This is an incomplete list of ghost towns in Wisconsin.
Classification
Barren site
- Sites no longer in existence
- Sites that have been destroyed
- Covered with water
- Reverted to pasture
- May have a few difficult to find foundations/footings at most
Neglected site
- Only rubble left
- Roofless building ruins
- Buildings or houses still standing, but majority are roofless
Abandoned site
- Building or houses still standing
- Buildings and houses all abandoned
- No population, except caretaker
- Site no longer in existence except for one or two buildings, for example old church, grocery store
Semi-abandoned site
- Building or houses still standing
- Buildings and houses largely abandoned
- Few residents
- Many abandoned buildings
- Small population
- Building or houses still standing
- Still a busy community
- Smaller than its boom years
- Population has decreased dramatically, to one fifth or less
Ghost towns
| Town name
|
Other names
|
County
|
Latitude/longitude
|
Established
|
Disestablished
|
Current status
|
Remarks
|
| Adams Center
|
|
Adams |
43°54′58″N 89°47′50″W |
1964 |
|
|
|
| Adamsville
|
|
Iowa |
42°54′26″N 89°54′45″W |
|
|
|
Birthplace of Alva Adams
|
| Anchorage
|
|
Buffalo |
44°16′07″N 91°45′26″W |
|
|
Barren |
|
| Apostle Islands[1]
|
|
Ashland and Bayfield |
46°55′48″N 90°37′59″W |
September 26, 1970 |
|
|
|
| Army Lake
|
|
Walworth |
42°48′24″N 88°22′31″W |
|
|
|
|
| Ashford
|
|
Richland |
43°20′48″N 90°28′05″W |
|
|
|
|
| Attica[2]
|
|
Green |
42°46′12″N 89°28′50″W |
|
|
|
Now part of the town of Brooklyn.
|
| Aurora
|
|
Kenosha |
|
April 30, 1891 |
|
Barren |
Site of one of the area's earliest post offices; now part of the city of Kenosha.
|
| Bagdad
|
|
Forest |
45°39′22″N 88°42′13″W |
|
|
|
|
| Belmont[1][2]
|
|
Lafayette |
40°46'7"N 90°22'49"W |
1836 |
1837
|
|
First Wisconsin territorial capital; abandoned after one session. Located about three miles NW of the present town of Belmont.
|
| Benson's Corner[3]
|
Nixon Corner, Bristol Corner |
Kenosha |
|
|
|
|
Located "just up the road" from the present community of Bristol.
|
| Bissell
|
|
Kenosha |
|
|
|
Absorbed |
Now part of the village of Bristol.
|
| Bluff Siding[1][4]
|
|
Buffalo |
|
|
|
|
|
| Bohri
|
|
Buffalo |
44°08′42″N 91°36′10″W |
|
|
|
|
| Calhoun
|
|
Waukesha |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ceresco
|
the Wisconsin Phalanx |
Fond du Lac |
43°50′55″N 88°51′6″W |
1844 |
1858
|
|
A commune founded by followers of the communitarian socialist ideas of Charles Fourier.
|
| Charter Oak Mills
|
|
Jackson |
44°16′07″N 90°52′30″W |
|
|
|
|
| Cheyenne Valley[2]
|
|
Vernon |
|
|
|
|
|
| Clarence
|
|
Green |
42°35′26″N 89°23′54″W |
|
|
|
|
| Clason Prairie
|
|
Dodge |
|
|
|
|
|
| Clay
|
|
Jackson |
44°23′46″N 90°40′50″W |
|
|
|
|
| Clay Banks[5]
|
|
Door |
|
|
|
|
|
| Cooksville[1][4]
|
|
Rock |
|
|
|
|
|
| Coolidge
|
|
Price |
45°48'42"N 90°24'29"W |
|
|
|
|
| Cortland
|
|
Trempealeau |
44°12'50"N 91°34'04"W |
|
|
|
|
| Corwin
|
|
Richland |
43°30′12″N 90°16′53″W |
|
|
|
|
| Cream[1][4]
|
Eagle Creek |
Buffalo |
|
|
|
|
|
| Crusher[4]
|
|
Dodge |
|
|
|
|
|
| Cypress[3]
|
Hoadley |
Kenosha |
|
|
|
|
There is some confusion as to whether Cypress was a later designator of Pikeville, or geographically distinct.
