Abandoned Towns

Ghost town record · Williamson County, Illinois

Chamness

Former unincorporated community in Illinois, US.

Record

About Chamness

Chamness, also known as "Chamnesstown," is a former unincorporated community in Williamson County, Illinois, that disappeared in the mid-1930s when the town was bulldozed for the construction of Crab Orchard Lake. The Lake was part of the Crab Orchard Impoundment Project and was begun as a W.P.A. project after the Federal Government purchased a large section of property which included the town.

This is a site record: what public sources say about Chamness, gathered in one place. We haven't written a full guide yet, so history, current access and photos are still to come. Treat the status as unknown until a guide confirms it.

Map

Where Chamness is

USGS topographic map around Chamness
USGS topographic map, The National Map (public domain). The pin marks the coordinates in the record; old townsites are often a little off.

Historic maps

12 historic USGS maps cover Chamness

Topographic sheets from the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection (public domain), oldest first. Older sheets often show the camp, mines and roads while the place was alive. The downloads are large map scans; USGS topoView shows them in the browser.

Directions

Getting there

Google Maps directionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap

Before you go

  • Many ghost town sites are on private land, active mining claims or tribal land. Check land status and ask permission.
  • Roads to old townsites are often unmaintained dirt. Map apps may route over closed or impassable tracks.
  • Removing artifacts from public land is illegal under federal and most state laws.

Nearby

Other sites near Chamness

Straight-line distance to other mapped sites in our Illinois index.

Sources

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, "Chamness, Illinois": coordinates and summary.
  2. Wikidata Q5069833.
  3. USGS 3D Elevation Program, elevation at the coordinates.
  4. USGS The National Map and Historical Topographic Map Collection (public domain).