Thanks to your show. We moved our small business to one of those towns. Everybody was able to buy a home cheap. Shippers are not a problem. We are only a short drive from any entertainment or there is streaming. No real crime and quite happy.
Interesting story about Putnam you may enjoy. It would have been around 1963 my family was returning from California to our home in Irving, Tx and the car broke down. At 4:30 is a filling station in the video. We spent 5 days there broke down. Behind the service station is a white house. There was a lady who lived there who ran a kind of cafe in her kitchen. At that time there was no other place to eat in town. My parents car was a 1958 Borgward. Nobody in that area had heard of one, much less have parts available. My stepfather had to call somebody in Dallas to get the parts and send them on the Greyhound bus to Putnam. As a kid, that was a great adventure.
@@swingrfd The one my parents had was a 58 Isabella Station Wagon. I remember my stepfather bought an Isabella Coupe for a parts car that sat in our back yard. I remember their car had a four on the tree. Really strange because you had to put the shifter all the way to the back, pull it out, and then pull it forward and up for reverse.
My mom was born not far from here so when he said Putnam I was ohhh hell ... I'm not past Putnam yet wonder if her birth place will be on here it's small too.
My sister and I were driving around near Fredericksburg, and decided to find Luckenbach, TX. We found it, but it was just a bar and a little store.We thought it would be bigger. On the way home, we sang the song and laughed!!
Thank you. The site Joe and Nic's road trip is a married couple from Dallas who are traveling around theUSA visiting many towns and cities. They've spent a lot of time in Texas. Thank you for your video I live in Tennessee but spent 5 years in Dallas and have a great affinity for Texas, having lived in Dallas.
@@CWoLF2001@travelwithawiseguy Cherokee aren't native to Texas, and I'm sick to death of Cherokee Two-Percenters running their mouths and guilting people who had nothing to do with the betrayal of the "Yellow Rose" of Texas, Chief Bowles. You remember him? He was the strawberry blonde chief of the Texas Cherokee that provided troop strength and movements to his kin, a man with a white mother, who's father was 1/8 white? Yeah, Jesse's big brother was pissed about the Alamo which is why the surname I carry outnumbered all others at San Jacinto. But since you ask, *IF* we ignore the matrilineal requirements to be tribal Cherokee *LIKE YOU* did, well, I'd be Bear Clan. Bear eats wolf pup. Not even the Beloved man of the Eastern Band remembers how to clean his teeth like my father taught me in the Sabine National Forest in '82. You need Jesus, we all do. You're welcome at the Baptist Church in Combine, Texas. Tim Brewer is the pastor, his mother in law is descended from Jesse if I recall correctly. Guess who I'm descended from? A forgotten man lying in an unmarked grave on the banks of the Neches. I'm fairly certain not a single living NATIVE TEXAN knows, but there's a craven coward in Katy who indoubatebly does. Ask him why the orange man doesn't. 🤠✌
@@TravelwithaWiseguy we went into the school back then it was still usable and there were some very cool pictures. My great grandpa worked on the railroads.
I've always felt a sense of sadness for the dried-up little towns in Texas. I live in one. when I see the old businesses in pictures and view the abandoned buildings today it just seems like such a waste. there was so much life there at one point and now.... through circumstance, lack of foresight, vision, planning, adapting etc... take your pick.... it's all lost. What was is no more and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. God Bless the little man and the little town
My exact feeling when driving through Quitman, Texas. I see the old abandoned oil field buildings and sites. I know that that supported thriving livelihood for residents and their families and now it is mostly gone. But Quitman is not a dried up little town. It's just different that it used to be.
woow. best thing between u and other vlogger who has been there in their videos is ,u enters the abandoned area to show how it looks like now . thank u very much . indeed . quintana is the place where my soul calls to go . it seems like u hit the bulls'eye of my soul .
Thank you! There’s so much good stuff out there on UA-cam and I’ve learned to stand out a little to “stay in my lane” - I’m from a small town so it makes sense for me. Great channel!
Well researched, filmed and MANY windy miles driven! Appreciate all your efforts. Liquor sales were a surprising theme. The Jetty walk and outtakes is a highlight! looking forward to your next tour.
I am almost 70 years of age and I grew up in Johnson County approximately 50 miles from Ft Worth. The impact of two things in the early 1900s was profound.First, the growth of the Protestant churches and second, the effects of Prohibition. My little hometown was "dry" and is still "dry" in 2023. If you want to purchase alcoholic beverages you have to drive about 35 miles to the nearest "wet" town. I remember the town's population was 961... seemingly until about 2000. The population is now nearly 1600 as the DFW metroplex grows and people live in the outlying little towns and commute to their employment places. In the past few years as this modest growth has occurred... many locals attribute it to the nature of the K-12 education as people with children leave urban school districts. When I grew up in the fifties and sixties, agriculture was the town's economic engine. For many reasons this is no longer the case... the agriculture nearby today is mostly gentlemen farmers and retirees. Not many farm families are able to get the economies of scale needed to sustain themselves. I really enjoyed this video! Thanks!
I was a trial lawyer in Sacramento and my husband decided to move us to Alto, Texas! Yeah, no country club, no tennis club, no courthouse, no library. My husband wanted to help his pastor friend start a church in Alto. Noble idea, but we lasted less than a year. 😮
@@TravelwithaWiseguy I had a daughter in San Francisco, a son in NYC, and a son in Seattle so I would drive to Houston (3 hrs) and fly away. I considered myself very fortunate!
I own a ranch out there😂😂😂. Alto, is dead. TSC and dollar general. Rusk train and dogwood Forest in Palestine, home of Walmart and metheads 😂. I can't get a beer from silsbe to Athens. Everything is going to crap. Crime is More and More. Kids don't have jobs.
I seriously see a country club and tennis club More boring then those small towns 😊 nothing like living in a small town where there's no hight crimes,noise, drama and traffic..
A carpenter I knew ten years ago bought old homes, transported them to other areas and made quite a living. He said nobody ever asks and there are folks who will gladly sell an old place in a deserted town rather than watch it rot.
Actually some of these DO have an eerie quality. Every place has its own unique atmosphere. Some where you can feel sadness and other places joy and peace is easily felt.
