Bainbridge

Alabama's ghost towns are iron and coal towns around Birmingham and cotton ports the railroads replaced.

USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) is an Arleigh Burke-class (Flight IIA) Aegis guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is the fifth ship to carry the name. Bainbridge is named in honor of Commodore William Bainbridge, who as commander of the frigate USS Constitution distinguished himself in the War of 1812 when he and his crew captured HMS Java, a 38-gun fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy.

Bainbridge was lost to rising water — a flooded ghost town claimed by a reservoir or dam project. These sites sometimes reemerge during droughts, drawing photographers and the curious. Never venture onto exposed lakebeds against posted orders.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Bainbridge is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.