Texas has a large number of abandoned communities with a fascinating history that beg to be investigated, as I have discovered when doing research on ghost towns in the state. It's always fascinating to wonder what precisely occurred in these towns, who lived there, and why it was allowed to deteriorate. The history these Texas abandoned villages carry will leave you curious, perplexed, and perhaps a little scared too, if you have the time to see them.

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5) Independence

The town was given its name by the original residents in honor of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Sam Houston, who resided in Independence from 1853 to 1858, is the most well-known former inhabitant. It is also the origin of Baylor University, though the town's economic downturn prevented the college's building from ever getting finished. A portion of the Baylor Female Building's ruins is shown in the image above. Along with abandoned old residences, a run-down hotel, and an eerie cemetery, the town is home to what may be one of the most haunted ghost towns in Texas.

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4) Medicine Mound

The sole visible remnants of Medicine Mound are three dolomite hills that the Native Americans thought possessed medicinal properties beyond the natural world, a general store, a petrol station, and abandoned homes. Medicine Mound is situated between Quanah and Chillicothe. It's among Texas's most intriguing deserted towns.

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3) Indianola

The second-largest port city in Texas was formerly known as Indian Point, home to one of the most well-known ghost towns in the state. For reasons that are still unclear, the town's name was eventually changed to Indianola, but the terrible hurricanes of 1875 and 1886, together with a devastating fire that destroyed what little of the town remained after the disasters, sealed the town's doom. History buffs from Texas will love coming to this Matagorda Bay location.

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2) Lobo

Lobo, which is east of El Paso, used to be a thriving community whose primary industries were cotton and other agricultural products. But the expense of irrigating the crops was more than the farmers' earnings, and this Texas ghost town soon faded into the harsh Texas desert. While there are still some residents here, the residences and shops are mostly abandoned, dilapidated structures.

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1) Terlingua

The name of this ghost town in Texas, which is arguably the most well-known, alludes to the three languages that are spoken there: English, Spanish, and Indian. Much of the land was owned by a Maine entrepreneur called Howard E. Perry, who founded the Chisos Mining Company and attracted a large population to the town in the early 1900s. But following World War II, the mine leaked, the value of the mineral declined, and Terlingua, a little village, was abandoned. There's no reason not to explore this ghost town—a few modest businesses and restaurants are now accessible to visitors, and it's not too far from Big Bend National Park!

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Gallery Credit: Daniel Paulus

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