Really something to see... good that a few people like you are getting these places on video...they are going to set abandoned for a few more years and then more of our history will be gone
Yep, been to Toyah back when it had about 100 people and a school building that was actually used--they had an arts and crafts fair there, plus our 3 year old son road a donkey! Other tiny towns or ghost towns you need to visit or drive through when in far west Texas: Lobo (a ghost town with maybe 10 people), Alamore (between Van Horn and Sierra Blanca which used to have a talc plant), Shafter (near Presidio, used to have quicksilver mines), Redford (where a shepherb boys was shot by a marine sniper because he thought the kid was an illegal), Lajitas (has a GOAT for a mayor!), Study Butte, Valentine (PO is used by folks sending Valentine's Day card, population about 120), Kent, Cherry Creek, Toyahvale (home to Balmorhea State Park, a must place to visit with cold spring swim pool full of catfish, turtles, pup fish, etc.), Saragosa (nearly destroyed by tornado in 1989), Pyote, Wink, and of course, Mentone--you've already been there though...and I'm sure there are more (and Mentone is unincorporated).
My husband and I are ranchers in Texas, my husband works this whole thing by himself, and he does it as a hobby. Otherwise, we couldn’t live here. We worked hard our whole lives, and saved every dime, so we'd be able to live this way. People ranchers are rich….but they aren’t now, except for the big commercial ranches who get all the government kickbacks and freebies. It truly is discouraging.
I really enjoyed your video and am now a new subscriber. I live in Strawn, which is about 40 miles east Putnam off of I-20 and also along the historic Bankhead Highway. My husband and I love traveling to tiny towns around Texas and learning their history, just like this. Keep up the good work 👏
@Travel with a Wiseguy ... There are so many places like this in Texas and all over the country. Strawn grew up along the RR and also had a coal mine that supplied coal for the engines. In the 1920's Strawn had a population of over 2,000, and now it's about 600.
I live in Merkel and we drive to Strawn, about 80 miles, just to eat at Mary's. I always love driving by the Bankhead Hwy Hotel and that gorgeous mansion on the outskirts of town heading north. We drive through and marvel. What a beautiful place. And because I love 6-man football, the Strawn Greyhounds have to get a mention!😉
I just subscribed today!! Love seeing these tiny town's. Interesting to think about what it must be like to live there. It looked like there's more people in the cemetery than in the actual town. What do you do all day? There is probably not any neighbors in different age brackets for kids, teenagers ,young adults. It's fascinating!
@@nancydesrocher8338 Thank you very much Nancy! Most people in these towns live simple lives. Some travel many miles to work while others are probably into agriculture in the area. I'm always fascinated too!
Wow, I worked for UPS for 41 years in tractor trailers. I spent about 13 years running cross country. We ran from L.A. to Dallas twice a week. I went right through Putnam and never even knew it. There are certainly no signs. We ran I-10 until you get to mile marker 186 and that is where I-20 starts. Toyah is the first town you come to on I-20, its about 19 miles up from I-10 and we parked there several times, slept there etc. A local told us Toyah used to be a huge cattle shipping point at one time. Cool video, it brought back good memories.
Previous video about Tulsa lived there in early 60 went to first grade there Mrs Brown was my teacher, Mrs Woods was my barber,Brother Luper was our preacher, and Dr Richards was everybody’s dr. Great memories! Dad was a farmer went to Harmon- Toles grain elevator
Crazy there is a mustang Texas in Denton county too. I love watching your videos I've lived in Texas most of my life and love road trips through the state!
Everything in Texas I heard is bigger. Mr. Wise just that to rest with these ten. A great potpourri of size doesn't matter when you are chasing ghosts for miles around Texas. . Excellent video.
Yes, I’ve heard a few things about terlingua. It might be interesting. But, of course, they ALL are interesting! Thank you for your, hard work, time, and money!
Notice that these towns although may be dilapidated are close to larger areas though small towns they can get to places near I've been to many more places than you've mentioned but have to say that I love Texas small towns and large, God bless Texas
Quintana….the most unusual town in this series. So tidy and neat! A lot of hard work went into preserving this fascinating town. Some wonderful stories must have played out here!
I was a writer for the San Angelo Standard-Times many years ago, and I was sent to do a story about Mentone in Loving County on the New Mexico border. I was asking the mayor, who owned the only store around, how many people lived in Mentone. He thought a minute and then he started ticking off his fingers, “There’s Sally and Ben, John, Mary…” I think they had about a dozen people there at the time. Big oil and gas country. Pump jacks working all over and they would have traded any one of them for one that could pump good water.
I've enjoyed your videos so much but this particular one caught my eye since I am from a small Texas town, Zavalla. I was glad to see that Zavalla wasn't on this list. lol! I didn't realize that there are so many extremely small and almost completely abandoned towns in Texas. Thank you for the work you put into these videos.
Looks like Zavalla has a population of 603 - so it's HUGE compared to these towns haha. Texas has tons of these towns, hopefully I can explore more someday. Thank you for watching!
@@TravelwithaWiseguy I agree that Zavalla is a huge town compared to those in your video. I am trying to get back to my hometown and away from the Houston area. I love small towns!
In Toyah round 05 the Post Office and bar were the same building. An old man made the best chilly relleno I have ever had.. Looks like the place is gone and I am sure the old man is also. I asked several times how he made them.. His answer " dos manos"
Just take the skin off , bread them in corn meal or whatever, add pepper and salt and there you go. Add some meat or cheese . Or cover with enchilada sauce.
I think los Yvañes, was also a place where migrant farm workers would live. The owners of the land eventually became a town to be able to sell alcohol. I grew up not too far from there.
Lived in FreePort Tx. Next to Quintana and I believe the only reason both towns haven’t disappeared it’s because of the fishing, beach and Chemical plants.
Los Ybanez was an old CCC camp back during the depression. That's what all of those white houses are. They are camp houses. The Los Ybanez purchased that camp and incorporated it to sell liquor. On a Friday evening after work there would be a mile of traffic lined up to buy their choice of firewarer for the weekend. It's just a few miles from Lamesa and both towns are in Dawson County which is a dry County until a few short years ago. We lived in Ackerly which is about 15 miles south of Los Ybanez. We would buy our groceries from Claiborne's Grocery store. It was and probably still is the best place to buy groceries from. We lived in Ackerly (pop. 245) for 7 years. We left there going on 14 years ago.