|
| De Noon
|
|
Waukesha and Racine |
|
|
|
|
|
| Delhi[6]
|
|
Winnebago |
44°01'22"N 88°48'08"W |
|
|
|
|
| Dell Prairie
|
|
Adams |
43°40'02"N 89°42'55"W |
|
|
|
|
| Dellwood[4]
|
|
Adams |
|
|
|
|
|
| Dill[2]
|
|
Adams |
|
|
|
|
|
| Dirty Hollow
|
|
Iowa |
42°57′48″N 90°7′52″W |
|
|
|
Today incorporated into the city of Dodgeville.
|
| Dodges Corners
|
|
Waukesha |
42°51'32"N 88°14'30"W |
|
|
|
|
| Donaldson[4]
|
|
Vilas |
|
|
|
|
|
| Dover
|
Known variously as Heyworth, Reevesville, East Arena, and Ghorstville prior to 1851 |
Iowa |
43°9′43″N 89°50′18″W |
1844 |
ca. 1870
|
|
Originally established by the British Temperance and Emigration Society, Dover was slowly abandoned when it was bypassed by the railroad in favor of Mazomanie.
|
| Dunville[1]
|
|
Dunn |
|
|
|
|
|
| Emerson[1]
|
|
Iron |
|
|
|
|
|
| Exeter[2]
|
|
Green |
|
|
|
|
|
| Falls City[4]
|
|
Eau Claire |
|
|
|
|
|
| Farmers Grove
|
|
Green |
42°47'06"N 89°43'27"W |
|
|
|
|
| Fellows
|
|
Rock |
42°44'53"N 89°12'03"W |
|
|
|
|
| Fordham
|
|
Adams |
43°58'55"N 89°44'20"W |
|
|
|
|
| Fort Crawford[1]
|
|
Crawford |
|
|
|
|
|
| Fort Howard[1]
|
|
Brown |
|
|
|
|
|
| Foscoro[5]
|
|
Door |
|
|
|
|
|
| Frenchtown[2]
|
|
Dane |
|
|
|
|
|
| Good Hope
|
|
Milwaukee |
|
|
|
|
|
| Granite City
|
|
Waupaca |
44°38'02"N 88°59'28"W |
|
|
|
|
| Granite Quarry
|
|
Waupaca |
44°25'02"N 89°04'04"W |
|
|
|
|
| Gratiot's Grove[2]
|
|
Lafayette |
|
|
|
|
|
| Harmon
|
|
Washburn |
46°04′04″N 91°40′06″W |
|
|
|
|
| Harrison
|
|
Calumet |
44°08′03″N 88°17′30″W |
|
|
|
|
| Hatton
|
|
Waupaca |
44°15′34″N 88°59′20″W |
|
|
|
|
| Helena[1]
|
Old Helena, Helena Station |
Iowa |
|
|
|
|
|
| Henrietta
|
|
Richland |
|
|
|
|
|
| Horns Pier[5]
|
|
Door |
|
|
|
|
|
| Jefferson Prairie Settlement
|
|
Rock |
42°29'37"N 88°51'48"W |
|
|
|
|
| Kaiser
|
|
Price |
45°54'35"N 90°33'06"W |
|
|
|
|
| Keith
|
|
Forest |
45°30′30″N 88°52′58″W |
|
|
|
|
| Kennedy
|
|
Price |
45.9102815,-90.6662547 |
|
|
|
|
| Kennedys Corners
|
|
Sheboygan |
43°40′28″N 87°52′13″W |
|
|
|
|
| Klondike Corner[3]
|
Klondike |
Kenosha |
42.590271 -88.134038 |
|
|
|
Now part of Brighton.
