New York Ghost Towns Hiding In Plain Sight Exposed

New York is home to dozens of eerie ghost towns still frozen in time.

We've learned about many in the Hudson Valley and Upstate New York.

What Is A Ghost Town?

Have you ever driven through a stretch of New York and noticed a cluster of buildings that look like they just stopped? No cars in driveways or parking lots, no kids playing, just buildings getting older and older looking.

Well, that's what many call a ghost town. They are actually more common than you might think.

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A ghost town is a settlement that was once bustling but has since been abandoned or seen its population drop very, very low.

The key part of a ghost town is infrastructure is still there. You’ll see houses, storefronts, and roads, but the heartbeat of the community is gone.

Reasons For Ghost Towns

There are a few reasons for ghost towns in New York. One is something like coal, gold, silver, or other resourcesthat  were once found there.

Once they dry up, people pack their bags and move on to the next big thing.

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Or it could be that things were built nearby. Say a new railroad or interstate was built ten miles away. Then, businesses that relied on residents and travelers move on because they no longer have customers.

Sometimes nature just wins. Floods, fires, or other disasters caused by nature forced an entire town to move for safety.

Ghost Towns in Our Backyard?

Believe it or not, there are many ghost towns in the Hudson Valley and Upstate New York! While some ghost towns are empty, others have what historians call a "skeleton population."

You might find a dozen people still living there, in a town that once held thousands.

Here is a list of ghost towns, abandoned hamlets, and lost settlements across the Hudson Valley and Upstate New York.

Hudson Valley

• Doodletown – Rockland County
• Johnsontown – Rockland County
• Jones Point – Rockland County
• Rockland Lake (Village) – Rockland County
• Roseton – Orange County
• Oswego (Hamlets near Lagrange) – Dutchess County
• Dicktown – Putnam County
• Doanesburgh – Putnam County
• Kensico (Submerged) – Westchester County
• Trapps Mountain – Ulster County
• West Hurley (Submerged) – Ulster County
• Brownville – Ulster County
• Potterville – Ulster County

Upstate & Adirondacks

• Tahawus (also known as Adirondac) – Essex County
• Shavertown (Submerged) – Delaware County
• Agloe (The "Paper Town") – Delaware County
• Conklingville (Evacuated for damming) – Saratoga County
• Happy Valley – Oswego County
• Jayville – St. Lawrence County
• Jerden Falls – Lewis County
• Reynoldston – Franklin County
• Delta (Submerged) – Oneida County
• New Ireland – Cattaraugus County
• Elko (Quaker Bridge) – Cattaraugus County
• Onoville – Cattaraugus County
• Red House – Cattaraugus County
• Valentown – Ontario County
• Waterville (Abandoned hamlet) – Montgomery County

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