Ghost Town

When does a town or village, become an official ghost town? At what point is it generally accepted or not rude to point out a place as abandoned beyond hope? Swift River Lodge closed in 2009. The owners, a brother and sister, left it when they could not longer run it due to lack of funds.

The most recent images I found show the buildings in the process of being torn down. In a report someone had said the population was 5 and then had gone down by 5. From that source the population seems to be zero now. I looked on Google Maps and there isn’t much in the area to be called a town or village. Maybe the town never was more than a rest stop on a long, fairly remote, highway.

Photos take by jimbob_malone, posted to Flickr. Thank you for permission to post the photos.

It’s not the only lodge or rest spot along the northern highway to be closed down or abandoned. Source – Ghost Lodges of the Alaska Highway. But the story of highway motels closing up starts a couple of generations ago at least.

You can see a lot of abandoned motels along smaller highways. Places which had their best times in the 1950’s and 60’s, before the huge highways were built and many motels were cut off from the bigger source of traffic. Some of the old motels are gone, some were repurposed but you can still find others standing as they were when everyone left. (Beware of vagrants).

Exploring Ballycroy, Ontario

My first ghost town exploration (Ballycroy) fell pretty flat. I had found it on the map. I got my directions so I could drive there. I brought my camera, I was ready. I had read about the old town in a newspaper article about local history. There was a photograph of an old ruined stone wall and a vintage illustration of the original town as it once would have been.

But, the ghost town wasn’t there. Or, not much of it. I found one building remaining but it had been renovated from the old general store into a modern home. I didn’t see so much as the old outhouse left standing along side the house.

There were woods around but all marked as private property with “No Trespassing” signs up on the fences. I knew there was more, likely in the private property area. But, I didn’t know who owned it to ask for permission to explore farther in.

I did see the sign for the town of Ballycroy and a heritage plaque. That was my first ghost town adventure.

Ballycroy: The 1st Ghost Town that Wasn’t There

Exploring Malcolm, Ontario

The next time I wound up in a ghost town I found even less to see. One historical plaque to mark the spot, that was it!

I did drive down the road a bit and see some black young male cattle. They were romping around, beating each other up and doing other things you can imagine young men doing. I felt a bit sad, knowing they were likely to have a short life ending up on a plate in some kitchen or dining room. But, they were having a good time that day.

Malcolm: The 2nd Ghost Town That Wasn’t There

How to be a Ghost Town Explorer

Ghost town exploring is not all you would expect it to be. New explorers will find a destination and arrive there with great expectations. Just like in the movies.

Expect less and you won’t be too disappointed.

Sure there are some ghost towns with a lot more to see. These are sometimes tourist attractions now. If you really want to find a ghost town you need to go off the beaten path. I know of one which I may never get to see myself. It’s in an area which has become immersed under water most of the year. It is only reachable by canoe. There is a bridge which you could risk driving across, with the right vehicle.

Generally, ghost towns are just a memory and a heritage plaque.

Tips for Finding Ghost Towns

Read local history and make notes about the locations.
Read local legends, like ghost stories, and see if any of those towns have fallen off the map a bit.
Watch the local news and newspapers. Search their websites for ghost stories and ghost towns.
Go to your local library, try the history section.
Pay attention to the writers when you find a book about local history. Contact them and ask for tips on places to see.
If you can find a local paranormal/ ghost hunting group, join up. Show up when they get together to explore or give tours.
Look on Flickr, search for photos from urban explorers in your area. Try other photography sites with the same plan.
Join, and participate in, activities with your local historical society. Keep your membership card handy when you are out exploring.
A great map of your area, including back roads, is a huge help in finding ghost towns – especially once you are on on the road. Look at your map, observe dead end roads that seem to leave blank spaces on the map. Look for blank areas where a town might once have fit in.
Learn something about architecture, so you will know what you’re looking at when there isn’t much to see other than some foundations and the scattered remains of a building or two.

Guides to Exploring

There are Ghost Towns Across Canada

Photo Galleries and Resources

Historical Societies

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Things to Do in a Ghost Town