Wyoming has an interesting history, and if you wander the state, you'll see much of it on display. From dinosaur skeletons in Casper to the Carissa Mine in South Pass City, you can truly time travel if you visit enough of the Cowboy State. One former mining town is a little more hidden than the rest, and paranormal happenings keep all but the bravest explorers far away. Gebo, Wyoming is quite an interesting ghost town.
North of Thermopolis lies a creepy ghost town with a chilling history of dreams, death, and eventual destruction.
This eerie abandoned town is worth a closer look if you're in the area, or if you're looking for an off-the-wall road trip destination.
The town of Gebo was founded in 1907 as a coal mining community.
This town was thought to be a perfect location for the booming coal industry. The Owl Creek Coal Company built the first mine, and the town is named after company founder Samuel Wilford Gebo. Gebo was prosperous for decades, and the mining industry flourished from its founding until 1938. Over 20,000 residents called Gebo home during its heyday. It was the largest town in Hot Springs County, but the mining industry did not last. Like so many other Wyoming towns, Gebo busted, and was slowly abandoned by its residents as they sought stable jobs and a better life. Gebo became a ghost town.By 1971, dozens of abandoned buildings were falling apart, and Wyoming decided the town was a hazard and had to go. Most of the town was leveled, and Gebo's story was over.All these years later, though, some buildings are still standing. Well, standing is kind of a stretch... they're falling apart, weathered by the Wyoming winds and decades of neglect.
There are still several graveyards in Gebo, mostly undisturbed, and they look frozen in time.
Frontier life was difficult to say the least, and most of the graves are the final resting spot of children and babies. Once you see this, and walk these hallowed grounds, you'll understand why Wyomginites believe that Gebo is truly a ghost town. Many visitors report hearing wails, cries and voices that are distinct from the winds that whip through the air. There's an uneasy feeling that most people experience, as if this town is not truly abandoned, though there are no people in sight.
If you've got a flair for the paranormal, or if you want to see a haunting reminder of our wild state's history, visit Gebo and experience something truly unique.
While the tragic past of Wyoming's ghost towns is heartbreaking to face, there's so much to be learned from visiting the Cowboy State's ghost towns. If you enjoy walking right through history, be sure to set aside time to explore the town's other ghost towns, like Kirwin, Atlantic City, and South Pass City. They're each worth a visit to learn the stories they've been holding on to for decades.
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