Back to the Old West
Ghost towns, mining camps, stage stops, and old legends. This is the stuff that many a history buff seeks.
Research in old west history books, personal memoirs, and old maps. Don’t put much faith in ‘Ghost Town Guides’, as you should do your own homework. Many ghost towns are really ghost communities that are completely lost and never had a critical post office which ‘ghost town’ guides rely on.
Sources for Leads
There are many, many resources to find leads for old west places. Both local and county historical societies will be helpful, in this regard. Due to the romance of the subject matter, there will also be many books on the old west in your area. Be sure, however, to keep a keen eye on their sources and vet the authors and sources meticulously. Writers of the old west have a bad habit of merely rehashing each other and not doing proper research on primary sources.