Mentone

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

Mentone () is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Loving County, Texas, United States. As of 2020, its population was 22, up from 19 in 2010, almost one-quarter of the county's 82 people at the time. Mentone was, until recent years, the least-populated unincorporated county seat in the United States, but lost that distinction with the 2010 census to Gann Valley, South Dakota, which had a population of 14. Mentone was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1967 as the "Smallest County Seat in Texas".

The on-the-ground condition of Mentone 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 Mentone 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 Mentone is roughly 31.7064, -103.5983 — 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.