Los Ybanez was a CCC labor camp back in the ‘30s. The Ybanez family bought it in the 80’s for the purpose of incorporating it and selling alcohol. They made a mint until the city of Lamesa went wet about 10 years ago.
Melvin. one of the many town thought to be in the heart of Texas, also used to have a much bigger population when the railroad went through there. It has around 300 now, at latest count.
I grew up on the Left Coast. When I was stationed at Fort Hood I went to my roommates hometown Richards Texas. I graduated Highschool with more people than lived in Dick TX.
Thank you for creating such an interesting video. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing some of these parts of Texas. And yes, you are right, driving in West Texas covers a LOT of miles. I would sure Love to see more parts of Texas. Such interesting information!
You should try out Gilliland! Less than 20 people left there. Majority of the buildings in the town have been abandoned for decades. About 50 years probably.
Although it's not usually on the "side" of the law, I too love seeking abandoned buildings and enjoy looking inside of them - a "poor man's" treasure hunter, I reckon -
Another great video, thank you for posting it. You have the best and most informative videos on youtube. You have a very good radio/tv voice, a great presentation, and very interesting facts about the places you visit. There have been a couple places of interest to me, northwest Missouri where I grew up, and Baker City, Oregon where I lived for a few years. Now you will have to come up here to Alaska to visit me and film your Alaska adventure video. Take care and God bless.
Really enjoyed this especially being a native born Texan from San Antonio originally who's mother and uncle often took me on back road drives around the different places in TX we lived at the time, my mom would drive the highways until we were in the middle of nowhere and then the 1st exit she'd see she'd get off, pick a road that had basically nothing around it and then drive it to another and another road and somehow always managed to find her way back to a major hwy for getting back home on, and I remember that my uncle was in charge of getting the map out so they could figure out which way to get back to the major hwys but I'm thinking that my mom HAD to have a compass with her too! Great time's and great memories cuz TX is a BIG state which even today is fantastic to drive across especially off the beaten path! 🚗🛣️🛣️🚗🛤️👍🏼🤠
I taught school in Putnam in the early 70's and would have liked to see the 'all-grades, K-12 school on your video. It is on the other side of the Interstate. My experience with your #2 (Impact) was used while in school in Abilene. Thank you for this walk back into history.
Comes to something when the local cemetery is the largest maintained parcel of land. I live close to Quintana, and nowadays, it's essentially a fee-based state park, even just to park and enjoy the Gulf for a few hours. Beautiful walkways, true, but that's about it. Right now, it's essentially a subscription based HOA. On the occasion, we skip all that, turn north on the Blue Water, and go to 3 Mile turnoff: just be sure to park near the Christmas trees as they become dunes so you don't lose your ride to the tide.
Research is a little off---In Impact Perkins was a partner with Tom "Pinkie" Roden of Odessa. He got the name because of his reddish complexion---not a elephant sign. Pinkie bought the land , built all the houses and three liquor/mini mart stores and everyone that worked there worked for him. I know this first hand as I worked for Pinkies as Operations Mgr for several years in the early 70's and dealt with Impact supplies and operations. One of my favorite memories was that there was no cold beer sold in Impact. The beer companies would deliver beer by the pallet and set it on the showroom floor and then we would sell a styrofoam cooler and ice. I used to order a train car of coolers from Dart every month just for Impact. Also had three HUGE ice machines and three guys that did nothing except bag ice for sale. Texas does not allow this type of incorporation anymore---the law is called the Law of Impact.
Thank you for the great info! I was hoping these videos would bring in comments like this. It’s almost impossible to know the whole story for an outsider like me. I appreciate it!
While not on this list, check out Edmondson in the southern panhandle. The last census taken there was way back in 2010, but the sign shows 111 people still. The town has undoubtedly declined since 2010, an old farming community that has slowly dwindled.
I was raised on a farm out side of Kerrick Texas. On the Oklahoma state line on highway 287. It had a school at one time we use it as a community building. We had no major just a person that took money to pay the bills on the community building. There were 27 that lived in town don't know how many were in the farms around. We went to school in Srratford Tex. Also had a post office a restaurant an filling station. Thoes were the days
My mom graduated from Lakeview. Believe it or not, it was a basketball powerhouse in the late 50’s early 60’s losing in the regional finals moms senior year. I believe the school still operated until the 90’s. I think there was a fire that ended it.
I enjoy watching these, but sometimes I think some of the "abandoned town" channels fudge the truth a bit. Not you, but another guy was showing the barrios of towns near me that have half a million dollar houses and new schools he never showed. The drone shots are great because they give a true depiction. This old high-school is a beautiful piece of turn-of-century architecture. Thanks!
Sorry for all the comments, I just keep thinking of stuff as I watch. The old basketball hoops in the Toyah school. All I can think is I wonder when the last basketball to go through those hoops was.
@@TravelwithaWiseguy Take a basketball along with you, and you can say you had the most recent bucket in town! This was quite a different video than what we have gotten use to riding along with you. But even then, it was as much fun and interesting as the rest. Once again, thank you for taking us along! I really appreciated the ride.
I was in 7th grade for Toyah's last school year, '73-'74. Pecos took Barstow in '69, and Toyah in '74. That's why the buses have Pecos-Barstow-Toyah I.S.D. on them. I remember the games in that gym, the pep rallies, the last Christmas program, the last graduation. The Toyah Buffaloes were no more. But the memories will always remain.
If you're ever in Central Missouri around the Truman Lake area, the little town I grew up in is beautiful, historic and VERY small. 35 people to be exact. Iconium, Missouri has a small country store (Iconium Store) that has been in business since the depression and is still going strong. They have beautiful houses, a quiet main street and are just down the road from one of the oldest and most historic Boy Scout Camps in America, H. Roe Bartle Scout Camp. You'll be glad you visited.
@@TravelwithaWiseguy If you go there during Boy Scout Days, you'll see Ico Store (Home Of The World Famous Peach Float) busy as heck and in their full glory. The owner's name is Shannon Tucker. He'd probably be happy to show you around.
