Ghost Towns in Illinois
5 documented ghost towns
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History
Explore the ghost towns of Illinois.
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Bishop Hill
Bishop Hill was founded by Swedish religious dissenters. After their charismatic leader Erik Jansson was murdered, the commune collapsed. Many origina...
Cairo
Cairo (pronounced KAY-ro) was 'America's future'—Mark Twain called it 'a grave.' At the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi, it boomed to 15,000 pe...
Elsah
Elsah was a prosperous river town until the railroad bypassed it in favor of Alton. The town's economy collapsed, and most residents left. Because it ...
Gays
Gays is a near-ghost-town famous for one thing: the only two-story outhouse in America still standing. Built because the general store and the apartme...
Kincaid
Kincaid was a model company town built by Peabody Coal. The company provided housing, stores, and services. Labor battles made Kincaid famous in union...