Barry PhilipsIndiana is famous for basketball, farmland, and charming Midwestern communities—but hidden across the state are forgotten places where time seems to have stopped. These ghost towns in Indiana tell stories of booming railroad hubs, river settlements, mining camps, and communities that vanished because of floods, disease, changing transportation routes, or economic collapse.
Some are nothing more than old foundations and cemeteries, while others still have a few standing buildings that whisper stories of the past. Exploring these abandoned places offers a fascinating glimpse into Indiana’s lost history.
In this guide, we explore the Top 50 Ghost Towns in Indiana, what happened to them, and why they remain unforgettable.
Top 50 Ghost Towns In Indiana
1. Elkinsville
Elkinsville is one of Indiana’s most famous ghost towns and perhaps the most haunting because it wasn’t abandoned naturally—it was intentionally erased.
Located in Brown County, Elkinsville was founded in the 1850s and thrived as a small farming community with homes, churches, schools, and businesses. However, in the 1960s, the U.S. government acquired the land to create what became the Hoosier National Forest and Lake Monroe project. Residents were forced to relocate, and the town was dismantled.
Today, only traces remain—old cemeteries, foundations, and abandoned roads hidden deep within the forest. Visitors often describe the area as eerie and peaceful at the same time.
Because nature has reclaimed most of the settlement, Elkinsville feels like a true lost world. It remains one of the best examples of how development projects can erase entire communities from the map.
2. Hindostan Falls
Hindostan Falls is one of the oldest ghost towns in Indiana and carries one of the darkest histories.
Founded in 1816 along the White River in Martin County, it was once considered a promising frontier settlement filled with businesses, taverns, and travelers. Its location made it an important stop for commerce and lodging.
Unfortunately, a devastating disease outbreak—believed to be malaria—swept through the area and killed many residents. The population collapsed, and the town never fully recovered.
Today, the remains are limited, but the history of tragedy still surrounds the place. It is often cited as one of Indiana’s most famous abandoned towns because it shows how quickly prosperity can disappear when public health fails.
Its story makes Hindostan Falls both historically important and deeply unsettling.
3. Brisco
Brisco, also called Briscoe, sits in Warren County and is one of Indiana’s best-known ghost towns.
Once a small but active railroad community, Brisco thrived because of transportation access and local commerce. Like many similar settlements, its survival depended heavily on the railroad.
When the rail industry declined and transportation patterns changed, businesses disappeared and residents slowly moved away. Over time, Brisco became nearly empty.
Today, old structures and rural remnants still make the area popular for photographers and history lovers. It is often included on ghost town road trips because the abandoned atmosphere is still strongly visible.
Brisco represents a classic Midwestern ghost town story—growth through railroads, followed by collapse when the tracks stopped bringing opportunity.
4. Dunn
Dunn, located in Benton County, is another ghost town shaped by railroad decline.
It was once a functioning settlement where local agriculture and rail access supported daily life. Families lived, worked, and built small businesses around the train routes that connected the town to the wider region.
As rail importance faded and nearby communities became stronger commercial centers, Dunn gradually emptied. Residents relocated for better opportunities, leaving behind only scattered traces.
Today, the town is mostly remembered through local history and abandoned remnants. Explorers looking for quiet forgotten places often include Dunn in their search.
Its decline reflects how dependent many small Indiana communities were on transportation infrastructure. Once the trains stopped mattering, survival became difficult.
5. Granville
Granville in Tippecanoe County was once a promising settlement with schools, homes, and a growing local population.
Its decline came as nearby Lafayette and other stronger urban centers attracted businesses and residents. Economic activity shifted, and Granville slowly lost its importance.
Today, only fragments of the original community remain. Many Indiana residents pass nearby without realizing a once-thriving town stood there.
Granville’s story is not about sudden disaster but slow disappearance—arguably the most common ghost town pattern in America. It simply became easier for people to leave than to stay.
That quiet decline makes it historically significant because it mirrors the experience of many forgotten Midwestern communities.
6. Sloan
Sloan is one of Indiana’s more recent ghost towns, which makes it especially interesting.
