How To Use A Topo To Search For Eastern Ghost Towns

"Get the most from old topo's and other maps."

In a moment I’ll show you how you can get the most out of old maps to aid your search for the ghost towns in the east.

Using these maps correctly, in addition with other maps, which I will explain, you will be well on your way to locating the old settlements.

The US Geological Survey Topographical Map

These maps show the area of all the land in the United States. By sections,they will show the contours of the terrain, the height of the land above sea level, what swamps there are, any forested areas, where the roads and creeks are located, what rivers and ponds are there, as well as all building structures that were in existence at the time the topo was made.

Hikers, campers and backpacker’s use Topo’s. Professional people, like surveyors, or land developers, forest rangers and the Department Of Conservation, also use Topographic maps. They are an invaluable tool for the outdoors person and should be in the possession of everyone who intends to hike, travel or backpack into a wilderness area.

Important…By noticing structures that are listed on an old topo you now have a definitive, known existence of a building in the area. This benefit makes the use of older topos for research very important.

Purchasing a new topo of any area is easy. Most Army and Navy Surplus stores, and many of the large outdoor retailers, sell them to the public. You can also download them from the Internet.

But a new topo is not what we need when searching for old ghost towns.

You need to get an old topo of the area where you are going to do your searching.

The purpose of the old topo is so that you can compare it to a modern map of the same area.

Locating an old topo is not difficult.

Most libraries have old topos in their history sections; all you need to do is make a copy.

Bookstores that sell older, used books of local history, will sometimes carry old topos.

Antique stores who specialize in local history may carry old maps.

Estate and house auctions sometimes auction off old topos.

After you find the older topo for the area you are going to search, you should then purchase an up to date map of the same area. One of the best maps to use is a county map. They can be purchased at most local service stations and convenience stores. If you are having trouble locating a county map, try the county highway department of the area you are searching in.

Before we begin the instructions on how to use topo’s to guide you in your search for the lost towns, I think it’s important that you understand why the ghost towns in the east no longer exist. A good understanding of their demise will benefit you in your research.

Gone But Not Forgotten

Ghost towns in the east once existed as a small town or village. They may have been the first settlement of an area. Perhaps the ghost town grew from a tiny hamlet consisting of only a few homes, and then grew into a thriving settlement that consisted of many homes and businesses.

Whatever the size the ghost town once was, today, many of them are nothing more than holes in the ground. Most are covered and hidden by vegetation and thick scrub brush.

Time, whether, and man, have all played their parts in the destruction of the old eastern towns; And yet, there are many old settlements still to be found.

I have hiked through thick brush, crossed streams and rivers and climbed many hills to locate the gone but not forgotten towns. Oftentimes, that is the effort that is needed to locate them. However, for John and I, the reward is worth the effort. Perhaps it will be for you as well.

As mentioned, many of the ghost towns in the east consist of nothing more than a hole in the ground. Those empty holes are the only reminders that at one time a family had lived there.

There are many reasons why the original frames of the homes are no longer standing.

Of course time is the main reason. Over the years the wooden frames have deteriorated and fallen to the ground; Nature then takes its course. Rot and bacteria destroy what is left of the old structures.

The harsh weather conditions in the east have played an important role in the destruction of the old buildings.

On many of the State Lands across the United States, where ghost towns exist, most of those homes were taken from the property owners because of non-payment of their property taxes. These were usually large farms or whole farming communities.

This was happening during the early days of the twentieth century when the industrial age was booming, but farms and small farming communities were desperately trying to survive.

After the States took the property they would then burn the structures to clear the way for the CCC’s, the Civilian Conservation Corps.

The CCC’s would then plant trees on those lands as part of their reforestation program.

It is for this reason that one of the best areas to discover old ghost towns are on the State lands of every State. At the time of this writing there are no permits required to search State Lands for ghost towns. However, do not pick up any old relic or artifact from these areas. Especially important is the fact that you cannot metal detect on any State lands.

If you do, you will be in violation of what is known as ARPA of 1979. The Archaeological Resources Preservation Act.

ARPA 1979 This federal law goes all the way back to 1906. I will go into more detail about this law and how it affects all of us in another section.

Using Topo’s To Locate Ghost Towns

Before you can locate old ghost towns you must do some research. Unless you’re the adventurous type and you ignore the research and decide to just drive the back roads, hopefully spotting a cellar hole.

Sometimes this is what my partner John and I will do. However, John and I know what signs to look for. I’ll show you the same techniques that we use.

The best way to research a possible ghost town, is to first locate the possible sites using an old topo map. You’ll save on gas and precious time by doing it this way.

You can begin your research for old ghost towns by browsing used bookstores. Look for old books and maps in the local history sections.

Sometimes by reading through an older book about your area, you can get a lead on an old town, and then from there you can move to the actual search on a topographical map.

My personal library has over 200 volumes of older books and hundreds of old maps on local history. I use all of them in my searches for ghost towns, old picnic groves and swimming holes. Sometimes those searches have led me nowhere, other times however, I’ve been rewarded with a great adventure.

