Plymouth is the only ghost town in the world that also serves as a capital (of the island Montserrat.) The town’s residents were forced to evacuate in the mid-1990s when a series of volcanic eruptions in the area threatened their lives.
A few months later, they were allowed back when officials thought the danger had passed. But the Soufrière Hills Volcano wasn’t done spitting up just yet. A 1997 eruption killed 19 people and buried 80% of the town in ash. The southern end of the island is still labeled an exclusion zone, due to the unstable volcano.
Hallsands, UK
Hallsands was a popular fishing village in the 18th and 19th centuries, inhabited by a steady number of local fishermen and their families, and those that came through its interesting location. But like too many small seaside towns, the close proximity to the ocean meant it was only a matter of time before it disappeared to sea.
In 1917, that’s just what happened when high tides combined with strong winds destroyed the town and left it mostly uninhabitable. The town is a popular theme in music and entertainment and has appeared in several songs and films, including 1964’s The System.
McAllister Hotel, Miami
The McAllister hotel was built in 1917, and then a 10-story building stood proud as the tallest in Miami for several years. The iconic piece of architecture was also the city’s first high-rise hotel. It became such a popular attraction for tourists that they frequently ran out of towels to accommodate all of the guests.
But by the late 1920s, leaders of the city pushed for all oceanfront property to be removed to make way for the park, which was built in the ’30s. Their fortune may have dwindled, but the building remained until 1988 when it was demolished to make space for 50 Biscayne, which now stands on that corner.
Neversink, NY
Neversink is a sleepy little town in New York with a very ironic name. You see, part of Neversink actually did sink – a few parts, really. The towns reservoirs being built caused many of the communities to be completely submerged.
Interestingly enough, Neversink is a dry county and has been since 1935. This means that they don’t sell alcohol anywhere. Well, until 2015, when they partially lifted the ban so that restaurants could sell booze. Good luck finding any beer to bring home with you, though!
Palms Motel, Salton Sea, CA
In the 50’s and 60’s, The Bombay Beach area of California was hugely popular among both tourists and locals. It was a beautiful, beachside town, full of people enjoying ocean sports and drinking tropical drinks at tiki bars. But a deteriorating ecosystem, coupled with no drainage outlets and plenty of pollution caused a plethora of dead sea life to continuously turn up on the beach. As you can imagine, no one wanted to stick around and lay in the sun next to a bunch of rotting fish carcasses.
Although some people still live in the area, gone is the Palms Motel, which was once a favorite among tourists. The building is still somewhat standing, along with several others in the area, but they’re all boarded up and the only guests are squatters.