Ghost Towns in Washington County, Texas

Washington County, Texas, is home to 12 documented ghost towns — a concentrated dose of boom-and-bust history in a single county. Southern ghost towns rose with cotton, timber, oil, and river commerce — and fell to floods, fires, changing trade routes, and the boll weevil. The names to know include Ayres, Cedar Creek, Coles Settlement, Gay Hill, Goodwill.

On-the-ground conditions here are largely unverified, so treat this county guide as a launchpad for your own research. Access details are thin across this group, so research each town before setting out. Every town below gets its own full guide — with maps, visitor notes, and FAQs.