My wife and I worked for 9 months as geolgists on an oil drilling rig, where after 2.5 hrs of very bumpy dirt road we exited to the Interstate at Toyah TX. I did the drive to the rig at night a few times, and there was no light on the horizon for 2.5 hrs after leaving the rig untill the few lights of Toyah came into view. I would go to get groceries in Pecos, which took 8 hrs round trip from the rig site at the base of the Apatchie Mountains. We were out on that rig for Haloween, Christmas, New Years, St Patrics Day, and Easter. A few months after we finished the 9 month job, we worked another drilling less than one mile from Toyah.
I haven't been to Dayton Lake Estates since 2013 to visit a friend. Was told not to go any further down their road as there was a community of squatters and they hated outsiders. It wasn't safe. The school busses picked up the kids for school. No utilities due to the constant flooding. This is just what I was told. Things may have changed since then
I grew up in a small town in Texas 80 miles north of Amarillo, called Stratford around 1500 pop but never in my mind I thought there where so many of the towns on your list under 100 that's nuts makes u wonder where the sustainable economy comes into play!!!!
Used to be a television show in Houston called "The Eyes of Texas", the host was a man by the name of Ray Miller. His show was the exact same format. Watched the show on Sundays. Your posts reminded me of a very pleasant childhood memory. I just discovered you today. Very enjoyable!
Thanks to your show. We moved our small business to one of those towns. Everybody was able to buy a home cheap. Shippers are not a problem. We are only a short drive from any entertainment or there is streaming. No real crime and quite happy.
Oh wow that’s awesome! Glad to be a small part of it - I wish you success in the world with your business!
which town did you settle into?
Yes. Where did u settle. I would love to know
Would love to know too. I live in mid size texas town. Love it.
Interesting story about Putnam you may enjoy. It would have been around 1963 my family was returning from California to our home in Irving, Tx and the car broke down. At 4:30 is a filling station in the video. We spent 5 days there broke down. Behind the service station is a white house. There was a lady who lived there who ran a kind of cafe in her kitchen. At that time there was no other place to eat in town. My parents car was a 1958 Borgward. Nobody in that area had heard of one, much less have parts available. My stepfather had to call somebody in Dallas to get the parts and send them on the Greyhound bus to Putnam. As a kid, that was a great adventure.
Great story! Now that I’ve been there I can imagine what it was like! Thanks for sharing!
Great story!!
The dad of a friend of mine in high school bought a Borgward. It had a clutchless three speed transmission.
@@swingrfd The one my parents had was a 58 Isabella Station Wagon. I remember my stepfather bought an Isabella Coupe for a parts car that sat in our back yard. I remember their car had a four on the tree. Really strange because you had to put the shifter all the way to the back, pull it out, and then pull it forward and up for reverse.
My mom was born not far from here so when he said Putnam I was ohhh hell ... I'm not past Putnam yet wonder if her birth place will be on here it's small too.
My sister and I were driving around near Fredericksburg, and decided to find Luckenbach, TX. We found it, but it was just a bar and a little store.We thought it would be bigger. On the way home, we sang the song and laughed!!
Small but historic!
Love the song.
Thank you. The site Joe and Nic's road trip is a married couple from Dallas who are traveling around theUSA visiting many towns and cities. They've spent a lot of time in Texas. Thank you for your video I live in Tennessee but spent 5 years in Dallas and have a great affinity for Texas, having lived in Dallas.
As a native Texan, I found this video to be very informative. Thank you for sharing your research with us. 😊
Thank you very much!! 😊
Native Texan, have family all over the state. It's amazing how oil, railroads, ports, cattle and even liquor laws shaped this state over the years.
Very interesting how all that happened!
Yes, Texas full of color charm. And some enterprising folks.
Native Texan? What tribe an clan?
@@CWoLF2001 one could argue that even native Americans are not native.. they migrated here during the last ice age
@@CWoLF2001@travelwithawiseguy
Cherokee aren't native to Texas, and I'm sick to death of Cherokee Two-Percenters running their mouths and guilting people who had nothing to do with the betrayal of the "Yellow Rose" of Texas, Chief Bowles. You remember him? He was the strawberry blonde chief of the Texas Cherokee that provided troop strength and movements to his kin, a man with a white mother, who's father was 1/8 white? Yeah, Jesse's big brother was pissed about the Alamo which is why the surname I carry outnumbered all others at San Jacinto.
But since you ask, *IF* we ignore the matrilineal requirements to be tribal Cherokee *LIKE YOU* did, well, I'd be Bear Clan. Bear eats wolf pup. Not even the Beloved man of the Eastern Band remembers how to clean his teeth like my father taught me in the Sabine National Forest in '82.
You need Jesus, we all do. You're welcome at the Baptist Church in Combine, Texas. Tim Brewer is the pastor, his mother in law is descended from Jesse if I recall correctly. Guess who I'm descended from? A forgotten man lying in an unmarked grave on the banks of the Neches. I'm fairly certain not a single living NATIVE TEXAN knows, but there's a craven coward in Katy who indoubatebly does. Ask him why the orange man doesn't. 🤠✌
My grandmother was born and raised in Toyah, we would walk around the whole town in under 20 minutes. fond memories of that itty bitty town.
Very interesting town to walk around and explore!
@@TravelwithaWiseguy we went into the school back then it was still usable and there were some very cool pictures. My great grandpa worked on the railroads.
Walk around the cemetery…many graves from the flu epidemic of 1918 era.
@@pamelaspooner7183 I have family in that graveyard
That was enjoyable. Yeah, Texas is a whole-other-country!
Thank you! I agree - and I like it!
Yes we are! #PROUDTEXAN❤
Wow! You covered some boot kickin Country! A Lot of Miles!
I love going to local cafes in rural small towns :)
When I was a kid in the '70's,I lived in a tiny desert town of Goldsmith ,Texas. The sheriff rode a horse lol.
