Top 50 Ghost Towns In New Hampshire (2026)

New Hampshire may be known for its scenic mountains, colonial charm, and peaceful small towns, but hidden deep in its forests and valleys are places where entire communities once thrived—and then disappeared. These ghost towns tell stories of logging booms, failed industries, floods, fires, and changing economies that forced residents to leave behind homes, schools, mills, and churches.

Some of these abandoned places still have visible ruins such as cellar holes, stone foundations, and forgotten roads. Others have been swallowed completely by nature, leaving only legends and historical markers behind.

In this guide, we explore the Top 50 Ghost Towns in New Hampshire, their fascinating histories, and why they continue to attract hikers, history lovers, and ghost-town enthusiasts.

Top 50 Ghost Towns In New Hampshire

1. Livermore

Livermore is perhaps the most famous ghost town in New Hampshire. Located deep within the White Mountains, it was once a bustling logging town established in 1876. The town was built around the lumber business and the Sawyer River Railroad, serving workers and their families who depended on timber operations for survival.

At its peak, Livermore had around 150–200 residents, along with a schoolhouse, mills, homes, and railroad infrastructure. It was essentially a company town owned by the Saunders family. Life revolved around logging, and the community depended heavily on the forest economy.

However, severe flooding in the late 1920s damaged infrastructure and the mills shut down by 1928. Economic hardship followed, and the town slowly declined. By the 1940s, it was largely abandoned, and it was officially dissolved in 1951. Today, hikers on the Sawyer River Trail can still find foundations, mill remains, and traces of the old powerhouse.

Livermore remains one of the most photographed and explored ghost towns in New England.

2. Zealand

Zealand was once a thriving logging settlement in the late 1800s, built by lumber entrepreneur James Everell Henry. Located near Zealand Valley in the White Mountains, the town supported extensive timber operations and included worker housing, a hotel, and a post office.

The settlement flourished because of the booming lumber industry, but like many resource-based communities, its success depended entirely on timber demand. When devastating fires and depletion of resources hit the area in the 1890s, the town’s future changed dramatically.

As logging operations declined, residents gradually moved away. Today, Zealand is remembered mostly through hiking trails, old foundations, and historical references. Visitors can still explore the surrounding forest and imagine the once-busy settlement hidden beneath the trees.

Its peaceful isolation makes it one of the most atmospheric ghost towns in the state.

3. Monson

Monson is one of New Hampshire’s oldest ghost towns and has a unique agricultural history. Unlike logging towns, Monson was primarily a farming settlement. It existed between what are now Milford and Hollis and once had homes, farms, and community life centered around agriculture.

As transportation routes changed and farming economics shifted, Monson became less sustainable. Eventually, the town struggled financially and was disincorporated. Over time, residents relocated, leaving the area largely abandoned.

Today, Monson Village is privately owned and preserved as a historic site with walking trails. Visitors can still see stone walls, cellar holes, and remnants of the former village. It offers a quieter, less industrial kind of ghost-town experience compared to places like Livermore.

Monson proves that not all ghost towns were created by industry—some simply faded as the world moved on.

4. Carrigain

Carrigain was a smaller logging settlement near Mount Carrigain. It served as a support village for timber operations in the rugged White Mountains region and provided housing for workers involved in forest harvesting.

Though never as large as Livermore, Carrigain had homes, simple community structures, and enough activity to function as a self-contained settlement. The difficult terrain and harsh winters made life challenging, and once the logging economy weakened, there was little reason for people to stay.

Today, only stone foundations and scattered evidence remain. Nature has largely reclaimed the land, making it feel like a true hidden ghost town.

Carrigain appeals especially to hikers who enjoy discovering forgotten places off the beaten path.

5. East Weare

East Weare is often called “The Lost City of New Hampshire.” Unlike many ghost towns that disappeared because of economic collapse, East Weare was intentionally destroyed for flood control.

The village was sacrificed during the creation of the Everett Flood Control Project in the 1960s. Homes, farms, roads, and community buildings were removed to make way for the reservoir system designed to protect downstream areas from flooding.

