laird, Parker-Laird Publishing, 1979.
15. http://www.danielcfitzgerald.com/ghosttownsofkansas6.html
16. http://www.skyways.org/counties/ED/
17. Shaner, Sue Lynne (November 23, 1969). "Country Store Fades into Past". The Manhattan Mercury. Riley County Historical Society. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
18. Garver, Andrew. "From Prairie to Pasture". Lost Kansas Communities. Retrieved 31 July 2014.

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