Hart

California wrote the book on ghost towns, from Gold Rush tent cities to Owens Valley farm towns the aqueduct dried up.

The William S. Hart Union High School District (commonly referred to simply as the Hart District) is a school district in the Santa Clarita Valley of Los Angeles County, California. It serves all of the valley's public high school students (grades 9–12) and most of its junior high school students (grades 7–8). As of 2023–24, the total number of enrolled students (in 16 schools) was 22,135. The district's superintendent is Michael Vierra. The district is named after William S. Hart, one of the first western film stars, who lived in Newhall and was a local benefactor.

The on-the-ground condition of Hart 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 Hart 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 Hart is roughly 34.4104, -118.5109 — 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.