A ghost town is a place that was once a thriving community but has been almost completely abandoned, leaving behind empty buildings and silent streets. The name comes from how these towns feel: eerily quiet and haunted by the memories of the people who used to live there.

Most American ghost towns were mining settlements in the Old West. When prospectors discovered gold, silver, or other valuable minerals, thousands of people would rush to the area, building entire towns almost overnight with hotels, saloons, general stores, and homes. But when the mines ran out or prices dropped, people left just as quickly as they arrived. Within months, a bustling town of thousands could become a ghost town with just a handful of residents, or none at all.

You can still visit ghost towns throughout the western United States, walking through their weathered wooden buildings and imagining what life was like when the streets were crowded with miners, merchants, and families. Some ghost towns have become tourist attractions where you can see Old West architecture and artifacts.

The term can also describe any abandoned place that once had lots of activity. A shopping mall with all its stores closed might be called a ghost town, or a neighborhood where most families have moved away.