Tombstone, Bodie, St. Elmo, Silver City. These are some of the enduring
legends of the Old West- ghost towns and mining camps that dot America's
landscape and colour the history of the country. Literally thousands of
ghost towns are scattered throughout the West, with some states boasting
hundreds of these abandoned boomtowns These relics, whether falling down
or revitalised, attract thousands of visitors every year. Many of these
ghost towns and mining camps are protected by the National Park Service
or the Bureau of Land Management, and visits are carefully regulated in
order to preserve the history of the once-thriving towns. In Ghost Towns
of the Old West, writer and ghost towner Clint Thomsen explains the
history of ghost towns, describes the various types of ghost towns, and
discusses ongoing research and archaeological study into decaying towns
and mining camps.