Nebraska has more than its fair share of ghost towns. These towns were abandoned for a variety of reasons, but they all have one thing in common: the people who once lived out their lives there have moved on or died. Some of these towns have left no trace, and others have left behind something much creepier.

Nebraska is no stranger to ghost towns. From the badlands to the lowlands and even just outside some of the bigger cities, through the years entire towns have dried up and disappeared from the Cornhusker State.
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Take Spring Ranch, for example, which many believe to be the most haunting ghost town in Nebraska. Spring Ranch (sometimes spelled Springranch or Spring Ranche) was a tiny town located in Clay County.
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Its population never climbed to more than a hundred or so people way back in its 19th century heyday.
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It would have been just another ghost town that faded into Nebraska history had it not been for a terrifying, remarkable event that took place there. The town was the site of the only female lynching in the state, and Nebraska certainly hasn't forgotten about it.
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In the late 19th century, the widow Elizabeth Taylor and her brother Tom Jones (no relation to the later celebrities of the same names) lived in Spring Ranch and owned a fair amount of property. Here's where the details get a bit fuzzy.
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One story says that Elizabeth's sons killed a local man. Another alleges that one of the sons raped a local girl. But the most popular tale seems to be that Elizabeth herself, along with her brother Tom, shot and killed a trespasser on their property. The duo were also accused of burning another local person's barn (an allegation that Elizabeth would confirm under duress).
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No matter what their actual or perceived crimes were, Taylor and Jones were dragged out of their beds by an angry mob early on the morning of March 15th, 1885. They were beaten, then taken to the local bridge (pictured above) and hanged. Local lore says that you can hear their screams and cries if you visit the bridge at night.
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Learn more about this ghost town in Nebraska by checking out this YouTube video from Explore Nebraska:

There are actually quite a few ghost town cemeteries lurking in Nebraska, some of which have stories as creepy as the one in Spring Ranch. Tell us your favorite ghost town cemetery story in the comments.

Can’t get enough of hauntings? Here are nine of our favorite Nebraska ghost stories.

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ghost town in Nebraska

Sarah | October 28, 2021

How many ghost towns are there in Nebraska?

Nebraska has plenty of small towns, but many of these are bustling little hubs filled with proud, full-time residents! In terms of ghost towns -- little locales that can no longer be found or counted on a map -- there are 15. We've designed a road trip that journeys through six of the most notorious and haunting ghost towns in Nebraska, which you can view here.

Is Nebraska a creepy place to live?

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There isn't just one spooky place in Nebraska; there are numerous! If you're into spine-tingling thrills and ghost-hunting adventures, you'll want to bookmark this article: The Definitive Guide To All Things Haunted And Creepy In Nebraska. As its name suggests, this covers the gamut of all things thrilling and chilling in the Cornhusker State!

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