Another great way to begin your search for ghost towns is by visiting the historical societies…every county has one. These organizations carry a wealth of information on the history of the area.

You may locate old topo’s at the historical societies.

I have found ghost towns by searching through old newspapers that many of the historical societies keep on file. By reading these newspapers I have discovered the names of towns that vanished years ago.

Old church records, and of course your local libraries also have a smorgasbord of information available for your research. I have used all of these ideas in my searches.

Important Try talking with the older individuals of small towns and villages.

Many of the older residents have great memories when it comes to local history. They may tell you things that you may never find in an old book. Older people are often lonely and they enjoy talking to anyone who will listen. So don’t be shy about getting the names of the local elders who may know everything about the area you want to search in.

Computers and the Internet are becoming a wonderful research tool for all kinds of information. Researching ghost towns on the Internet is no different.

If you have access to a computer, put it to work to research ghost towns in your area.

Once you locate a potential area for a ghost town, the next thing you should do is get your hands on a county map of that area.

Also, try and locate a copy of the older maps made by F.W. Beers. I like to use the Beers maps for my area. The maps I use were printed in1869 and they show the original structures or buildings that were in existence at that time.

Lets Begin Our Search For An Eastern Ghost Town

For illustration purposes I am going to show you how to locate a ghost town that is on State reforested Land. I am doing this because the search for old cellar holes on State Land is the easiest way for anyone to locate them.

Important reminder…You cannot dig for or remove any artifacts on State land.

The reason why it is much easier to locate ghost towns on State Land is because we know that a previous landowner, or perhaps more than one, had originally owned the land.

Remember, the State had taken the property from the landowner because of his failure to pay the property taxes.

Many of these landowners were large farms.

When you find State land, always remember there must be at least a cellar hole in the area, because someone at one time owned that property.

Also, there are times when landowners have given or donated their properties as gifts to the State. However in most cases during the early 1900’s, the land was taken away by the States.

The non-payment of property taxes was another reason why the old towns passed away into obscurity. Remember, the times and the areas were difficult to live in.

The lack of income forced many families including entire towns to move away. Thus leaving their homes behind. On a much larger scale this was what had happened during the gold rush era out west.

It was not uncommon for old settlements to evaporate as quickly as they were built. John and I have been to many ghost towns that only existed for a few years. The harsh winters and the difficulty of earning a living forced many families to move on.

Compare Your Maps

For purpose of illustration, I will call our ghost town “Frog Hollow”, a settlement that was in existence during the 1870’s.

Let’s assume I found out about Frog Hollow by reading an old history book.

Okay, there may be a Frog Hollow that is really in existence somewhere, but as far as I know I’m using a fictional ghost town name. At least I hope so.

I just had a thought. Frog Hollow? Isn’t that where Kermit The Frog lives?

Anyway…the first thing I need to do is to see if Frog Hollow is located on my new county map.

If it is, then that makes our research a whole lot easier. However, let’s assume that Frog Hollow does not show up on the county map.

Okay, now I will go to that old topo and search the area where I think Frog Hollow is located. Chances are good that Frog Hollow will be noted on the older topo.

This is why it’s important to get an older topo.

All topos will designate structures by using little dots in the vicinity of any home or town.

These tiny dots are locating where the homes and any buildings were located at the time the map was made. Unless Frog Hollow was in existence today, locating this ghost town without and older map would be difficult. Here’s why.

Important…Since the time the topo was made, many of the roads have changed.

Let’s assume that you’re looking at a 1908 Topo. It’s more than likely that the roads that were on that map at the time it was published, either no longer exist, or they have been changed.

Perhaps the road is now where a shopping mall is located. Or maybe a housing development has been built there. Possibly it could be that the old road is there, but it’s hidden by years of tree and vegetation growth, which make it difficult to recognize.

And sometimes the older roads have been either straightened or changed in some way.

Let’s also assume that there is a Frog Hollow Road clearly marked on my old topo. Now this makes our search easier. All I need to do now is to drive to Frog Hollow Road and locate Frog Hollow. Piece of cake!

But as we know, life isn’t always a piece of cake. This is especially true when searching for ghost towns.

So we’ll assume that I cannot locate Frog Hollow Road on either map. What do I do now?

I need to compare my old topo with my new county map.

So now I will try and locate the nearest road or highway on my county map that is closest to Frog Hollow and then try and locate that road on my topo. It sounds difficult, but it really isn’t.

If I place both maps, on a flat surface side by side, it makes it easier to compare them.

I like to stretch out on the living room floor with my maps spread out and a beer or glass of wine in my hand. It makes research so much more fun. Hiccup!

Next, I will look for any similar roads on both maps.

For instance…I’m looking for any roads that have similar curves, or perhaps identical, straight stretches of road on both maps in the vicinity of Frog Hollow.

By checking the terrain on the topo I can assume whether or not a town could be there. If I see a swampy area in the area that I think Frog Hollow was located, then I immediately no that a town could never have been built in a swamp.

Let’s say that as I compare both my old topo and my new county map that I see a road that is running through the area where I think Frog Hollow is located. Yet, that road is not on my new county map. What’s this mean?

