This Haunting Road Trip Through Georgia Ghost Towns Is One You Won't Forget
By Marisa Roman|Updated on June 07, 2020(Originally published May 24, 2020)
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Marisa Roman
Author
A New Jersey native with over 15 years of writing experience, Marisa has studied at both New York University and Florida International University. She has lived all over the country, including a decade stint in South Florida. Marisa is well-versed in exploration as she travels a good majority of the year in her self-converted Sprinter van. Her articles have been featured in various notable publications over the years, she has a published collection of short stories, and three completed screenplays under her belt.
The last time we wrote about deserted towns in Georgia, it created quite a stir. So we thought about how awesome it would be to make an actual, tangible road trip out of the ghost towns in Georgia and challenge people to complete it. Because really, what else makes a weekend with no plans truly spectacular than a road trip through some of the creepiest, abandoned places in our great state?
The entire trip, (which includes 9 destinations along the way,) will take approximately 12 hours and 53 minutes of drive time. However, we encourage you to make a weekend adventure out of it and enjoy each stop accordingly. For the map and directions in entirety, click here. Otherwise, sit back, relax, and enjoy this eerie road trip through some of our favorite ghost towns in Georgia.
Troupville was named after Governor George Troup when it was incorporated in 1837. It was advertised widely throughout the state for merchants and mechanics to settle in the town, in order to build up the residents and create a navigable passageway up Little River and Withlacoochee River. However, the construction of the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad ended the village of Troupville, since riverboats soon became obsolete. By 1874, the village soon became deserted and considered a ghost town.
Mountain View was originally called…..wait for it….Rough and Ready, after the Rough and Ready Tavern that served as a stagecoach stop on the line from Macon to Upper Georgia. However, the name Mountain View actually comes from the fact that on a clear day you can see straight to Stone Mountain, 20 miles away. The town was eventually dissolved, leaving behind remnants of a life that once was for many.
Livingston, Georgia is the site of an old Indian Village, which was reported to have been visited by Hernando de Soto. This site was inhabited by settlers as an early missionary station, however, it became a ghost town shortly after the inhabitants moved on. A few buildings still remain for you to peruse.
This land was once wildly populated by settlers in search of gold. The boom in Auraria started in 1832 and spanned all the way until 1948 when gold was discovered in California. There are still a few buildings standing in the town, but most are falling apart. Which only makes for perfect ghost town viewing.
White Sulphur Springs resort and hotel was a vacation destination for many back in the late 1800s. Thousands of people flocked to the hotel, owned by J.W. Oglesby. However, after the market crash, the hotel could no longer be kept up. Although a fire destroyed most of the hotel, the steps, lampposts, fountains, and stone walkways still remain.
Perhaps the most interesting town for most, you can still travel through this ghost town and view the abandoned buildings such as the schoolhouse and Post Office. Although it was incorporated in the early 1900s, the town didn’t last very long and now remains abandoned.
Bust out your cameras because Godfrey, Georgia will allow for some fantastic photos. The town was incorporated in 1906, and named after Dr. Ervine Godfrey. It didn’t last for too long and eventually became deserted, with only the CPO (Community Post Office) standing.
Scull Shoals may be one of the most popular ghost towns in Georgia. Not only was the town flourishing with a sawmill, grist mill, and paper mill at one point, it also produced cotton textiles well into the later 1800s. However, massive flooding caused the town to become deserted over time, and now all that's left are the decaying ruins.
The town of Ebenezer was established in 1734 by 150 Salzburg Protestants, who were expelled from their church. This town became a religious utopia. However, the British invaded in 1778, and the town was severely damaged, never fully recovering. Eventually, Ebenezer was abandoned in 1855, making it one of the oldest ghost towns in the state. And yet, decedents of the Salzburg Protestants still visit this town every year in honor.
We challenge you to take this haunted road trip with friends! Let us know just how creepily fascinating it turns out. Otherwise, if you have a thing about interesting spots in our state, you may just get a kick out of these small cities in Georgia.
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