China's empty ghost cities were recently toured by CBS 60 Minutes. The context was the scores of apartments and housing facilities that remained unoccupied due to stringent property rules in the country. The large estates look like abandoned urban colonies that stand in eerie silence, devoid of any life or bustle that earned them the moniker "Empty Ghost Towns of China".
However, there are many real cities and towns in America that were abandoned years ago. These cities were once living, breathing areas that are now in ruins, just like a body decaying and rotting with time. While some are spectacularly breathtaking, aging gracefully, others tell a sad story of destruction and suffering.
Some of the abandoned cities are:
-Centralia, Pennsylvania
Centralia was a bustling borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Rich in minerals, the town was a mine central and just another regular happy place until an underground mineshaft caught fire in 1962. The fire burnt down almost the whole town. Its population decreased from 1000 residents in 1981 to 10 n 2001 and now, there are no people in the area. Very few homes remain standing today and the underground fire will apparently rage for another 250 years!
-Rhyolite, Nevada
Rhyolite was another metal-rich town that came up in the early 1890s near the Bullfrog Hills in Nevada. First established as a small mining camp, the area rose rapidly to grow into a civilization. However, as the gold ore depleted and the financial panic of 1907 along with the earthquake in San Francisco, the town slowly lost its charm and its people. Currently, the ruins serve as frequent movie locations and an attractive tourist destination.
-Thurmond, West Virginia
Thurmond was a busty business town in Fayette County, West Virginia. Due to the abundant availability of coal in the nearby area, the town grew to be a prosperous place for businessmen and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. The town has been rendered a historic district on the National register of Historic Places. However, it is not completely abandoned. In a recent municipal election, six of the city's seven residents sought office!
Indeed, towns are what the people make of it. Buzzfeed.com has released a beautiful video on abandoned towns of America which ends with a daunting question- "will your town be around in another 100 years?"
Check out the video below:
