Texas is home to a lot of ghost towns, and with forgotten towns comes boarded-up, overgrown, abandoned places and buildings, too. These buildings once housed thriving businesses, homes, and attractions, but now we can only speculate about the memories made as nature devours the man-made structures. We may never know the stories of these decaying, mysterious buildings, but we can always visit them and wonder what went on inside the four walls of these oddly beautiful old places. Check these out:

  1. The Wurzbach House in Rio Medina: it once housed early settlers of the area, but now only dust and sprawling tree roots settle in their place.

mlhradlo/Flickr Rio Medina, TX 78253, USA

  1. Mosheim School: the crumbling ruins of a school once teeming with children sits in the small town of Mosheim near Waco.

Nicolas Henderson/Flickr Mosheim, TX 76689, USA

  1. A boarded-up, moss-covered Administration Building in the popular town of Waco.

Matthew Rutledge/Flickr

  1. Falling Church located in South Bend: it looks on the verge of collapse, but the fragile wood stands strong against the mighty forces of nature. It’s one of the most hauntingly beautiful abandoned places in Texas!

Nicolas Henderson/Flickr South Bend, TX 76481, USA

  1. Here sits an abandoned store in Duffau, Texas.

Nicolas Henderson/Flickr Duffau, TX 76457, USA

  1. Zedler’s Mill in Caldwell County just outside of Luling, a tiny Texas town.

mlhradlo/Flickr Luling, TX 78648, USA

  1. Only a few dozen residents remain in the ghost town of Catarina, but the Diamond H Citrus Storefront still stands despite the encroaching vegetation.

mlhradlo/Flickr Catarina, TX 78836, USA

  1. What might have been a sprawling mansion or apartment building in Waco is now a defunct skeleton, forgotten and covered in ivy and moss.

Matthew Rutledge/Flickr

  1. Terrell State Hospital, an abandoned insane asylum in Terrell, Texas. This building definitely should be investigated by the crew of “Ghost Adventures,” wouldn’t you agree?

margaret/Flickr Terrell, TX, USA

  1. Waco seems to be the king of abandoned buildings in Texas; if you want to go on an all-day tour of creepy forgotten buildings, this is the place to do it.

Matthew Rutledge/Flickr

  1. The abandoned Cottle Hotel in Paducah: try to check in now, and you may not ever leave…

Nicolas Henderson/Flickr Paducah, TX 79248, USA

  1. A decaying warehouse in Texas once bustling with workers now lies in quiet abandon.

Brian Austin/Flickr

  1. J.P. Torres Dry Goods and Grocery Store in Langtry, now closed to the public – but reopen for nature.

mlhradlo/Flickr Langtry, TX 78871, USA

Are there any other forgotten or abandoned places in Texas worth checking out? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

mlhradlo/Flickr

Rio Medina, TX 78253, USA

Nicolas Henderson/Flickr

Mosheim, TX 76689, USA

Matthew Rutledge/Flickr

South Bend, TX 76481, USA

Duffau, TX 76457, USA

Luling, TX 78648, USA

Catarina, TX 78836, USA

margaret/Flickr

Terrell, TX, USA

Paducah, TX 79248, USA

Brian Austin/Flickr

Langtry, TX 78871, USA

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The OIYS Visitor Center

Abandoned Places April 29, 2022 Sarah M. What are some of the most famous abandoned places in Texas? There’s a town in the wilds of far West Texas where time stands still save for the drifting of tumbleweeds down its deserted streets. This is Marfa, Texas, and if you haven’t made your way to this notorious Texas ghost town just yet, it’s the kind of place you need to check out. Eerie and strange, beautifully abandoned yet in a way that has completely captured the heart of the nation, it’s a Texas experience you simply won’t get anywhere else. In addition to the town itself, there is an actual Prada store in the middle of the desert in Marfa. Located on a lonely stretch of U.S. 90, this is a roadside attraction that’s as mysterious as it is intriguing, and just beckons road-weary travelers to stop and investigate. When you do, you’ll discover that this store is little more than a desert mirage, with no inventory or staff – and you can’t even walk inside. (It does actually display the Fall 2005 Prada collection, which was donated by Miuccia Prada herself.) The Prada Marfa Sculpture is a postmodern pop-up sculpture that’s a statement about consumerism and the fashion industry; it’s easily the most iconic and famous abandoned place in Texas (and perhaps even the country!) and it’s really something you have to see and experience. What are some abandoned places near me that I can explore in Texas? Texas is a massive state, which means there’s lots to explore… and that includes an abundance of abandoned places! From ghost towns to decaying buildings, spots slowly being reclaimed by nature to haunted icons (hello, Alamo!), there’s no shortage of creepy places to explore in the Lone Star State. That’s why we put together this road trip to the most haunted places in Texas, and with nine spots on this adventure, there’s bound to be a creepy spot near you!

The OIYS Visitor Center

Abandoned Places

April 29, 2022

Sarah M.

What are some of the most famous abandoned places in Texas? There’s a town in the wilds of far West Texas where time stands still save for the drifting of tumbleweeds down its deserted streets. This is Marfa, Texas, and if you haven’t made your way to this notorious Texas ghost town just yet, it’s the kind of place you need to check out. Eerie and strange, beautifully abandoned yet in a way that has completely captured the heart of the nation, it’s a Texas experience you simply won’t get anywhere else. In addition to the town itself, there is an actual Prada store in the middle of the desert in Marfa. Located on a lonely stretch of U.S. 90, this is a roadside attraction that’s as mysterious as it is intriguing, and just beckons road-weary travelers to stop and investigate. When you do, you’ll discover that this store is little more than a desert mirage, with no inventory or staff – and you can’t even walk inside. (It does actually display the Fall 2005 Prada collection, which was donated by Miuccia Prada herself.) The Prada Marfa Sculpture is a postmodern pop-up sculpture that’s a statement about consumerism and the fashion industry; it’s easily the most iconic and famous abandoned place in Texas (and perhaps even the country!) and it’s really something you have to see and experience. What are some abandoned places near me that I can explore in Texas? Texas is a massive state, which means there’s lots to explore… and that includes an abundance of abandoned places! From ghost towns to decaying buildings, spots slowly being reclaimed by nature to haunted icons (hello, Alamo!), there’s no shortage of creepy places to explore in the Lone Star State. That’s why we put together this road trip to the most haunted places in Texas, and with nine spots on this adventure, there’s bound to be a creepy spot near you!

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

There’s a town in the wilds of far West Texas where time stands still save for the drifting of tumbleweeds down its deserted streets. This is Marfa, Texas, and if you haven’t made your way to this notorious Texas ghost town just yet, it’s the kind of place you need to check out. Eerie and strange, beautifully abandoned yet in a way that has completely captured the heart of the nation, it’s a Texas experience you simply won’t get anywhere else. In addition to the town itself, there is an actual Prada store in the middle of the desert in Marfa. Located on a lonely stretch of U.S. 90, this is a roadside attraction that’s as mysterious as it is intriguing, and just beckons road-weary travelers to stop and investigate. When you do, you’ll discover that this store is little more than a desert mirage, with no inventory or staff – and you can’t even walk inside. (It does actually display the Fall 2005 Prada collection, which was donated by Miuccia Prada herself.) The Prada Marfa Sculpture is a postmodern pop-up sculpture that’s a statement about consumerism and the fashion industry; it’s easily the most iconic and famous abandoned place in Texas (and perhaps even the country!) and it’s really something you have to see and experience.

What are some abandoned places near me that I can explore in Texas?

Texas is a massive state, which means there’s lots to explore… and that includes an abundance of abandoned places! From ghost towns to decaying buildings, spots slowly being reclaimed by nature to haunted icons (hello, Alamo!), there’s no shortage of creepy places to explore in the Lone Star State. That’s why we put together this road trip to the most haunted places in Texas, and with nine spots on this adventure, there’s bound to be a creepy spot near you!