33 Ghost Towns That Have Become Stunning Tourist Attractions

16. Terlingua, Texas – A Desert Ghost Town Turned Art Haven

Once a mercury mining town in the vast expanse of West Texas, Terlingua was abandoned in the 1940s when the mining industry collapsed. However, in recent years, it has been revived as a quirky, off-the-grid artist community and a gateway to Big Bend National Park. Visitors to Terlingua can explore crumbling adobe homes, an old cemetery, and remnants of its mining past. The town’s legendary Starlight Theatre Saloon & Restaurant, housed in a restored 1930s movie theater, serves up live music, drinks, and delicious Texas cuisine. Each year, Terlingua hosts the famous International Chili Cookoff, drawing thousands to this once-forgotten desert town. It’s a ghost town unlike any other, blending history, art, and Texas-sized personality.