|
| Knowlton[1]
|
|
Marathon |
|
|
|
|
|
| Knox Mills
|
|
Price |
45.5000037,-90.1302873 |
|
|
|
|
| Kurth
|
|
Clark |
44°34′27″N 90°29′48″W |
|
|
|
|
| Lake Emily
|
|
Portage |
44°28′40″N 89°20′05″W |
|
|
|
|
| LaRue[2]
|
|
Sauk |
|
|
|
|
|
| Lawesburg
|
|
Outagamie |
44°15′31.02″N 88°23′00.47″W |
|
|
|
|
| Lime Rock
|
|
Outagamie |
44°30′03.52″N 88°21′03.77″W |
|
|
|
|
| Little Wolf
|
|
Waupaca |
44°25′20″N 88°54′05″W |
|
|
|
|
| Manson
|
|
Oneida |
|
|
|
|
|
| Maple Works
|
|
Clark |
|
|
|
|
|
| Marble
|
|
Waupaca |
44°33′45″N 88°52′15″W |
|
|
|
|
| Mayhews
|
|
Walworth |
42°45′47″N 88°29′24″W |
|
|
|
|
| McGrew
|
|
Richland |
43.3975039,-90.5013984 |
|
|
|
|
| Mill Creek
|
|
Richland |
43.3866706,-90.5527107 |
|
|
|
|
| Millville[1]
|
|
Grant |
|
|
|
|
|
| Minersville
|
|
Iowa |
42.963337 -90.133299 |
|
|
|
Today incorporated into the city of Dodgeville.
|
| Moe Settlement
|
|
Columbia |
43°35′55″N 89°41′58″W |
|
|
|
|
| Moscow[2]
|
|
Iowa |
|
|
|
|
|
| Muskego Settlement
|
|
Racine |
|
|
|
|
|
| Nasbro[4]
|
|
Dodge |
|
|
|
|
|
| Nelsonville
|
|
Eau Claire |
44°39′15″N 91°34′12″W |
|
|
|
|
| Neshonoc[1]
|
|
La Crosse |
|
|
|
|
|
| New Cassel
|
|
Fond du Lac |
|
|
|
|
Eventually absorbed into Campellsport.
|
| New Chester
|
|
Adams |
|
|
|
|
|
| New City
|
|
Trempealeau |
44.3488927,-91.4498658 |
|
|
|
|
| New Diggings[2]
|
|
Lafayette |
|
|
|
|
|
| New Upsala
|
|
Waukesha |
|
|
|
|
|
| Nowell
|
|
Waupaca |
44°29′22″N 88°47′53″W |
|
|
|
|
| Oak Grove
|
|
Eau Claire |
44°40′21″N 91°36′19″W |
|
|
|
|
| Oakwood
|
|
Milwaukee |
|
|
|
|
|
| Oil City[2]
|
|
Monroe |
|
|
|
|
|
| Old Tyrone
|
|
Dunn |
44°42′50″N 91°50′34″W |
|
|
|
|
| Perote
|
|
Menominee |
45°05′28″N 88°48′46″W |
|
|
|
|
| Petersville
|
|
Waupaca |
44°32′18″N 89°11′00″W |
|
|
|
|
| Pikeville Corners
|
Pikeville |
Kenosha |
42.49613 -88.0332206 |
|
|
|
While Pikeville continues to exist as a geographical place name on modern maps, today it is incorporated into the village of Bristol. See also Cypress, above.
|
| Pilot Knob
|
|
Adams |
43.9875038,-89.6355651 |
|
|
|
|
| Pleasant Ridge[2]
|
|
Grant |
42°49′52″N 90°48′47″W |
c. 1850 |
1959
|
|
Settled by formerly enslaved African Americans in the 1850s, Pleasant Ridge was home to over 100 people, approximately half of whom were African Americans, through the early 20th century. The last resident died in 1959.[7]
|
| Pokerville[4][8]
|
|
Dane |
|
|
|
|
|
| Porter's Mills
|
|
Eau Claire |
44°46′15″N 91°34′01″W |
|
|
|
|
| Quincy
|
|
Adams |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ranney[4]
|
|
Kenosha |
|
|
|
|
|
| Raymond Center
|
|
Racine |
|
|
|
|
|
| Reeds Corners
|
|
Fond du Lac |
|
|
|
|
|
| Roche a Cri
|
|
Adams |
44.0536149,-90.9539387 |
|
|
|
|
| Rodney
|
|
Waushara |
43°59′07″N 89°07′42″W |
|
|
|
|
| Rogneys
|
|
Jackson |
44.193337 -91.060799 |
|
|
|
|
| Root Creek
|
|
Milwaukee |
|
|
|
|
|
| Sacramento[1]
|
|
Waushara |
|
|
|
|
|
| Savoy
|
|
Buffalo |
44.523609 -92.058620 |
|
|
|
|
| Schultz[2]
|
|
Green |
|
|
|
|
|
| Selma[3]
|
Sand Ridge |
Kenosha |
|
|
|
|
|
| Sinnipee[2]
|
|
Grant |
42°34′31″N 90°39′25″W |
|
|
|
|
| Springbluff
|
|
Adams |
43.9233371,-91.9189887 |
|
|
|
|
| Springdale
|
|
Buffalo |
44.523609 -92.058620 |
|
|
|
|
| St. Feriole Island[1]
|
|
Crawford |
|
|
|
|
|
| St. Martin's
|
|
Milwaukee |
|
|
|
|
|
| Staadts
|
|
Marathon |
|
|
|
|
|
| Star Lake[1]
|
|
Vilas |
|
|
|
|
|
| Stettin
|
|
Marathon |
|
|
|
|
|
| Stewart[2]
|
|
Green |
|
|
|
|
|
| Stonefield[1]
|
|
Grant |
|
|
|
|
|
| Stonehaven[9][10]
|
|
Ozaukee |
43°29'48"N 87°47'41"W |
1901 |
1925
|
|
Former company town of the Lake Shore Stone Company. Residents moved when the company closed the nearby quarry in 1925.
