Ghost Towns in Pennsylvania

Beyond the famous names lies a deeper map: Pennsylvania holds 173 documented ghost towns — one of the richest collections of abandoned places in the country. Mill villages, iron towns, and canal-era settlements make up the Northeast's ghost towns, most reclaimed by forest within a generation. Standouts include Centralia, Fricks Lock, Pithole, Scotia, Yellow Dog Village.

The heaviest concentrations sit in Indiana County, Westmoreland County, Elk County, where settlements rose — and fell — in quick succession. Among towns with verified conditions, you'll find 2 partial ruins, 2 foundations only, 1 demolished sites. 2 towns are known to be publicly accessible — the rest require checking land ownership and access rules before you go.

Use the status and access filters below to narrow the list, or search for a specific town by name.