Love that! 😊
Lived at Goldsmith as a baby, Dad was a PE with major oil company lived in a camp
I've always felt a sense of sadness for the dried-up little towns in Texas. I live in one. when I see the old businesses in pictures and view the abandoned buildings today it just seems like such a waste. there was so much life there at one point and now.... through circumstance, lack of foresight, vision, planning, adapting etc... take your pick.... it's all lost. What was is no more and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. God Bless the little man and the little town
❤️
The interstates killed a whole bunch of the small towns.
Same here… our little town dried up when they did a bypass for the state highway
My exact feeling when driving through Quitman, Texas. I see the old abandoned oil field buildings and sites. I know that that supported thriving livelihood for residents and their families and now it is mostly gone. But Quitman is not a dried up little town. It's just different that it used to be.
Loma alta texas bro
Happy to find a community that enjoys small rural towns and great architectural structures.
Like button smashed 👍🏻
Awesome! Lots of good people in the comments here! I appreciate you joining!
woow.
best thing between u and other vlogger who has been there in their videos is ,u enters the abandoned area to show how it looks like now .
thank u very much .
indeed .
quintana is the place where my soul calls to go .
it seems like u hit the bulls'eye of my soul .
Thank you very much! I appreciate the nice comment and for you watching!
I love your content man! Most of us youtubers focus on urban areas but you got the midwest focused on!! Very interesting content
Thank you! There’s so much good stuff out there on UA-cam and I’ve learned to stand out a little to “stay in my lane” - I’m from a small town so it makes sense for me. Great channel!
Well researched, filmed and MANY windy miles driven! Appreciate all your efforts. Liquor sales were a surprising theme. The Jetty walk and outtakes is a highlight! looking forward to your next tour.
Thank you very much!! I was surprised about that too when don’t the research.
I am almost 70 years of age and I grew up in Johnson County approximately 50 miles from Ft Worth. The impact of two things in the early 1900s was profound.First, the growth of the Protestant churches and second, the effects of Prohibition.
My little hometown was "dry" and is still "dry" in 2023. If you want to purchase alcoholic beverages you have to drive about 35 miles to the nearest "wet" town.
I remember the town's population was 961... seemingly until about 2000. The population is now nearly 1600 as the DFW metroplex grows and people live in the outlying little towns and commute to their employment places.
In the past few years as this modest growth has occurred... many locals attribute it to the nature of the K-12 education as people with children leave urban school districts.
When I grew up in the fifties and sixties, agriculture was the town's economic engine. For many reasons this is no longer the case... the agriculture nearby today is mostly gentlemen farmers and retirees. Not many farm families are able to get the economies of scale needed to sustain themselves.
I really enjoyed this video! Thanks!
As a native Texan, great video! Informative/well done with the drone shots.
Thank you very much! I appreciate the comment!
Thanks for the video on my home state.
Look forward to more of your travels. ✌
Thanks! Looking forward to releasing some more in the next couple months!
Great video, man!! We love these tiny towns and the stories behind them.
Thank you!!
Love this episode!!
Good job!!
Thank you!
I really enjoy these videos!
Great vid!!!!! love it I like that you are finding these little gems
Thanks man! Same to you!
I was a trial lawyer in Sacramento and my husband decided to move us to Alto, Texas! Yeah, no country club, no tennis club, no courthouse, no library. My husband wanted to help his pastor friend start a church in Alto. Noble idea, but we lasted less than a year. 😮
Tough livin’ in some of those places!
@@TravelwithaWiseguy I had a daughter in San Francisco, a son in NYC, and a son in Seattle so I would drive to Houston (3 hrs) and fly away. I considered myself very fortunate!
Bless you and your husband. You tried!!
I own a ranch out there😂😂😂. Alto, is dead. TSC and dollar general. Rusk train and dogwood Forest in Palestine, home of Walmart and metheads 😂. I can't get a beer from silsbe to Athens. Everything is going to crap. Crime is More and More. Kids don't have jobs.
I seriously see a country club and tennis club More boring then those small towns 😊 nothing like living in a small town where there's no hight crimes,noise, drama and traffic..
Watching these from western Europe. Fascinating content, thanks!
That’s awesome thank you!!
My friend, the work you put into this is very impressive. Very interesting and well-done video.
Thank you very much! I really enjoyed it!
A carpenter I knew ten years ago bought old homes, transported them to other areas and made quite a living. He said nobody ever asks and there are folks who will gladly sell an old place in a deserted town rather than watch it rot.
Good gainful employment-!!!🤗.
Actually some of these DO have an eerie quality. Every place has its own unique atmosphere. Some where you can feel sadness and other places joy and peace is easily felt.
Very true!
Enjoyed this video very much. Lots of history...and humor...
Thank you! It was a lot of fun to do!
Really something to see...
good that a few people like you are getting these places on video...they are going to set abandoned for a few more years and then more of our history will be gone
I appreciate that! I really enjoy seeing them in person, and am glad to document as many as I can!
Yep, been to Toyah back when it had about 100 people and a school building that was actually used--they had an arts and crafts fair there, plus our 3 year old son road a donkey! Other tiny towns or ghost towns you need to visit or drive through when in far west Texas: Lobo (a ghost town with maybe 10 people), Alamore (between Van Horn and Sierra Blanca which used to have a talc plant), Shafter (near Presidio, used to have quicksilver mines), Redford (where a shepherb boys was shot by a marine sniper because he thought the kid was an illegal), Lajitas (has a GOAT for a mayor!), Study Butte, Valentine (PO is used by folks sending Valentine's Day card, population about 120), Kent, Cherry Creek, Toyahvale (home to Balmorhea State Park, a must place to visit with cold spring swim pool full of catfish, turtles, pup fish, etc.), Saragosa (nearly destroyed by tornado in 1989), Pyote, Wink, and of course, Mentone--you've already been there though...and I'm sure there are more (and Mentone is unincorporated).
Awesome suggestions! Thank you! So many great places to find and explore!
Also, check out Cornudas.
Deborah, that talc plant is still in operation to this day.I live in Van Horn every time.I go to el paso I see the talc mine
Must be so rewarding for you to see these unique places.
It made my day when you went exploring in Toyah. It’s 25 miles from my hometown of Pecos.
Awesome! I really enjoyed exploring Toyah!
Cool places out there!! Really enjoyed this one! So much of the " unusual"! So cool to see!