It means…GREAT!

Frog hollow is no longer in existence. Both the road and the old town have faded into history.

I’m now on to an old ghost town.

Now it’s obvious why it would not be noted on the new county map.

Important…Topography maps will show older roads that are no longer in existence as dotted lines. This is an invaluable tool when you are searching for ghost towns.

Sometimes these old roads that are shown on the old topo’s are snowmobile trails, or 4-wheel drive trails on State land.

Most often, by just searching old topos and looking for the old roads you can locate an old settlement.

It’s Time To Scout The Area

Okay, I’ve located what I believe to be Frog Hollow on my topographical map.

Now that I’ve done that, it’s time to “scout out that area”. We’re gonna actually drive to the area to do a visual search for the ghost town. I love this part.

Always have the topo with you on your drive through the area. The topo especially will help you to locate the buildings that were once occupied.

If you have a copy of the Beer’s map it’s also useful to have that map with you as well. Remember, the F.W. Beers maps also showed where any structure was located at the time the map was made. It’s a great way to back up your topo.

Important…If you are going to search on private property ask for permission from the property owner. If you are polite and courteous you won’t have any problems getting an okay.

By the way, most property owners have no idea that cellar holes or a ghost town may exist on their property. For this reason, they will be glad to give permission, especially if you are going to metal detect the area and share with them your finds.

If You Search On State Lands

If your search for a ghost town takes you to State land it’s important to understand the following.

Most State lands still offer access and use of the older roads that were in existence when the ghost town was populated.

Today these roads are stone and dirt packed resemblances of what they were hundred’s of years ago.

Most often these roads are also designated as the dotted old roads on the topo.

Remember, at the time the ghost town was in existence, these roads were used by wagons that were pulled by horses, mules, or oxen.

The old roads were not very wide either. They were approximately the width of an old wagon.

Today, the State often maintains the roads during the warm months; but during the winter months, especially in the Midwest and the east; the roads are not plowed and become very treacherous.

It is always best to drive these older roads during the dry months of the year.

Whenever you venture onto a backcountry road, whether it’s on State land or private property, a 4-wheel drive vehicle is an added plus.

It is not imperative that you have one. However, it will make your journey much easier. Especially when the old roads become wet from rain or too steep to climb.

There have been times that John and I have been in very difficult terrain. Even as we filmed a ghost town segment for our TV series, we encountered a difficult road situation. Had we not been in John’s 4-wheel drive truck, we would have been stranded for the night.

You should always carry a cell phone, extra water and snacks in case of an emergency. John and I have had tires blow and mechanical problems while on back roads, miles from any main highways.

Okay, let’s move ahead and assume that we have located the area where Frog hollow is located. It’s time to drive the old road, scout the area, and visually look for any signs of the ghost town or cellar holes.

Now that I am on Frog Hollow Road, I’m going to take my old topo and locate where the little dots designate structures in Frog Hollow.

Remember, those tiny dots or markings are where the buildings were located at the time Frog Hollow was in existence.

By the way, at this time it’s always best to have someone with you. It’s much easier to drive the old roads when you have someone with you who can pay attention to the map.

The first thing we need to do is to check the map and see what side of the road the buildings are located on.

I also want to know how close together they are situated. By knowing how close together the structures were placed will make it easier for me to determine approximately where those cellar holes are located. Here’s what I mean.

Lets assume that I have located an old homestead on the road I am driving, actually now it is a cellar hole. To locate the next cellar hole I use the odometer of my vehicle and the scale on the topo.

By knowing where the structure is located on my topo, I locate the next dot on my map, the next structure, and check the distance between that dot and the cellar hole I just located. I do this by using the scale on the topo map.

To make our example easy, let’s assume the scale equals 1 mile for every inch. That would mean that ¼ inch on my topo equals ¼ of a mile in distance.

Knowing this, all I need to do now is to measure the distance on my topo between the dot of the structure I just located, and the next closest dot, or structure on the map.

Let’s say that the distance between the two dots is ¼ mile. All I need to do is drive approximately ¼ mile, by watching the odometer of my vehicle and locate the next cellar hole.

I can continue this method until I have located all of the cellar holes in the area. If I locate more than one or two cellar holes, then it is a good chance that I have located a ghost town.

As I mentioned earlier, by using a topo in conjunction with a F.W. Beers map makes ghost town searches much easier. You can double check the consistency of the structures on the topo with the Beers map to see if you are in the right area.

It’s not often that you’ll be able to see the cellar holes from your vehicle.

During the late spring and the summer months, vegetation becomes thick and overgrown.

Many times the vegetation hides the old structures or cellar holes; this makes it difficult to see them from your vehicle. So, here are some clues for you to use when you are trying to locate ghost towns.

Maple Trees, Myrtle and Pottery Chards

If you are not familiar with my TV series and DVD Ghost Towns Of The East

please visit here. Be sure to watch the video trailer.

Every method I have told you about on this page has been used in my TV series and DVD's.

You can locate eastern ghost towns using the same techniques.