As I mentioned earlier in the week, my family and I traveled to Colorado last weekend for the wedding of my niece.
While there, we visited the St. Elmo ghost town. This silver and gold mining town flourished from the 1880s to around 1920, when the last mine closed. Some say that the buildings are haunted by Annabelle Anton, the daughter of one of the leading families in St. Elmo, and the last resident to leave. She was known as “Dirty Annie” in her latter days because she walked around town in filthy clothes, tangled hair, and toting a shot-gun. The town officially died in 1958 when the postmaster died and the post office closed.
Currently, the remnants of nearly 20 building remain and there is an effort to restore the historic town. The jail is restored and you can walk through it and the General Store is open, but most of the buildings are shuttered. Through the windows, you can see of the flotsam and jetsam of an earlier age: iron stoves, dishes, horse shoes, bottles…
I’d love to hear about your local ghost town…it seems we all have one!