Unlike frontier-era towns, Sloan remained active well into the 20th century. It had a strong railroad presence and a bustling local community, particularly during the 1940s.
However, by the late 20th century, the town was abandoned. Reports suggest the area became largely deserted by the 1990s. Buildings still remain, and visitors can trace parts of the old settlement and transportation routes.
Because it feels more modern than older ghost towns, Sloan gives visitors a unique sense of recent abandonment rather than ancient history.
It reminds people that ghost towns are not only relics of the 1800s—they can happen within living memory.
7. Renner
Renner, located in Blackford County, is a lesser-known but fascinating ghost town.
It was once a functioning rural settlement with enough activity to sustain local life. Like many Indiana communities, it depended on farming and nearby transport connections.
As neighboring towns expanded and younger generations moved elsewhere, Renner slowly disappeared from practical use. Today, it survives mostly through local memory and historical references.
Some ghost towns vanish dramatically, but Renner disappeared quietly—through time, migration, and changing priorities.
That subtle disappearance makes it a strong example of how rural depopulation shaped Indiana’s landscape over generations.
8. Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown is frequently listed among Indiana’s creepiest ghost towns because of its mysterious disappearance.
Though there are multiple places with the same name in Indiana, the ghost town version became nearly deserted after losing economic relevance and population support.
Little remains today, which adds to its eerie reputation. Visitors often describe it as one of those places where history feels strangely close, even if visible evidence is limited.
Because of its name recognition and unsettling atmosphere, Elizabethtown is often featured in ghost town guides and haunted Indiana discussions.
Its mystery is part of its appeal—sometimes what is missing creates a stronger story than what remains.
9. Fontanet
Fontanet is a ghost town with one of the most tragic stories in Indiana history.
Originally established in 1870 as Fountain Station, it became known for mining and industrial activity. In 1907, a devastating explosion involving explosives stored in the area caused massive destruction and loss of life.
The disaster destroyed homes, livelihoods, and the town’s future. Although a few residents remained over time, Fontanet became widely known as a ghost town because it never fully recovered.
Its tragic past still gives it a dark reputation, and many locals consider it one of Indiana’s eeriest abandoned places.
Fontanet proves that a single catastrophic event can permanently change a community’s destiny.
10. New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam is unusual because it is both a living town and a ghost town.
Once Harrison County’s largest town during the steamboat era of the 1800s, it thrived because of river trade along the Ohio River. It was a major local hub and a symbol of prosperity.
As river transportation declined and other towns became more economically dominant, New Amsterdam shrank dramatically. Rather than disappearing completely, it faded into near-extinction.
Rather than disappearing completely, it faded into near-extinction. This makes it a “living ghost town”—a rare and fascinating category.
Its survival with almost no residents makes it one of Indiana’s most compelling forgotten places.
Comprehensive List
| No. | Ghost Town | County | Main Reason for Decline | What Remains Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elkinsville | Brown County | Government land acquisition | Foundations, cemeteries |
| 2 | Hindostan Falls | Martin County | Disease outbreak | Historical remnants |
| 3 | Brisco | Warren County | Railroad decline | Old structures |
| 4 | Dunn | Benton County | Railroad decline | Rural remains |
| 5 | Granville | Tippecanoe County | Economic shift | Limited remnants |
| 6 | Sloan | Warren County | Late economic decline | Buildings, road traces |
| 7 | Renner | Blackford County | Rural depopulation | Historical traces |
| 8 | Elizabethtown | Delaware County | Population decline | Very little remains |
| 9 | Fontanet | Vigo County | 1907 explosion | Historic remnants |
| 10 | New Amsterdam | Harrison County | River trade decline | Tiny living population |
| 11 | Tunnelton | Lawrence County | Railroad decline | Abandoned structures |
| 12 | Ontario | Fulton County | Economic collapse | Foundations |
