Silkville

Kansas ghost towns are what happens when the railroad changes its mind and the wheat stops paying.

Silkville is a ghost town in Williamsburg Township, Franklin County, Kansas, United States. It was located approximately two miles southwest of Williamsburg at the intersection of U.S. 50 highway and Arkansas Road. The settlement was founded in the late 1800s by a Frenchman named Ernest de Boissière, who believed in Fourierian utopian socialism. Silkville was a sericulture-based settlement, and remuneration was based what each settler could produce.

The on-the-ground condition of Silkville 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 Silkville 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 Silkville is roughly 38.4500, -95.4892 — 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.