American English Podcast 209 - Ghost Towns in the American West with Aubrey Carter
Mar 26, 2026
Aubrey Carter, podcast co-host and English teacher, shares travel tales and language tips. She talks about real ghost towns like Virginia City and Goldfield. The conversation covers visiting haunted Old West sites, off-the-beaten-path exploration, and useful vocabulary and idioms related to deserted places.
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Boom And Bust Created Thousands Of Ghost Towns
- The American West produced thousands of boom-and-bust settlements that became ghost towns when mines ran dry.
- Shauna notes over 3,800 documented U.S. ghost towns, with Texas ~500 and California ~350, mostly from gold, silver, and copper rushes.
Virginia City Ghost Tours Near Yellowstone
- Aubrey visited Virginia City and Nevada City in Montana and describes them as authentic Old West towns that still host ghost tours.
- She mentions horse-drawn wagon ghost rides and cemetery-walk tours near Yellowstone for immersive spooky experiences.
Go Off The Beaten Path For Quieter Visits
- If you want less touristy Old West experiences, seek places off the beaten path that require a short detour.
- Aubrey recommends an hour drive from Yellowstone to find quieter Virginia City and Nevada City visits.