Abandoned Towns

State hub · North Carolina

Ghost towns in North Carolina

North Carolina's ghost towns come in three kinds. On the coast are colonial and maritime towns. Brunswick Town, laid out on the Cape Fear River in 1726, was burned by British troops in 1776 and never rebuilt. Portsmouth, created by the colonial assembly in 1753 as a port on Ocracoke Inlet, had 685 people in 1860 and lost its last residents in 1971.

In the mountains, lumber companies built and abandoned whole towns. The Ritter Lumber Company founded Mortimer on Wilson Creek in 1904; fire and flood emptied it in 1916 and again in 1940. Proctor, on Hazel Creek, lost its people to Fontana Dam and the national park in the 1940s. Lost Cove, a logging and farm settlement in the Nolichucky gorge with no road, was left by its last family in 1957.

In the Piedmont, textile mills built company villages. Henry River Mill Village in Burke County, laid out in 1904, kept its cottages after the mill closed and is now open for tours. Most other sites are national seashore, national park or national forest land, reached by ferry, boat or trail.

23Sites indexed
10Counties
13Mapped
7Featured
Rockingham CountyFranklin CountyRandolph CountyYadkin CountyAlexander CountyOnslow CountyOrange CountyCabarrus CountyIredell CountyStokes CountyGuilford CountyPerson CountyVance CountyLenoir CountyCleveland CountyTransylvania CountyCraven CountyEdgecombe CountyCaldwell CountyPitt CountyJones CountyForsyth CountyWayne CountyBladen CountyPolk CountyMitchell CountyCurrituck CountyLincoln CountyHaywood CountyDurham CountyGreene CountyJohnston CountyNew Hanover CountyChatham CountyRichmond CountyScotland CountyDavidson CountyAnson CountyRutherford CountyYancey CountySwain CountyHertford CountyCumberland CountyWilkes CountySampson CountyPamlico CountyWashington CountyMoore CountyRobeson CountySurry CountyCarteret CountyAlleghany CountyHarnett CountyHoke CountyPerquimans CountyGranville CountyHyde CountyWatauga CountyMacon CountyClay CountyChowan CountyGates CountyPasquotank CountyGraham CountyCherokee CountyBrunswick CountyHalifax CountyJackson CountyWarren CountyNorthampton CountyAshe CountyBuncombe CountyBurke CountyMcDowell CountyColumbus CountyCaswell CountyHenderson CountyGaston CountyTyrrell CountyDavie CountyAvery CountyPender CountyCatawba CountyMecklenburg CountyNash CountyMadison CountyStanly CountyDare CountyWilson CountyDuplin CountyMartin CountyWake CountyLee CountyBertie CountyRowan CountyAlamance CountyMontgomery CountyUnion CountyCamden CountyBeaufort CountyCharlotteRaleighAshevilleWilmingtonGreensboroBrunswick TownPortsmouthLost CoveProctorCape Lookout Village Historic DistrictBuffalo CityCeramicWood
Other sitesCity
Select a dot to see the site. 13 of 23 sites have reliable coordinates so far.

Where to start

North Carolina's best-known ghost towns

Open attractions, living towns and true ruins, with their current status.

The roofless brick walls of St. Philip's Church behind a cannon under a live oak

Brunswick Town

34.04, -77.95

Brunswick County

Port on the Cape Fear River laid out in 1726, burned by British troops in 1776 and never rebuilt; Confederate Fort Anderson was built over it in the 1860s. Colonial foundations, St. Philip's Church ruins and the earthworks are a state historic site, free and open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (read October 28, 2026).

Open Tue to Sat · Oct 2026
The white Methodist church at Portsmouth Village in an open field, 2014

Portsmouth

35.07, -76.06

Carteret County

Lightering port of 1753 on Ocracoke Inlet, 685 people in 1860; the last two residents left in 1971. About 21 buildings, among them the Methodist church, school, post office and life-saving station, stand in Cape Lookout National Seashore. There is no road: the NPS points visitors to a 20-minute passenger boat from Ocracoke.

Boat access · Jan 2025 NPS page
Two weathered two-story clapboard mill cottages beside a lane at Henry River

Henry River Mill Village

35.70, -81.43

Burke County

Cotton mill village laid out in 1904; the mill closed around 1970 and burned in 1977. About 20 of some 35 workers' cottages and the company store remain, used as District 12 in the 2012 film The Hunger Games. It is private; its website listed tours Friday to Monday at $18 for adults when we checked on October 28, 2026.

Tours Fri to Mon · Oct 2026
A weathered wooden house with a rusted tin roof and a long porch among bare trees at Lost Cove, 2014

Lost Cove

36.07, -82.40

Yancey County

Logging and farm settlement in the Nolichucky gorge, with about 100 people at its height and no road; the last family left in 1957 and fires in 2007 burned most buildings. The Forest Service said in a page updated September 30, 2025 that several structures and a cemetery can be reached on the Lost Cove and Devil's Creek trails.

Ruins on a trail · Sep 2025 USFS
The white Calhoun House at Proctor, with a long porch over a stone basement, among autumn trees, 2007

Proctor

35.47, -83.73

Swain County

Hazel Creek town named for its first settler, Moses Proctor. Fontana Lake, behind the dam finished in 1944, covered part of it and the land became national park. One house and the remains of a lumber mill stand above the water. Friends of the Smokies hikers crossed the lake by boat from Cable Cove and walked around Proctor and the Calhoun House in July 2025. No road reaches it.

Boat or trail only · Jul 2025 visit
USGS topographic map around Mortimer

Mortimer

35.99, -81.76

Caldwell County

Ritter Lumber Company town of 1904 on Wilson Creek with about 800 people, a hotel and a theater. Fire and flood in 1916 emptied it, a revival ended with the 1940 flood, and mill machinery and foundations are what is left. The Forest Service listed the Wilson Creek area as open on a page updated May 13, 2026, after Hurricane Helene closures.

Wilson Creek area open · May 2026
The two-story Keeper's Quarters at Cape Lookout Light Station among dune grass, 2013

Cape Lookout Village Historic District

34.61, -76.53

Carteret County

Cluster of lighthouse, life-saving and Coast Guard buildings and houses around Cape Lookout Lighthouse, listed in 2000 with 20 contributing buildings. It is reached by passenger ferry from Beaufort or Harkers Island; after Hurricane Erin the park reopened the 1907 Keeper's Quarters Museum on August 24, 2025. When we checked on October 28, 2026, a park alert said the lighthouse ferry dock was closed for repairs and passengers land on the beach.

Ferry, beach landing · Oct 2026 NPS

Near a city

Ghost towns near Charlotte and Raleigh

Driving distance and time from downtown, routed over OpenStreetMap roads. Dirt roads are usually slower than the estimate.

Near Charlotte drive

  1. Henry River Mill Village60 mi1 h 19 min
  2. Mortimer99 mi2 h 18 min
  3. Ceramic102 mi2 h 18 min
  4. Avalon110 mi2 h 25 min

Near Raleigh drive

  1. Wood46 mi1 h 08 min
  2. Avalon107 mi2 h 18 min
  3. Ceramic108 mi2 h 31 min
  4. Brunswick Town148 mi2 h 59 min
  5. Buffalo City174 mi3 h 32 min

Directory

All 23 North Carolina sites

Every town, camp and settlement in our North Carolina index, with its county. A ◦ marks sites already on the map.

23 sites

Plan a trip

Visiting North Carolina's ghost towns

01

Plan the boats for the coast

No road from the mainland reaches Portsmouth or Cape Lookout. The park's ferry page (updated January 21, 2025) sends Portsmouth visitors to a passenger boat from Ocracoke, about 20 minutes, booked by phone; the operator, Portsmouth Island Boat Tours, lists 252-928-4361. Cape Lookout's lighthouse area is served by the Island Express passenger ferry from Beaufort and Harkers Island (252-728-7433). With the lighthouse ferry dock closed for repairs (park alert, October 2026), passengers step off in front of the lighthouse and walk 5 to 10 minutes on soft sand, sometimes through water. Portsmouth has no drinking water or food for sale, and the park keeps no trash cans on the islands: bring water and insect repellent, and carry out what you bring.