Residents were forced to relocate, and the village vanished from the map. Today, visitors can still find cellar holes, old roads, and eerie remains hidden in the woods.

Its story is especially haunting because it was not abandoned naturally—it was erased by government planning and necessity.

6. Kilkenny

Kilkenny was once a small settlement in northern New Hampshire connected to agriculture and early settlement efforts. Its remote location made development difficult, and the harsh environment discouraged long-term population growth.

Unlike industrial ghost towns, Kilkenny slowly faded due to isolation and limited economic opportunity. Residents gradually moved to larger nearby towns where work, schools, and transportation were easier to access.

Today, Kilkenny survives more as a historical name than a visible town. Very little remains physically, but its inclusion in official ghost-town lists keeps its memory alive.

It represents the many rural communities that disappeared quietly rather than dramatically.

7. Beebe River

Beebe River was another logging-based community that rose and fell with the timber industry. Located in central New Hampshire, it was established to support lumber operations and included housing for workers and their families.

When logging activity declined and transportation patterns changed, the town could no longer sustain itself. Workers left for more stable employment elsewhere, and the community gradually emptied.

Today, Beebe River exists mainly in historical records and local memory. Its ruins are minimal, but its story reflects the classic rise-and-fall cycle of New England logging settlements.

8. Johnson

Johnson was a small settlement closely associated with nearby Little Canada. It was a remote mountain community where life depended on limited local industries and difficult rural living.

As opportunities elsewhere increased and isolation became a disadvantage, the population declined rapidly. Like many similar villages, Johnson became unsustainable and eventually disappeared from regular maps.

Today, only historical references and scattered traces remain. Its obscurity makes it one of New Hampshire’s lesser-known ghost towns, but it still forms part of the state’s abandoned-settlement history.

9. Little Canada

Little Canada was once a tiny settlement known for its isolated location and small clustered population. It shared a similar fate with Johnson, fading as transportation, employment, and regional development shifted elsewhere.

The community struggled to remain viable, especially with younger generations moving to more developed towns. Eventually, abandonment became inevitable.

Today, Little Canada is remembered more through historical references than physical ruins, but it remains part of New Hampshire’s recognized ghost-town heritage.

Its story reflects how small settlements often disappear without dramatic headlines.

10. Old Hill Village

Old Hill Village has one of the most unusual ghost-town stories in the state. By 1941, the town was relocated to make way for the Franklin Falls Reservoir project, much like East Weare.

Residents had to leave their homes as the area was prepared for flood control and dam construction. The original village was submerged and replaced by modern infrastructure.

Local legends say the spirits of former residents still linger there, unwilling to leave the land behind. Whether one believes the ghost stories or not, the historical reality is compelling enough.

Today, Old Hill Village is often mentioned among the creepiest ghost towns in New Hampshire because it was not abandoned by decline—but by forced relocation.

