List of flooded towns in the United States facts for kids

Have you ever heard of a "ghost town"? Usually, we think of old, empty towns left behind when people moved away. But some towns in the United States are "ghost towns" for a different reason: they are now hidden underwater!

These are places that were once lively communities, but they were flooded on purpose to create lakes and reservoirs, or they were washed away by huge floods or the sea and never rebuilt. It's like they vanished, leaving only memories and sometimes, if the water is low enough, a few old foundations.

Alabama's Lost Towns

Alabama has several towns that now rest beneath its lakes.

• Bainbridge, disappeared under Wilson Lake.
• Kowaliga, submerged when Lake Martin was created.
• Prairie Bluff
• Riverton, flooded by the Pickwick Landing Dam.
• Washington

Alaska's Vanished Villages

Some Alaskan villages were lost to natural disasters.

• Chenega, its original spot was destroyed by a massive Tsunami after the 1964 Good Friday earthquake.
• Minto, its first location was abandoned because of frequent flooding.
• Mumtrak, also abandoned due to repeated floods.

Arizona's Submerged Settlements

Arizona's dry landscape might surprise you with its lost towns, often due to floods or new lakes.

• Adamsville, never rebuilt after a big flood destroyed most of it.
• Alamo Crossing, now under Alamo Lake.
• Aubrey Landing, flooded when Lake Havasu was formed.
• Castle Dome Landing, submerged in Martinez Lake.
• Colorado City, destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862.
• La Laguna, its former site is now under Mittry Lake.

Arkansas's Underwater Communities

Arkansas has several towns that were flooded to make way for large lakes.

• Crossroads, submerged under Lake Maumelle.
• Dubuque, flooded by Bull Shoals Lake.
• Monte Ne, now under Beaver Lake.
• Napoleon, washed away by the mighty Mississippi River.
• Kingdon Springs, also flooded by Bull Shoals Lake.

California's Hidden Histories

California has many towns that were flooded to create reservoirs, which are important for water supply.

• Alma, now beneath the Lexington Reservoir.
• Bagby, under Lake McClure.
• Baird, under Lake Shasta.
• Bidwell's Bar, under Lake Oroville.
• Camanche, under Camanche Reservoir.
• Cedar Springs, under Silverwood Lake.
• Copper City, under Lake Shasta.
• Crystal Springs, under Crystal Springs Reservoir.
• Elmore, under Lake Shasta.
• Etter, under Lake Shasta.
• Jacksonville, under Don Pedro Reservoir.
• Kennett, under Lake Shasta.
• Melones, under New Melones Lake.
• Monticello, under Lake Berryessa.
• Morley, under Lake Shasta.
• Mormon Island, under Folsom Lake.
• Old Isabella, under Lake Isabella.
• Old Kernville, under Lake Isabella.
• Pitt, under Lake Shasta.
• Poverty Bar, under Camanche Reservoir.
• Prattville, under Lake Almanor.
• Salmon Falls, under Folsom Lake.
• Searsville, under Searsville Lake.
• Whiskeytown, under Whiskeytown Lake.
• Winthrop, under Lake Shasta.

Colorado's Drowned Towns

Colorado's mountains and valleys hide towns that were flooded for reservoirs.

• Sopris, flooded by the creation of Trinidad Lake State Park Reservoir.
• Dillon, now under Dillon Reservoir.
• Stout, flooded by the creation of Horsetooth Reservoir.
• Sapinero, its original site flooded by the creation of Blue Mesa Reservoir.

Connecticut's Submerged Settlements

Even in smaller states, towns were sometimes moved for water projects.

• Barkhamstad Hollow, under Barkhamsted Reservoir.
• Jerusalem, under Candlewood Lake.

Georgia's Lost Places

Georgia has towns that were flooded to create important lakes.

• Oscarville, now under Lake Lanier.
• Etowah and Allatoona are under Allatoona Lake.
• Petersburg, under Lake Strom Thurmond (also known as Clark Hills Lake).

