There’s something positively captivating about ghost towns. The allure of what once was and the eerie remnants that have been left behind. South Dakota’s ghost towns tell stories of once-prosperous places where people lived, worked, and dreamed. While they might look like just vacant shells, they’re actually remnants of a past time when life was very different. Here’s a little ghost town in South Dakota that has its own stories to tell, and quite unique ones at that. Let’s take a glimpse into the history of Capa, South Dakota.

Capa was a railroad town that was first organized in 1904.

Paul Williams/flickr It gets its name from the Lakota word for “beaver.” You’ll find the abandoned town of Capa about nine miles east of Midland.

Capa was never a large town, but when the railroad arrived in 1906, people began settling here.

Paul Williams/flickr They built homes, shops, and even established a newspaper, the “Capa Hustler.”

A grand hotel was built in town, which featured hot water from a local artesian well.

Paul Williams/flickr The hotel offered mineral baths in a public bathhouse. The water that came out of the well was so hot that it served as the heating system for several of the buildings here.

At its peak, the thriving town of Capa had hundreds of residents.

Paul Williams/flickr The years during the Great Depression were tough on the people of Capa, and few people traveled through the steep valley to reach it, especially after Highway 63 was built. When the railroad pulled its operations out of Capa, the town was in trouble, and by 1976, when the post office closed, it was all but completely abandoned.

Today, all that remains of Capa are some abandoned buildings.

Paul Williams/flickr Some still have old, decaying furnishings inside - remnants of the lives that were once lived here.

The buildings are just hollow shells, and many have collapsed over the years.

Paul Williams/flickr We’ve heard that this pretty church is now a crumpled pile of boards. Many of the buildings in Capa were moved elsewhere, but a few remain. If you drive through this little ghost town, remember that most of these buildings are on private property and those that are standing are likely very unstable. View them from the outside and make sure you’re not trampling through someone’s private land.

Did you have friends or relatives who lived in Capa, South Dakota? We’d love to hear your stories!

Paul Williams/flickr

It gets its name from the Lakota word for “beaver.” You’ll find the abandoned town of Capa about nine miles east of Midland.

They built homes, shops, and even established a newspaper, the “Capa Hustler.”

The hotel offered mineral baths in a public bathhouse. The water that came out of the well was so hot that it served as the heating system for several of the buildings here.

The years during the Great Depression were tough on the people of Capa, and few people traveled through the steep valley to reach it, especially after Highway 63 was built. When the railroad pulled its operations out of Capa, the town was in trouble, and by 1976, when the post office closed, it was all but completely abandoned.

Some still have old, decaying furnishings inside - remnants of the lives that were once lived here.

We’ve heard that this pretty church is now a crumpled pile of boards. Many of the buildings in Capa were moved elsewhere, but a few remain. If you drive through this little ghost town, remember that most of these buildings are on private property and those that are standing are likely very unstable. View them from the outside and make sure you’re not trampling through someone’s private land.

If you love learning about South Dakota’s history, check out this quaint little tower that’s a wonderful tribute to a life-long friendship between Sheriff Seth Bullock and President Theodore Roosevelt.

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Address: Capa, SD 57552, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

Capa, South Dakota November 16, 2021 Marisa Roman What is the most haunted place in South Dakota? Capa, South Dakota is a ghost town and not technically a haunted town. However, there are plenty of haunted places in South Dakota that are interesting and spooky. In fact, we have enough haunted spots in South Dakota that we’ve made an entire road trip adventure out of it. The trip begins near Vermillion and goes all the way across the state, ending up at Wounded Knee. While the road trip takes 12 hours from start to finish, it likely will be best enjoyed if you make a whole weekend out of it. Enjoy learning about Spirit Mound’s hauntings, which go all the way back to when the Sioux Tribe believed it to be riddled with strange ghosts. You’ll also be able to check out The Bullock Hotel in Deadwood, which has a history of hauntings dating back decades. Can I visit any abandoned places in South Dakota? There are a handful of abandoned towns in South Dakota that are worth checking out, like Capa, South Dakota mentioned above. But what are some other abandoned places in the state that are worth knowing about? We’ve compiled a list of 10 abandoned places in South Dakota that nature is reclaiming and the photos are worth checking out. There is even an abandoned house with trees actually growing through it. Are there any ghost towns in South Dakota? If you love exploring creepy places in South Dakota or at the very least learning about the history, we have the perfect place. Scenic, South Dakota was once a beloved hometown and friendly community. Yet, now the town sits abandoned and empty after residents moved out and on to bigger and better things. There are a few buildings still standing, although not many are still open or in business.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Capa, South Dakota

November 16, 2021

Marisa Roman

What is the most haunted place in South Dakota? Capa, South Dakota is a ghost town and not technically a haunted town. However, there are plenty of haunted places in South Dakota that are interesting and spooky. In fact, we have enough haunted spots in South Dakota that we’ve made an entire road trip adventure out of it. The trip begins near Vermillion and goes all the way across the state, ending up at Wounded Knee. While the road trip takes 12 hours from start to finish, it likely will be best enjoyed if you make a whole weekend out of it. Enjoy learning about Spirit Mound’s hauntings, which go all the way back to when the Sioux Tribe believed it to be riddled with strange ghosts. You’ll also be able to check out The Bullock Hotel in Deadwood, which has a history of hauntings dating back decades. Can I visit any abandoned places in South Dakota? There are a handful of abandoned towns in South Dakota that are worth checking out, like Capa, South Dakota mentioned above. But what are some other abandoned places in the state that are worth knowing about? We’ve compiled a list of 10 abandoned places in South Dakota that nature is reclaiming and the photos are worth checking out. There is even an abandoned house with trees actually growing through it. Are there any ghost towns in South Dakota? If you love exploring creepy places in South Dakota or at the very least learning about the history, we have the perfect place. Scenic, South Dakota was once a beloved hometown and friendly community. Yet, now the town sits abandoned and empty after residents moved out and on to bigger and better things. There are a few buildings still standing, although not many are still open or in business.

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Capa, South Dakota is a ghost town and not technically a haunted town. However, there are plenty of haunted places in South Dakota that are interesting and spooky. In fact, we have enough haunted spots in South Dakota that we’ve made an entire road trip adventure out of it. The trip begins near Vermillion and goes all the way across the state, ending up at Wounded Knee. While the road trip takes 12 hours from start to finish, it likely will be best enjoyed if you make a whole weekend out of it. Enjoy learning about Spirit Mound’s hauntings, which go all the way back to when the Sioux Tribe believed it to be riddled with strange ghosts. You’ll also be able to check out The Bullock Hotel in Deadwood, which has a history of hauntings dating back decades.

Can I visit any abandoned places in South Dakota?

There are a handful of abandoned towns in South Dakota that are worth checking out, like Capa, South Dakota mentioned above. But what are some other abandoned places in the state that are worth knowing about? We’ve compiled a list of 10 abandoned places in South Dakota that nature is reclaiming and the photos are worth checking out. There is even an abandoned house with trees actually growing through it.

Are there any ghost towns in South Dakota?

If you love exploring creepy places in South Dakota or at the very least learning about the history, we have the perfect place. Scenic, South Dakota was once a beloved hometown and friendly community. Yet, now the town sits abandoned and empty after residents moved out and on to bigger and better things. There are a few buildings still standing, although not many are still open or in business.