Thank you! Texas has so much to explore in terms of small and ghost towns!
I am a daughter of a cattle rancher here is Tx. I see what our government is doing to the ranch industry, It just makes me sick.
My husband and I are ranchers in Texas, my husband works this whole thing by himself, and he does it as a hobby. Otherwise, we couldn’t live here. We worked hard our whole lives, and saved every dime, so we'd be able to live this way. People ranchers are rich….but they aren’t now, except for the big commercial ranches who get all the government kickbacks and freebies. It truly is discouraging.
Methane gas is a terrible pollution-!!!😳.
@@asullivan4047 not if you have plenty of acreage for each cow
LOL! Really? My brother was more of a threat to the environment than the cows have ever been. Please.
i agree. i grew up on farm. this is so saddening n sick. who would ever thought come to this
I really enjoyed your video and am now a new subscriber. I live in Strawn, which is about 40 miles east Putnam off of I-20 and also along the historic Bankhead Highway. My husband and I love traveling to tiny towns around Texas and learning their history, just like this. Keep up the good work 👏
Thank you very much! I appreciate the support!
@Travel with a Wiseguy ... There are so many places like this in Texas and all over the country. Strawn grew up along the RR and also had a coal mine that supplied coal for the engines. In the 1920's Strawn had a population of over 2,000, and now it's about 600.
I live in Merkel and we drive to Strawn, about 80 miles, just to eat at Mary's. I always love driving by the Bankhead Hwy Hotel and that gorgeous mansion on the outskirts of town heading north. We drive through and marvel. What a beautiful place. And because I love 6-man football, the Strawn Greyhounds have to get a mention!😉
I just subscribed today!! Love seeing these tiny town's. Interesting to think about what it must be like to live there. It looked like there's more people in the cemetery than in the actual town. What do you do all day? There is probably not any neighbors in different age brackets for kids, teenagers ,young adults. It's fascinating!
@@nancydesrocher8338 Thank you very much Nancy! Most people in these towns live simple lives. Some travel many miles to work while others are probably into agriculture in the area. I'm always fascinated too!
Wow, I worked for UPS for 41 years in tractor trailers. I spent about 13 years running cross country. We ran from L.A. to Dallas twice a week. I went right through Putnam and never even knew it. There are certainly no signs. We ran I-10 until you get to mile marker 186 and that is where I-20 starts. Toyah is the first town you come to on I-20, its about 19 miles up from I-10 and we parked there several times, slept there etc. A local told us Toyah used to be a huge cattle shipping point at one time. Cool video, it brought back good memories.
Love that story! Thanks for watching!
Close to my Hometown Van Horn Texas
Previous video about Tulsa lived there in early 60 went to first grade there Mrs Brown was my teacher, Mrs Woods was my barber,Brother Luper was our preacher, and Dr Richards was everybody’s dr. Great memories!
Dad was a farmer went to Harmon- Toles grain elevator
Tulia not Tulsa
())$&&&)(;:///;;spell check
Crazy there is a mustang Texas in Denton county too. I love watching your videos I've lived in Texas most of my life and love road trips through the state!
Thank you!
I think there are at least four Lakeviews in Texas.
Great video brother! I always go to the Quintana Beach, love it! Last time I was there, the waves were massive and I got soaked!🤣🤣🤣
Thank you. It was a lot of fun watching and learning about these towns. You did great.
Thank you very much!!
Wow, the house at about the 3:48 mark, that must have been a mighty house when it was first built.
Everything in Texas I heard is bigger. Mr. Wise just that to rest with these ten. A great potpourri of size doesn't matter when you are chasing ghosts for miles around Texas. . Excellent video.
What about Texhoma?
If you did all the small towns in Texas, you could not do it. I live in one and at least within 25 miles there is about 60 places that have names.
Quite interesting thanks for taking us along
Great video! Another ghost town you might have checked out is Terlingua.
Thank you! It’s definitely on my list!
Yes, I’ve heard a few things about terlingua. It might be interesting. But, of course, they ALL are interesting! Thank you for your, hard work, time, and money!
Saw that Bankhead Highway sign. That, if I remember right, goes through Midland, too. It would be fun to explore that highway start to finish one day.
Agreed!
Goes thru Big Spring, Texas too
Very cool. I grew up in Pecos near Toyah, we used to break into that old high-school to drink...good times
😂😂
Notice that these towns although may be dilapidated are close to larger areas though small towns they can get to places near I've been to many more places than you've mentioned but have to say that I love Texas small towns and large, God bless Texas
Quintana….the most unusual town in this series. So tidy and neat! A lot of hard work went into preserving this fascinating town. Some wonderful stories must have played out here!
I agree - it has a fascinating history and could've been so much bigger! Beautiful area :)
I was a writer for the San Angelo Standard-Times many years ago, and I was sent to do a story about Mentone in Loving County on the New Mexico border. I was asking the mayor, who owned the only store around, how many people lived in Mentone. He thought a minute and then he started ticking off his fingers, “There’s Sally and Ben, John, Mary…” I think they had about a dozen people there at the time. Big oil and gas country. Pump jacks working all over and they would have traded any one of them for one that could pump good water.
Love that story 😂
Glad you are back on ghost towns. What a great video. Thanks for sharing
Thank you! 😊
3:02 that flag is still flying, but the building is crumbling onto the sidewalk. It's crazy the difference a little time makes.
sad for sure!
Hi john intresting places all with a story to tell thanks for the tour . Cheers mate 🇦🇺
Thank you very much!
I've enjoyed your videos so much but this particular one caught my eye since I am from a small Texas town, Zavalla. I was glad to see that Zavalla wasn't on this list. lol! I didn't realize that there are so many extremely small and almost completely abandoned towns in Texas. Thank you for the work you put into these videos.
Looks like Zavalla has a population of 603 - so it's HUGE compared to these towns haha. Texas has tons of these towns, hopefully I can explore more someday. Thank you for watching!
@@TravelwithaWiseguy I agree that Zavalla is a huge town compared to those in your video. I am trying to get back to my hometown and away from the Houston area. I love small towns!
