Ghost town facts for kids
A ghost town is a place where people used to live, but now no one does. It's like a town that has been left behind. This can happen for many reasons. Sometimes, people leave because they can't find work anymore, like when a mine runs out of gold. Other times, a natural disaster, such as a big flood or a long dry spell, forces everyone to move away. Even human-made problems, like a nuclear accident, can cause a town to become empty.
Some ghost towns are kept safe and clean. People can visit them to learn about history. Famous examples include Bannack in the United States, Barkerville in Canada, Craco in Italy, Kolmanskop in Namibia, Pripyat in Ukraine, and Danushkodi in India.
The town of Plymouth is a special ghost town. It is on the Caribbean island of Montserrat. Even though no one lives there, it is still officially the capital city of Montserrat. A volcano called Soufrière Hills erupted and covered the town in ash. This made it impossible for people to live there safely.
Contents
Why Towns Become Empty
Many things can cause a town to become a ghost town. Often, it's because the main reason people lived there disappears.
Natural Resources Run Out
Imagine a town built around a gold mine. If all the gold is dug up, the miners lose their jobs. There's no reason to stay, so they move away. This leaves the town empty. The same can happen with other resources, like timber or oil.
Economy Changes
Sometimes, a town's main business moves somewhere else. Or, new roads and railways might bypass a town. This means fewer people visit or trade there. Over time, businesses close, and people leave to find work elsewhere.
Disasters and Danger
Both natural and human-made disasters can force people to leave their homes.
- Natural Disasters: Floods, droughts, earthquakes, or volcanic eruptions can destroy towns. They can also make an area unsafe to live in.
- Human-Made Problems: Wars can make towns too dangerous. Also, accidents like a nuclear power plant disaster can create "exclusion zones." These are areas where people are not allowed to live because of danger. Pripyat, Ukraine, became a ghost town after the Chernobyl disaster.
Political Changes
Sometimes, changes in government or the fall of empires can affect towns. If a border moves, or a new country is formed, a town might lose its importance. This can lead to people moving away.
Images for kids
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Plymouth, Montserrat is the only ghost town that is the capital of a modern political territory.
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As farms industrialize, smaller farms are no longer economically viable, leading to rural decay.
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Prior to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, Varosha, now falling into ruin, was a modern tourist area.
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Nature slowly reclaiming the ruins in Aghdam (2010)
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Pripyat, Ukraine, was abandoned after the Chernobyl disaster.
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Rerik West, Germany. Turned into a restricted area after 1992 due to ammunition contamination from a nearby abandoned Soviet Army barracks.
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Kolmanskop, Namibia (2016); a ghost town since 1956
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Unoccupied residential complexes in the Chenggong District, Kunming, China
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The town of Namie was evacuated as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
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The derelict British base in Whalers Bay, Deception Island, destroyed by a volcanic eruption
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Abandoned mining building on the Jussarö island in Ekenäs, Raseborg, Finland.
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Robsart Hospital, one of many abandoned buildings in Robsart, Saskatchewan
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Cook Bank building in Rhyolite, Nevada, a gold mining town
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1884 assay office in Vulture City, Arizona, a gold mining town
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After many years of drought and dust storms, the town of Farina in South Australia was abandoned.
