Depauw

Indiana's ghost towns are canal towns, coal camps, and railroad stops the interstates finished off.

DePauw University ( də-PAW) is a private liberal arts college in Greencastle, Indiana, United States. It was founded in 1837 as Indiana Asbury College and changed its name to DePauw University in 1884. The college has a Methodist heritage and was founded to be an ecumenical institution of national stature, "conducted on the most liberal principles, accessible to all religious denominations and designed for the benefit of our citizens in general". In 2026, DePauw had an enrollment of 1,801 students.

The on-the-ground condition of Depauw is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

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 Depauw 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 Depauw is roughly 39.6408, -86.8631 — 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.