Landslides forced residents out in the 1960s, followed by a devastating flood in 1972, and then the Irpinia earthquake of 1980.Ĭraco’s medieval townscape has since been used as backdrop for Hollywood blockbusters, including King Davids and The Passion of Christ.
#Abandoned castle town series
Then came a series of unpredictable events. Despite being plundered by a group of outlaws led by the infamous Carmine Crocco, expansion continued until the 19th century, after which locals began emigrating to North America. By the 1200s, the town had a university and its magnificent castle was constructed the following century. Life at this striking hilltop settlement in the southern Italian region of Basilicata began way back in the 8th century. The former Miners Union Hall doubles up as a town museum and souvenir shop.Ĭraco, Italy Photo by illpaxphotomatic/Shutterstock.Īs far as misfortune goes, there can’t be many unluckier towns than Craco. You can peer at the stocked shelves of the general stores and the school desks laden with books. Derelict wooden houses lay scattered across the desert landscape and stand as they did at the time of abandonment. The entire town is classified as the Bodie State Historic Park. The term ghost town was first used here in 1915, and five years later only a hundred or so people remained.ĭrop by today and you’ll discover a scene that wouldn’t look out of place in a John Ford-directed Western. Things started to decline in the 1880s when get-rich-quick miners moved on to new boomtowns such as Butte, Montana, and Tombstone, Arizona. The town grew to a population of around 10,000 with dozens of saloons lining the main street, a local brass band, and daily newspapers. Set amid the Sierra Nevada mountains, Bodie thrived in the late 1800s when gold was found at nearby Mono Lake.
If you are looking for the ultimate ghostly relic of the American Frontier then look no further than Bodie. Bodie, California Photo by Nick Fox/Shutterstock.
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