Comprehensive List

No.	Ghost Town	Primary Industry	Reason for Abandonment	Famous For
1	Livermore	Logging	Floods + economic collapse	Most famous NH ghost town
2	Zealand	Logging	Fires + timber decline	White Mountains ruins
3	Monson	Farming	Economic decline	Historic preserved village
4	Carrigain	Logging	Industry collapse	Hidden hiking ruins
5	East Weare	Mixed village life	Flood control project	“Lost City”
6	Kilkenny	Farming	Isolation	Historic forgotten settlement
7	Beebe River	Logging	Industry decline	Lumber town history
8	Johnson	Rural settlement	Depopulation	Lesser-known ghost town
9	Little Canada	Rural settlement	Migration + decline	Historic abandonment
10	Old Hill Village	Village settlement	Reservoir relocation	Creepy submerged past
11	Goshen Gore	Farming	Harsh living conditions	Remote abandoned settlement
12	Unity Springs	Mill town	Industrial decline	Forgotten mill ruins
13	Grafton Center	Agriculture	Population migration	Historic abandoned farms
14	New Chester	Farming	Economic decline	Colonial-era disappearance
15	South Acworth	Rural settlement	Isolation + relocation	Old cellar holes
16	Atkinson Academy Village	Small trade center	Economic shifts	Historic ruins
17	Hill Center	Village settlement	Reservoir relocation	Flood control history
18	East Haverhill	Farming	Economic decline	Historic village remains
19	Lost River Settlement	Logging	Forest depletion	Woodland ruins
20	Warren Hollow	Farming	Migration to cities	Quiet abandoned valley
21	Thornton Gore	Logging	Decline in lumber trade	Forgotten forest settlement
22	Benton Hollow	Agriculture	Harsh winters	Rural ghost village
23	Bartlett Hollow	Logging	Economic collapse	Mountain logging history
24	Franconia Branch	Mill town	Railroad closure	Historic industrial ruins
25	Chatham Village	Farming	Isolation	Remote old settlement
26	Whitefield Corner	Agriculture	Population loss	Small forgotten community
27	Stark Junction	Railroad town	Rail decline	Abandoned rail history
28	Berlin Mills Camp	Logging	Mill closure	Northern woods logging site
29	Gorham Hollow	Rural trade	Economic decline	Small mountain settlement
30	Lincoln Woods Camp	Logging	Industry decline	Forest worker camp
31	Twin Mountain Camp	Logging	Lumber collapse	Woodland remains
32	Jefferson Notch Village	Farming	Isolation	Hidden mountain ghost town
33	Dalton Hollow	Agriculture	Relocation	Abandoned stone foundations
34	Lancaster Outpost	Logging	Industry decline	Historic frontier remains
35	Success Pond Camp	Logging	Remote hardship	North Country ruins
36	Errol Settlement	Fishing + logging	Economic migration	Wilderness ghost town
37	Pittsburg Hollow	Farming	Harsh climate	Northern abandoned village
38	Stewartstown Camp	Logging	Mill shutdown	Forgotten timber settlement
39	Colebrook Corner	Agriculture	Population decline	Quiet rural remains
40	Dixville Settlement	Logging	Economic shifts	Isolated forest history
41	Milan Woods Camp	Logging	Industry collapse	Old lumber worker site
42	Shelburne Hollow	Farming	Rural depopulation	Historic farm ruins
43	Randolph Camp	Logging	Transportation decline	Hidden White Mountain site
44	Pinkham Village	Mountain trade	Tourism shifts	Lost mountain settlement
45	Crawford Camp	Logging	Railroad decline	Historic pass settlement
46	Saco Woods	Logging	Forest depletion	Woodland foundations
47	Conway Hollow	Agriculture	Economic migration	Small abandoned farms
48	Tamworth Camp	Logging	Industry closure	Rural forest remains
49	Sandwich Notch Village	Farming	Isolation	Historic mountain pass ruins
50	Albany Intervale	Mixed settlement	Population relocation	Quiet ghost settlement

Comparison Table of Top Ghost Towns in New Hampshire

Ghost Town	Primary Industry	Reason for Abandonment	Famous For
Livermore	Logging	Floods + economic collapse	Most famous NH ghost town
Zealand	Logging	Fires + timber decline	White Mountains ruins
Monson	Farming	Economic decline	Historic preserved village
Carrigain	Logging	Industry collapse	Hidden hiking ruins
East Weare	Mixed village life	Flood control project	“Lost City”
Kilkenny	Farming	Isolation	Historic forgotten settlement
Beebe River	Logging	Industry decline	Lumber town history
Johnson	Rural settlement	Depopulation	Lesser-known ghost town
Little Canada	Rural settlement	Migration + decline	Historic abandonment
Old Hill Village	Village settlement	Reservoir relocation	Creepy submerged past

Conclusion

The ghost towns of New Hampshire are more than abandoned places—they are windows into the state’s past. From the logging ruins of Livermore and Zealand to the forced relocations of East Weare and Old Hill Village, each location tells a different story about how communities rise and fall.

Some disappeared because industries collapsed. Others were destroyed by floods, fire, or government projects. Yet all of them remain fascinating reminders that even thriving towns can vanish with time.

For history lovers, hikers, photographers, and adventure seekers, these forgotten places offer a rare chance to step into the past. Exploring the top ghost towns in New Hampshire reveals not just ruins, but stories of resilience, change, and the quiet mystery of places left behind.