| 13 | Baltimore | Franklin County | Population migration | Old cemetery |
| 14 | Beaver City | Newton County | Agricultural decline | Rural traces |
| 15 | Wheeling | Delaware County | Railroad bypass | Historic remnants |
| 16 | Harris City | Clark County | Flooding and migration | Foundations |
| 17 | Bellmore | Parke County | Economic decline | Empty roads and ruins |
| 18 | Chesapeake | Lawrence County | Mining decline | Abandoned land |
| 19 | Kossuth | Washington County | Transport route change | Old church remains |
| 20 | Vigo | Knox County | Railroad relocation | Historic traces |
| 21 | Amesville | Owen County | Economic stagnation | Small ruins |
| 22 | Brunswick | Shelby County | Population decline | Old foundations |
| 23 | Newville | DeKalb County | Railroad loss | Empty settlement traces |
| 24 | Freeport | Decatur County | Commercial shift | Historic cemetery |
| 25 | Jay City | Jay County | Migration to cities | Rural remnants |
| 26 | White Hall | Montgomery County | Declining agriculture | Few standing buildings |
| 27 | Hardscrabble | Monroe County | Isolation and depopulation | Forest-covered ruins |
| 28 | Buena Vista | Harrison County | River trade decline | Foundations |
| 29 | Milford Junction | Kosciusko County | Rail bypass | Old station traces |
| 30 | New Lancaster | Tippecanoe County | Economic competition | Cemetery and roads |
| 31 | Bloomingport | Jay County | Declining trade | Historical remnants |
| 32 | Elizaville | Boone County | Population migration | Abandoned farmland |
| 33 | Maysville | Jennings County | Flood damage | Structural remains |
| 34 | New Philadelphia | Washington County | Economic collapse | Rural ruins |
| 35 | Ceylon | Adams County | Farming decline | Empty lots |
| 36 | Green Hill | Wayne County | Railroad decline | Old roads |
| 37 | Lancaster | Huntington County | Business relocation | Foundations |
| 38 | Westport Landing | Decatur County | River commerce decline | Historic traces |
| 39 | Poplar Grove | Howard County | Urban migration | Rural remains |
| 40 | Scotland | Greene County | Mining shutdown | Old structures |
| 41 | Cincinnati Landing | Harrison County | River trade collapse | Foundation remnants |
| 42 | Hindustan | Martin County | Disease outbreak | Historic site remains |
| 43 | Stinesville Junction | Monroe County | Rail route changes | Abandoned track remains |
| 44 | Rockport Station | Spencer County | Transportation shift | Ruins |
| 45 | Midway | Madison County | Economic stagnation | Sparse remnants |
| 46 | Buena | Franklin County | Population loss | Cemetery remains |
| 47 | Deer Creek | Carroll County | Agricultural decline | Foundations |
| 48 | Old Point Commerce | Floyd County | River decline | Historic land remains |
| 49 | Lowell Crossing | Lake County | Industrial shift | Empty settlement traces |
| 50 | Prairieville | Vigo County | Mining decline | Abandoned structures |
Comparison Table of Top Ghost Towns in Indiana
| Ghost Town | County | Main Reason for Decline | What Remains Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkinsville | Brown County | Government land acquisition | Foundations, cemeteries |
| Hindostan Falls | Martin County | Disease outbreak | Historical remnants |
| Brisco | Warren County | Railroad decline | Old structures |
| Dunn | Benton County | Railroad decline | Rural remains |
| Granville | Tippecanoe County | Economic shift | Limited remnants |
| Sloan | Warren County | Late economic decline | Buildings, road traces |
| Renner | Blackford County | Rural depopulation | Historical traces |
| Elizabethtown | Delaware County | Population decline | Very little remains |
| Fontanet | Vigo County | 1907 explosion | Historic remnants |
| New Amsterdam | Harrison County | River trade decline | Tiny living population |
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Conclusion
The ghost towns of Indiana are more than abandoned places—they are lessons in history. They show how quickly prosperity can vanish and how communities depend on transportation, health, industry, and geography.
From the forest-covered remains of Elkinsville to the tragic ruins of Fontanet and the living silence of New Amsterdam, each town tells a unique story of rise and decline.
For history lovers, photographers, paranormal explorers, and curious travelers, these forgotten places offer something unforgettable: a chance to walk where life once thrived and imagine what once was.
Indiana may be known for its living cities, but its ghost towns reveal the stories that refuse to disappear.