McGirk

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

McGirk is a ghost town located in Hamilton County near the Lampasas River in Central Texas, United States. Founded in the early 1870s, the town acquired a post office in 1882. John A. McGirk, the town's namesake, also served as the first postmaster. A steam-operated cotton gin on the Lampasas River remained in place for many years. The post office closed by 1920 and the school was gone by the mid-1930s. The town still had a population of 25 in 1945, but post war opportunities drew off that meager number and the town became a ghost.

The on-the-ground condition of McGirk 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 McGirk 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 McGirk is roughly 31.5181, -98.3314 — 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.