From its very beginning, Nebraska has been a collection of small towns and communities with large distances between them. But as more and more people move aways from rural towns and into cities, the older towns are sometimes abandoned and left to decay. These ghost towns once held people, businesses, and the promise of the future…but now they’re little more than ruins.
- St. Deroin, Nemaha County
By DickClarkMises (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
flickr/Ali Eminov The remains of this little former ferry town are located within the borders of Indian Cave State Park. It was chartered in 1854, but by 1920 it was completely abandoned due to flooding problems. Today, the cemetery, schoolhouse, and a partially reconstructed village are there to educate visitors about the history of the area.
- Brocksburg, Keya Paha County
By Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) (Brocksburg, Nebraska Uploaded by AlbertHerring) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
flickr/Brett Whaley The ghosts of Brocksburg are located on Highway 137 close to the nearly-abandoned Monowi (population 1) and Gross (population 2). It’s one of the more picturesque ghost towns, consisting of a few old buildings and lots of lush trees. Nature is slowly swallowing Brocksburg, and it’s fascinating and lovely to watch.
- Venus, Knox County
flickr/Micheal Peterson (used with permission)
flickr/Micheal Peterson (used with permission) Venus’ post office was established in 1880 and operated until 1959. The buildings of the former town have not fared well, and most have collapsed even since these photos were taken. There are a few homes in the area, but the town itself has gone the way of so many other early Nebraska settlements.
- Dobytown, Kearny County
flickr/J Stephen Conn
Google Maps Streetview Dobytown was named for the adobe-like structures that used to stand here. It popped up shortly after Fort Kearny was established and was home to a large number of “disreputable” people and activities, all there because of the military outpost. The town began its inevitable decline in 1869 when the railroad took travelers in a different direction. Today, only a historical marker remains to identify the former town site.
- Antioch, Sheridan County
flickr/Micheal Peterson (used with permission
flickr/Micheal Peterson (used with permission) Antioch was the potash capital of Nebraska, and for a while it thrived as an industrial town. But when the demand for potash decreased and the plant ceased operations, the town’s residents moved elsewhere to find work. Some components of the old buildings were able to be salvaged and recycled in other places, but many partial structures stand, lending a rather creepy quality to the townsite.
These former Nebraska towns are all fascinating in their own ways. Have you ever visited them? Be sure to share your experiences with us!
By DickClarkMises (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
flickr/Ali Eminov
The remains of this little former ferry town are located within the borders of Indian Cave State Park. It was chartered in 1854, but by 1920 it was completely abandoned due to flooding problems. Today, the cemetery, schoolhouse, and a partially reconstructed village are there to educate visitors about the history of the area.
By Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) (Brocksburg, Nebraska Uploaded by AlbertHerring) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
flickr/Brett Whaley
The ghosts of Brocksburg are located on Highway 137 close to the nearly-abandoned Monowi (population 1) and Gross (population 2). It’s one of the more picturesque ghost towns, consisting of a few old buildings and lots of lush trees. Nature is slowly swallowing Brocksburg, and it’s fascinating and lovely to watch.
flickr/Micheal Peterson (used with permission)
Venus’ post office was established in 1880 and operated until 1959. The buildings of the former town have not fared well, and most have collapsed even since these photos were taken. There are a few homes in the area, but the town itself has gone the way of so many other early Nebraska settlements.
flickr/J Stephen Conn
Google Maps Streetview
Dobytown was named for the adobe-like structures that used to stand here. It popped up shortly after Fort Kearny was established and was home to a large number of “disreputable” people and activities, all there because of the military outpost. The town began its inevitable decline in 1869 when the railroad took travelers in a different direction. Today, only a historical marker remains to identify the former town site.
flickr/Micheal Peterson (used with permission
Antioch was the potash capital of Nebraska, and for a while it thrived as an industrial town. But when the demand for potash decreased and the plant ceased operations, the town’s residents moved elsewhere to find work. Some components of the old buildings were able to be salvaged and recycled in other places, but many partial structures stand, lending a rather creepy quality to the townsite.
How about a ghost town that you’ll never be able to visit? Learn about that one right here.
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