In Toyah round 05 the Post Office and bar were the same building. An old man made the best chilly relleno I have ever had.. Looks like the place is gone and I am sure the old man is also. I asked several times how he made them.. His answer " dos manos"
Tu sabe dos manos?
Just take the skin off , bread them in corn meal or whatever, add pepper and salt and there you go. Add some meat or cheese . Or cover with enchilada sauce.
@@samuelmorado70 but he had a filling that was proly corn meal based.. They were the best on earth.
@@carywest9256 Si Yo savvy dos manos.
I stopped one time in Putnam and bought a soda at an old store. I pass through there about 6 times a year. I like seeing small towns.
Me too. I love seeing them and passing through. I find it fascinating.
It's so sad to see little towns die away like this. I'm from a small town in Louisiana. All the stores have closed and most torn down.
Very sad 😞
I think los Yvañes, was also a place where migrant farm workers would live.
The owners of the land eventually became a town to be able to sell alcohol. I grew up not too far from there.
Lived in FreePort Tx. Next to Quintana and I believe the only reason both towns haven’t disappeared it’s because of the fishing, beach and Chemical plants.
Los Ybanez was an old CCC camp back during the depression. That's what all of those white houses are. They are camp houses. The Los Ybanez purchased that camp and incorporated it to sell liquor. On a Friday evening after work there would be a mile of traffic lined up to buy their choice of firewarer for the weekend. It's just a few miles from Lamesa and both towns are in Dawson County which is a dry County until a few short years ago. We lived in Ackerly which is about 15 miles south of Los Ybanez. We would buy our groceries from Claiborne's Grocery store. It was and probably still is the best place to buy groceries from. We lived in Ackerly (pop. 245) for 7 years. We left there going on 14 years ago.
Awesome thanks for the info!!
Los Ybanez was a CCC labor camp back in the ‘30s. The Ybanez family bought it in the 80’s for the purpose of incorporating it and selling alcohol. They made a mint until the city of Lamesa went wet about 10 years ago.
Just moved to Dallas area. Hope to explore some of these towns.
Have fun! Lots of interesting places to explore there!
Melvin. one of the many town thought to be in the heart of Texas, also used to have a much bigger population when the railroad went through there. It has around 300 now, at latest count.
I grew up on the Left Coast. When I was stationed at Fort Hood I went to my roommates hometown Richards Texas. I graduated Highschool with more people than lived in Dick TX.
Thank you for creating such an interesting video. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing some of these parts of Texas. And yes, you are right, driving in West Texas covers a LOT of miles. I would sure Love to see more parts of Texas. Such interesting information!
Much appreciated! Texas is such a large and interesting state to explore!
You should try out Gilliland! Less than 20 people left there. Majority of the buildings in the town have been abandoned for decades. About 50 years probably.
What an awesome creation of History of Kansas tool you are creating.
That’s very nice of you to say - thanks!
Although it's not usually on the "side" of the law, I too love seeking abandoned buildings and enjoy looking inside of them - a "poor man's" treasure hunter, I reckon -
:)
You really found some interesting small towns. Very curious about Mark Cubans reasoning for buying this town. TFS
Yes! Will be interesting to see what happens! Thanks for watching again!
It was to help out a friend who was going through a financial drought of sort.
Some the little towns in areas of Texas have beautiful old stone buildings in their downtowns.
Thank you from central Texas. Kerrville
Thanks for watching!
Bagging the Texas towns takes commitment. Huge place
It was a heckuva trip!
My question: "How far do I have to drive to show my kids a tree?"
Another great video, thank you for posting it. You have the best and most informative videos on youtube. You have a very good radio/tv voice, a great presentation, and very interesting facts about the places you visit. There have been a couple places of interest to me, northwest Missouri where I grew up, and Baker City, Oregon where I lived for a few years. Now you will have to come up here to Alaska to visit me and film your Alaska adventure video. Take care and God bless.
Thank you so much! That’s very nice! I’d love to explore Alaska someday!
I see these towns as history you can see and touch. So many stories.
😊
Thank you for sharing,very informative history,freedom before fear, San Antonio Texas, thank you, Amigo 🍀🍀🍀🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thank you very much!! Very nice of you to say!
You should look at Pioneer Texas, it was a oil boom town. Also Zephyr, Texas was a fair size town till it was almost wiped out by a tornado.
That stone church is beautiful
Awesome videos done very professional and informative. The actual thing youneed for informed dicession
Much appreciated!
Really enjoyed this especially being a native born Texan from San Antonio originally who's mother and uncle often took me on back road drives around the different places in TX we lived at the time, my mom would drive the highways until we were in the middle of nowhere and then the 1st exit she'd see she'd get off, pick a road that had basically nothing around it and then drive it to another and another road and somehow always managed to find her way back to a major hwy for getting back home on, and I remember that my uncle was in charge of getting the map out so they could figure out which way to get back to the major hwys but I'm thinking that my mom HAD to have a compass with her too! Great time's and great memories cuz TX is a BIG state which even today is fantastic to drive across especially off the beaten path! 🚗🛣️🛣️🚗🛤️👍🏼🤠
Thank you! Nice comment - I loved exploring Texas. Can’t wait to go back again sometime!
I taught school in Putnam in the early 70's and would have liked to see the 'all-grades, K-12 school on your video. It is on the other side of the Interstate. My experience with your #2 (Impact) was used while in school in Abilene. Thank you for this walk back into history.
Thanks for watching!!
Comes to something when the local cemetery is the largest maintained parcel of land. I live close to Quintana, and nowadays, it's essentially a fee-based state park, even just to park and enjoy the Gulf for a few hours. Beautiful walkways, true, but that's about it. Right now, it's essentially a subscription based HOA. On the occasion, we skip all that, turn north on the Blue Water, and go to 3 Mile turnoff: just be sure to park near the Christmas trees as they become dunes so you don't lose your ride to the tide.
So sad to see the abandoned buildings. I live in a small town in Texas. We do have one four way
stop.
