Emerald

Texas ghost towns run the full arc: cattle railheads, cotton towns the boll weevil broke, and oil booms that went bust.

Emerald (also called Emerald Grove and Laverne) is a ghost town in Crockett County, Texas, United States. The community's elevation was 2,425 and consisted of a mile-square site of 300 lots, including a two-room schoolhouse and a store. The Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway Company equipped the town's well with a windmill, pump and tank. Houses and other buildings were constructed after 1888, when the well was dug, and a post office was established in 1890. Later that year, Ozona was named the county seat and Emerald was completely abandoned by 1897.

The on-the-ground condition of Emerald 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 Emerald 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 Emerald is roughly 30.7208, -101.1549 — 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.