Illinois's Underwater Village

• Cotton Hill, under Lake Springfield.

Indiana's Hidden Communities

Indiana also has towns that were flooded to create lakes.

• Fairfield, under Brookville Lake.
• Somerset, under Mississinewa Lake.
• Elon, under Patoka Lake.
• Ellsworth, Indiana under Patoka Lake.
• Newton Stewart, Indiana under Patoka Lake.

Kentucky's Lake-Covered Towns

Several Kentucky towns were flooded to create large lakes for recreation and power.

• Eddyville, Kentucky, flooded by the creation of Lake Barkley.
• Kuttawa, Kentucky, also flooded by the creation of Lake Barkley.
• Birmingham, Kentucky, flooded by the creation of Kentucky Lake.
• Burnside, Kentucky flooded by the creation of Lake Cumberland.

Maine's Submerged Village

• Flagstaff, now under Flagstaff Lake.

Maryland's Lost Lands

Maryland has towns lost to both dams and the eroding coastline.

• Conowingo, flooded by the creation of Conowingo Reservoir and then rebuilt in a new location.
• Holland Island, destroyed by erosion into Chesapeake Bay.
• Warren, flooded by the creation of Loch Raven Reservoir.

Massachusetts's Quabbin Towns

Four towns in Massachusetts were completely disincorporated and flooded to create the Quabbin Reservoir, a major water source for Boston.

• Dana, under Quabbin Reservoir.
• Enfield, under Quabbin Reservoir.
• Greenwich, under Quabbin Reservoir.
• Prescott, partially under Quabbin Reservoir.

Michigan's Submerged Spot

• Rawsonville, under Belleville Lake.

Missouri's Lost Town

• Linn Creek, Missouri

Mississippi's Vanished Places

Mississippi has towns that were flooded or simply abandoned.

• Ben Lomond, Mississippi
• Coldwater, flooded by Arkabutla Lake and relocated.
• New Mexico, Mississippi
• Port Anderson, Mississippi
• Prentiss, Bolivar County, Mississippi

Montana's Underwater Community

• Canton, under Canyon Ferry Lake.

Nevada's Lake Mead Town

• St. Thomas, now under Lake Mead, a huge reservoir created by the Hoover Dam.

New York's Reservoir Villages

New York has many towns that were flooded to create reservoirs that supply drinking water to New York City.

• Arena, flooded by Pepacton Reservoir.
• Boiceville, flooded by Ashokan Reservoir and relocated.
• Brown's Station, flooded by Ashokan Reservoir.
• Cannonsville, flooded by Cannonsville Reservoir.
• Elko, flooded by Allegheny Reservoir.
• Gilboa, flooded by Schoharie Reservoir and relocated.
• Glenford, flooded by Ashokan Reservoir and relocated.
• Kensico, flooded by Kensico Reservoir.
• Neversink, flooded by Neversink Reservoir and relocated.
• Olive, flooded by Ashokan Reservoir.
• Olive Bridge, flooded by Ashokan Reservoir and relocated.
• Pepacton, flooded by Pepacton Reservoir.
• Shavertown, flooded by Pepacton Reservoir.
• Shokan, flooded by Ashokan Reservoir.
• Stony Hollow, flooded by Ashokan Reservoir.
• West Hurley, flooded by Ashokan Reservoir and relocated.
• West Shokan, flooded by Ashokan Reservoir.

North Carolina's Lake Towns

North Carolina also has towns that were flooded to create lakes.

• Judson, flooded by Fontana Lake.
• Proctor, flooded by Fontana Lake.
• Long Island, flooded by Lake Norman.
• East Monbo, flooded by Lake Norman.
• Fonta Flora, flooded by Lake James.

New Jersey's Reservoir Town

• Round Valley, under Round Valley Reservoir.

Oregon's Vanished Places

Oregon has towns lost to floods, dams, and even the ocean.