Research is a little off---In Impact Perkins was a partner with Tom "Pinkie" Roden of Odessa. He got the name because of his reddish complexion---not a elephant sign. Pinkie bought the land , built all the houses and three liquor/mini mart stores and everyone that worked there worked for him. I know this first hand as I worked for Pinkies as Operations Mgr for several years in the early 70's and dealt with Impact supplies and operations. One of my favorite memories was that there was no cold beer sold in Impact. The beer companies would deliver beer by the pallet and set it on the showroom floor and then we would sell a styrofoam cooler and ice. I used to order a train car of coolers from Dart every month just for Impact. Also had three HUGE ice machines and three guys that did nothing except bag ice for sale. Texas does not allow this type of incorporation anymore---the law is called the Law of Impact.
Thank you for the great info! I was hoping these videos would bring in comments like this. It’s almost impossible to know the whole story for an outsider like me. I appreciate it!
You could make a video of the Town's that are no longer there. Destroyed by fire or weather.
There's quite a few of them!
Yes Texas is full of abandoned ghost towns!
Very good video. Add thanks for telling us where these sleepy towns are located at. I ones lived in Oglesby, TX. Population 495 and one grouch! 🤠 LoL
Who is that grouch 😂😂
While not on this list, check out Edmondson in the southern panhandle. The last census taken there was way back in 2010, but the sign shows 111 people still. The town has undoubtedly declined since 2010, an old farming community that has slowly dwindled.
From what I’ve found, Edmondson’s population at the 2020 census was 86 so you’re correct about it dwindling.
Strange that there's no lake to view in Lakeview. Great video and lots of good work and travel. Enjoyed the guitar music.
Thank you! And yeah that’s true! 😂😂
Love this stuff !
I was raised on a farm out side of Kerrick Texas. On the Oklahoma state line on highway 287. It had a school at one time we use it as a community building. We had no major just a person that took money to pay the bills on the community building. There were 27 that lived in town don't know how many were in the farms around. We went to school in Srratford Tex. Also had a post office a restaurant an filling station. Thoes were the days
Good times!!
My mom graduated from Lakeview. Believe it or not, it was a basketball powerhouse in the late 50’s early 60’s losing in the regional finals moms senior year. I believe the school still operated until the 90’s. I think there was a fire that ended it.
Sad story - thanks for sharing!
I enjoy watching these, but sometimes I think some of the "abandoned town" channels fudge the truth a bit. Not you, but another guy was showing the barrios of towns near me that have half a million dollar houses and new schools he never showed. The drone shots are great because they give a true depiction. This old high-school is a beautiful piece of turn-of-century architecture. Thanks!
Thank you! I try to show it honestly and the drone definitely helps to show the perspective of the town. I appreciate the comment!
Sorry for all the comments, I just keep thinking of stuff as I watch. The old basketball hoops in the Toyah school. All I can think is I wonder when the last basketball to go through those hoops was.
Love all the comments! And I bet they had some crazy games in there!
@@TravelwithaWiseguy Take a basketball along with you, and you can say you had the most recent bucket in town!
This was quite a different video than what we have gotten use to riding along with you. But even then, it was as much fun and interesting as the rest. Once again, thank you for taking us along! I really appreciated the ride.
Thanks! It was a lot of fun and a great experience. Texas is like a whole different country!
Probably clanked off the rim and the ball went flat.
I was in 7th grade for Toyah's last school year, '73-'74. Pecos took Barstow in '69, and Toyah in '74. That's why the buses have Pecos-Barstow-Toyah I.S.D. on them. I remember the games in that gym, the pep rallies, the last Christmas program, the last graduation. The Toyah Buffaloes were no more. But the memories will always remain.
If you're ever in Central Missouri around the Truman Lake area, the little town I grew up in is beautiful, historic and VERY small. 35 people to be exact. Iconium, Missouri has a small country store (Iconium Store) that has been in business since the depression and is still going strong. They have beautiful houses, a quiet main street and are just down the road from one of the oldest and most historic Boy Scout Camps in America, H. Roe Bartle Scout Camp. You'll be glad you visited.
Thank you for the heads up!!
@@TravelwithaWiseguy If you go there during Boy Scout Days, you'll see Ico Store (Home Of The World Famous Peach Float) busy as heck and in their full glory. The owner's name is Shannon Tucker. He'd probably be happy to show you around.
I went there and this Texan congratulated ya’ll. Iconium spotlessly clean, super friendly God-fearing folks everywhere we went.
My wife and I worked for 9 months as geolgists on an oil drilling rig, where after 2.5 hrs of very bumpy dirt road we exited to the Interstate at Toyah TX. I did the drive to the rig at night a few times, and there was no light on the horizon for 2.5 hrs after leaving the rig untill the few lights of Toyah came into view. I would go to get groceries in Pecos, which took 8 hrs round trip from the rig site at the base of the Apatchie Mountains. We were out on that rig for Haloween, Christmas, New Years, St Patrics Day, and Easter. A few months after we finished the 9 month job, we worked another drilling less than one mile from Toyah.
Loved the video!
Thank you!!
@@TravelwithaWiseguy You're welcome!
Did some goggling of Dayton Lakes and it has seen some rough times over the years.
I could sense that when I was there
Mainly because of flooding?
@@TheTruthFadeswithTime28 yes, and some infighting between their police and elected officials
I haven't been to Dayton Lake Estates since 2013 to visit a friend. Was told not to go any further down their road as there was a community of squatters and they hated outsiders. It wasn't safe. The school busses picked up the kids for school. No utilities due to the constant flooding. This is just what I was told. Things may have changed since then
I don't think I have ever seen the inside of a post office on UA-cam without an 'auditor' ranting and filming people mailing something.
I grew up in a small town in Texas 80 miles north of Amarillo, called Stratford around 1500 pop but never in my mind I thought there where so many of the towns on your list under 100 that's nuts makes u wonder where the sustainable economy comes into play!!!!
I know it’s crazy right? Fascinating. Texas has so many of these tiny towns.
Used to be a television show in Houston called "The Eyes of Texas", the host was a man by the name of Ray Miller. His show was the exact same format. Watched the show on Sundays. Your posts reminded me of a very pleasant childhood memory. I just discovered you today. Very enjoyable!
Awesome! I wonder if any of those shows are online?
Clairemont, Texas. I lived on the Spring Creek Ranch in the 70’s. It’s now Brown Brothers Ranch. Population then was 24.