2023 - Full Presentation Schedule
66 Ghosts: A Survey of Ghost Towns and Other Forgotten Places Along Route 66
Abstract
Although no longer an official federal road, former U.S. Highway 66 (or “Route 66”) is arguably the most famous road in the world. Yet, there are a surprising number of ghost towns and other places along this well-traveled highway that have been nearly forgotten. There are several that have received a great deal of attention, such as Glenrio NM/TX or Amboy, CA.
There are several towns along Route 66 that are sometimes called ghost towns, but I do not consider them to be. A ghost town may be completely deserted (with or without structures) or have a small population that remains. There are many ghost towns located along Route 66 that are not mentioned in the Route 66 discourse, online or in print. This paper includes every ghost town—including the ones that I call near-ghost towns—that are located along, or adjacent to, 66. I visited all of the places included here, and the presentation will include photographs and video that I took in 2021 and 2022.
This paper presents these towns organized into five categories. The first category consists of ghost towns where few or no people remain. Most ghost towns are located on private property, so one could count the property owner(s) regardless of whether they live there full-time.
The next category includes places that were never incorporated or had a post office but nevertheless had some population base. Many in this category are listed as census designated places with the United States Geological Survey.There may be, or have been, buildings such as a church or school that help define the place as a community.
The third category, what I call near-ghost towns, includes places with a small population with or without active businesses that at one time had a much larger population. The fourth category consists of places that are no longer referred to by the original name (e.g., perhaps annexed by another community).
The final category includes places that I have yet to determine why they appeared and disappeared from maps with no information as to what they were. I also mention places along Route 66 that others have referred to as ghost towns that I do not consider to be ghost towns nor near-ghost towns. I have excluded ghost towns that ceased to exist before Route 66 was officially designated (1926).
66 Ghosts: A Survey of Ghost Towns and Other Forgotten Places Along Route 66
CASB 108 - History, Politics, and Sociology
Although no longer an official federal road, former U.S. Highway 66 (or “Route 66”) is arguably the most famous road in the world. Yet, there are a surprising number of ghost towns and other places along this well-traveled highway that have been nearly forgotten. There are several that have received a great deal of attention, such as Glenrio NM/TX or Amboy, CA.
There are several towns along Route 66 that are sometimes called ghost towns, but I do not consider them to be. A ghost town may be completely deserted (with or without structures) or have a small population that remains. There are many ghost towns located along Route 66 that are not mentioned in the Route 66 discourse, online or in print. This paper includes every ghost town—including the ones that I call near-ghost towns—that are located along, or adjacent to, 66. I visited all of the places included here, and the presentation will include photographs and video that I took in 2021 and 2022.
This paper presents these towns organized into five categories. The first category consists of ghost towns where few or no people remain. Most ghost towns are located on private property, so one could count the property owner(s) regardless of whether they live there full-time.
The next category includes places that were never incorporated or had a post office but nevertheless had some population base. Many in this category are listed as census designated places with the United States Geological Survey.There may be, or have been, buildings such as a church or school that help define the place as a community.
The third category, what I call near-ghost towns, includes places with a small population with or without active businesses that at one time had a much larger population. The fourth category consists of places that are no longer referred to by the original name (e.g., perhaps annexed by another community).
The final category includes places that I have yet to determine why they appeared and disappeared from maps with no information as to what they were. I also mention places along Route 66 that others have referred to as ghost towns that I do not consider to be ghost towns nor near-ghost towns. I have excluded ghost towns that ceased to exist before Route 66 was officially designated (1926).