• Arlington, flooded by Lake Umatilla but rebuilt in a new location.
• Bayocean, destroyed by erosion from the Pacific Ocean.
• Blalock, covered by the backwaters from the John Day Dam.
• Celilo, flooded by Lake Celilo.
• Champoeg, destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862.
• Copper, under Applegate Reservoir.
• Detroit, covered by Detroit Lake and relocated.
• Dorena, flooded by Dorena Reservoir and relocated.
• Homestead, possibly under the Hells Canyon Reservoir.
• Linn City, destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862.
• Orleans, destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862.
• Robinette, under Brownlee Reservoir.
• Vanport, destroyed by a massive flood of the Columbia River.

Pennsylvania's Submerged Settlements

Many towns in Pennsylvania were flooded to create lakes and reservoirs.

• Aitch, submerged to form Raystown Lake.
• Big Creek Valley, submerged to form Beltzville Lake.
• Cokeville, under the waters of Conemaugh River Lake.
• Corydon, flooded by Allegheny Reservoir.
• Fillmore, under the waters of Conemaugh River Lake.
• Instanter, under the waters of East Branch Lake.
• Kinzua, flooded by Allegheny Reservoir.
• Livermore, flooded by the Conemaugh Dam.
• Marburg, under Lake Marburg.
• Milford Mills, flooded by creation of Marsh Creek Lake.
• Social Hall, under the waters of Conemaugh River Lake.
• Somerfield, under the waters of Youghiogheny River Lake.
• Straight, under the waters of East Branch Lake.
• Tohickon, flooded by the creation of Lake Nockamixon.
• Wilsonville, flooded to create Lake Wallenpaupack.

Rhode Island's Partially Lost Town

• Scituate, partially flooded by Scituate Reservoir.

South Carolina's Underwater Towns

South Carolina also has towns that were flooded for large lakes.

• Dutch Fork and Saxe Gotha, under Lake Murray.
• Ferguson, flooded by Lake Marion.
• Andersonville, flooded by Lake Hartwell.

Tennessee's Hidden Villages

Many towns in Tennessee were flooded to create lakes by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for power and flood control.

• Awalt, flooded by Tims Ford Lake.
• Butler, flooded by Watauga Lake.
• Loyston, flooded by Norris Lake.
• Willow Grove, flooded by Dale Hollow Lake.
• Morganton, flooded by Tellico Dam.
• Tuskegee, flooded by Tellico Dam.

Texas's Submerged Communities

Texas has many towns that were flooded to create lakes for water supply and recreation.

• Aiken, under Belton Lake.
• Bland, under Belton Lake.
• Bluffton, under Lake Buchanan.
• Brookhaven, under Belton Lake.
• Devils River, under Lake Amistad.
• Friendship, under Granger Lake.
• Halsell, under Lake Arrowhead.
• Preston, under Lake Texoma.
• Sparta, under Belton Lake.
• Towash, under Lake Whitney.
• Canyon City, under Canyon Lake, Canyon Lake, Texas.

Utah's Lost Settlements

Utah also has towns that were flooded, often for reservoirs in its drier climate.

• Adventure, destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862.
• Connellsville, flooded by Electric Lake.
• Hailstone, flooded by Jordanelle Reservoir.
• Keetley, flooded by Jordanelle Reservoir.
• Linwood, flooded by Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
• Rockport, flooded by Rockport Reservoir.

Washington's Dammed Towns

Several towns in Washington were flooded to create lakes behind large dams.

• Kosmos, flooded by the Mossyrock Dam.
• Mayfield flooded by the Mayfield Dam.
• Nesika, flooded by the Mossyrock Dam.
• Riffe, flooded by the Mossyrock Dam.
• Vantage, flooded by the Wanapum Dam.

West Virginia's Submerged Town

• Shaw, flooded by Jennings Randolph Lake.

See also

• Lists of ghost towns in the United States