Laurelia

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

Laurelia is a ghost town in central Polk County, Texas, United States. The town was founded after Judge Claiborne Holshausen built a sawmill in 1880. The location grew into a town and was named for the laurels that dominated the area. The mill remained the nucleus of the town, and after the sawmill burned in 1913, the town dwindled.

The on-the-ground condition of Laurelia 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 Laurelia 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 Laurelia is roughly 30.9698, -94.8223 — 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.