{"id":72,"ordinal":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:33:18","content_modified":"2026-04-17 19:33:18","featured":0,"title":"Ghost Towns and the Boom/Bust Cycles of Western Economies","creator":"Megan Bailey, Brigham Young University","description":"<p>Why are there so many ghost towns in America?\r\nNew communities came to life to support the booming industries of the railroad, mining, and westward travel through Route 66. But just as quickly as many of these towns were built up, they were abandoned. The demise came most often from a change in priority, be it wartime efforts or newer innovations–many of these communities now thrive on the charm and intrigue of their past, welcoming tourists and curious travelers from all over the country, and even the world.</p>","postscript_text":"","tour_img":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/e07e210fcc5e7f610fdad382fdbd04f5.jpg","items":[{"id":798,"title":"Route 66","latitude":35.18989520000000226218617171980440616607666015625,"longitude":-114.051027199999992944867699407041072845458984375,"thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/e07e210fcc5e7f610fdad382fdbd04f5.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/e07e210fcc5e7f610fdad382fdbd04f5.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":799,"title":"Golden: A Ghost Town","latitude":35.26944444444444570763153024017810821533203125,"longitude":-106.2133611111111122227157466113567352294921875,"thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/e67fd8700f683d9e53b557c2c957ca2f.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/e67fd8700f683d9e53b557c2c957ca2f.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":807,"title":"Holbrook Hauntings","latitude":34.90522513728779330222096177749335765838623046875,"longitude":-110.1684175396825793313837493769824504852294921875,"thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/a24896a4baf9a1bbccb5cc8faa456ec3.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/a24896a4baf9a1bbccb5cc8faa456ec3.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":800,"title":"Apache County on Route 66","latitude":35.28361499999999750798451714217662811279296875,"longitude":-109.237695000000002210072125308215618133544921875,"thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/c94d71a364203dd0571092e6433d1afa.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/c94d71a364203dd0571092e6433d1afa.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":806,"title":"Boom and Bust in Bodie, CA","latitude":38.2128788879130780742343631573021411895751953125,"longitude":-119.009877831633275491185486316680908203125,"thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/24dc4420a11bbf404db7f58bf5daf143.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/24dc4420a11bbf404db7f58bf5daf143.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":804,"title":"The Yankee Fork Mining District","latitude":44.28431619999999924175426713190972805023193359375,"longitude":-114.7267614999999949532138998620212078094482421875,"thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/f3100d51405a82a8c2925197e302b71a.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/f3100d51405a82a8c2925197e302b71a.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":805,"title":"Mining in Madrid, NM","latitude":35.40749779454839796244414173997938632965087890625,"longitude":-106.15230733728077439081971533596515655517578125,"thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/2c557ddeacfb0b63a0565ae116711530.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/2c557ddeacfb0b63a0565ae116711530.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}}]}