|
| Sugar Bush[1]
|
|
Marinette |
|
|
|
|
Destroyed in the great fire of 1871
|
| Trow
|
|
Clark |
44°29′30″N 90°45′46″W |
|
|
|
|
| Turtleville[2]
|
|
Rock |
|
|
|
|
|
| Valley
|
|
Vernon |
43°64'17"N 90°54'18"W |
|
|
|
|
| Voree ("Garden of Peace")[1][2]
|
|
Adams |
|
|
|
|
|
| Wakefield
|
|
Outagamie |
44°15′56.33″N 88°32′13.52″W |
|
|
|
|
| Welch Point
|
|
Dunn |
44°42′10″N 92°00′46″W |
|
|
|
|
| Wells[4]
|
|
Calumet, Manitowoc[4] |
|
|
|
|
|
| Willet
|
|
Green |
42.723337 -89.811676 |
|
|
|
|
| Williamsburg
|
|
Trempealeau |
44.3138927,-91.4632998 |
|
|
|
|
| Williamsonville[1]
|
|
Door |
|
|
|
|
Destroyed in the great fire of 1871
|
| Winooski
|
|
Sheboygan |
43°42′25″N 87°59′2″W |
|
|
|
|
| Witcome[4]
|
|
Shawano[4] |
|
|
|
|
|
| Woodworth
|
|
Kenosha |
42.558074, −88.001192 |
|
|
|
While Woodworth continues as a geographical designator on modern maps, it is today incorporated into the village of Bristol.
|
| Worden
|
|
Clark |
|
|
|
|
|
| Wrightsville
|
|
Jackson |
44.414448 -90.8536 |
|
|
|
|
| Zarahemla[2]
|
|
Lafayette |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ziegler
|
|
Marathon |
|
|
|
|
|
Notes and references
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Guide to the Ghost Towns of Wisconsin". website. Rootsweb. August 7, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Lost Towns of Southern Wisconsin". Wisconsin Public Television. October 28, 2014. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Kenosha County WI Placenames". website. Rootsweb. September 8, 2003. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Ghost Towns – Wisconsin". website. Ghosttowns.com. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Ghost Towns #2....The Ghostly Trio.... Foscoro, Clay Banks and Horns Pier". Wisconsinology. April 4, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Ghost Towns #1....Delhi, Wisconsin". Wisconsinology. March 1, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Pleasant Ridge: A Community of Black Farmers in Wisconsin". Wisconsin Historical Society. February 11, 2013. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
- ^ "Pokerville, the vanished village is Dane County's earliest town". newspaper article. Wisconsin State Journal. December 6, 1925. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Harrington Beach State Park: Master Plan and Environmental Analysis" (PDF). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
- ^ "Milwaukee ruins: Pabst Whitefish Resort, Commerce Street & Stonehaven". OnMilwaukee.com. April 22, 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
Further reading
- Stark, William F. (1977). Ghost Towns of Wisconsin. Sheboygan: Zimmermann Press. OCLC 3564408.
External links