Clarkesville

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

Clarkesville (also spelled Clarksville) is a ghost town in Clarke County, Alabama, United States. It was the county seat of Clarke County until 1831.

Little stands at Clarkesville today beyond foundations and scattered traces. Foundation-only sites reward visitors who enjoy reading a landscape — bring an old plat map or historic photo if you can find one, and the vanished streets start to reappear.

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 Clarkesville 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. The mapped point for Clarkesville is roughly 31.7282, -87.8774 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

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.