It’s tempting to associate abandoned towns and cities with America’s old west or the wild expanses of former Soviet Russia. But ghost towns exist on every continent. Europe has its fair share, not least due to war and conflict. In some cases, abandonment has put these towns on the map and made them more popular with visitors than they were while inhabited.

The many ghost towns dotted about the United States are silent reminders of the country’s (often lawless) past. Adventurers came from far and wide to seek their fortunes on the frontiers, building numerous communities around mines and railroads that declined as their raw materials were often rapidly depleted.

They say a picture speaks a thousand words, and these amazing images prove the old adage beyond a shadow of a doubt. The viewer is transported on a journey of the imagination through the history of these old houses and the memories within their walls – some of them physical, others left to the individual. Come in and take a look…

Never fear! Unlike bands this “Best Of” post is not a swan song, but more a look at the first three months of Urban Ghosts Media and the most popular posts to date. Is there a pattern? What do readers most enjoy reading? Come on in and browse the list for a breakdown of the Top 10 articles so far!

The old mining settlement at Bodie in California is arguably America’s best preserved ghost town. Dating back to the 1800s, the town is frozen in a state of “arrested decay”, looked after as a historic park but not restored to its original state. This makes Bodie both authentic and mysterious, with original fixtures in the buildings remaining untouched since their occupiers deserted them.

Ghost towns abound across the world but seldom are they more intriguing than in western United States, where former mining towns played host to the pioneers of their day. Other towns grew up around the railroad, as civilisation gradually spread from the eastern seaboard to the Wild West. Reasons for their abandonments are wide and varied, from the inherent lawlessness of the era to the depletion of natural resources. Whatever the reasons, ghost towns provide a fascinating glance into our history.