02

Check the mountains after Helene

Hurricane Helene closed parts of the Pisgah National Forest in 2024. By May 2026 the Forest Service listed the Wilson Creek area, where Mortimer stood, as open, and a February 2026 report said most of Wilson Creek had reopened though the Harper Creek Trail stayed closed. Lost Cove is reached only on foot, by the Lost Cove or Devil's Creek trail in the Flat Top Mountain area, which has no drinking water. Check the ranger district before you go.

03

Henry River is private

Henry River Mill Village is owned privately and run as a paid attraction, with lodging and events. Its website listed weekend-only winter hours through March 19, 2026 and Friday to Monday hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., after March 20. Henry River Road runs through it, but the cottages and grounds are private: buy a ticket to walk them.

04

Leave artifacts where they lie

North Carolina's Archaeological Resources Protection Act requires a state permit to dig on land the state owns or controls, and its state historic sites do not allow metal detectors. On federal land, including Cape Lookout National Seashore, the Smokies and Pisgah National Forest, the federal Archaeological Resources Protection Act forbids digging or removing artifacts without a permit.

FAQ

Common questions

How many ghost towns are in North Carolina?

We found no official count. Our index lists 23 sites in North Carolina, 13 of them with coordinates; a few appear twice under different names. Many are logging, mill or island villages rather than mining camps.

What is the best ghost town to visit in North Carolina?

Brunswick Town / Fort Anderson State Historic Site near Wilmington is the easiest: free, open Tuesday to Saturday, with colonial foundations, St. Philip's Church ruins and Civil War earthworks. Portsmouth Village has more standing buildings but needs a boat from Ocracoke.

Can you visit the Hunger Games village in North Carolina?

Yes. Henry River Mill Village, District 12 in the 2012 film, sells tour tickets. Its website listed adult admission at $18 and Friday to Monday hours when we checked on October 28, 2026. It is about 80 minutes by road from Charlotte, off I-40.

How do you get to Lost Cove?

Only on foot. The Forest Service names the Lost Cove and Devil's Creek trails in its Flat Top Mountain area of Pisgah National Forest; several structures and a cemetery remain. There is no drinking water in the area, so carry your own.

Is there a ghost town under Fontana Lake?

Partly. Fontana Lake covered the lower part of Proctor in 1944, but much of the town and its cemetery are above the water, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, reached by boat across the lake or on foot. Judson, another town, is also under the lake.

Sources

  1. Coordinates: Wikipedia articles for each site (GNIS).
  2. Drive times: OSRM routing on © OpenStreetMap contributors data (ODbL), October 28, 2026.
  3. NC Historic Sites, "Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson", read October 28, 2026: hours, free admission, razed in 1776 and never rebuilt, Fort Anderson, the foundations and earthworks. Wikipedia, "Brunswick Town, North Carolina", read October 28, 2026: established June 1726, burned 1776, abandoned by 1830, Fort Anderson, St. Philip's ruins, coordinates.
  4. Wikipedia, "Portsmouth, North Carolina", read October 28, 2026: established 1753, 685 people in 1860, the last residents in 1971, about 21 buildings, no potable water or food, coordinates. NPS, Cape Lookout "Ferry Service", updated January 21, 2025: Portsmouth reached only by boat, about 20 minutes from Ocracoke; no trash cans on the islands. Portsmouth Island Boat Tours, read October 28, 2026: phone numbers, departures from Ocracoke's Community Square docks.
  5. Wikipedia, "Cape Lookout Village Historic District", read October 28, 2026: listed June 3, 2000, 20 contributing buildings, the 1907 Keeper's Quarters, coordinates. NPS, "Post-Hurricane Erin at Cape Lookout National Seashore", August 22, 2025: the Island Express ferry, the Keeper's Quarters Museum reopening August 24, 2025. NPS, Cape Lookout "Alerts & Conditions", read October 28, 2026: "Passenger Ferry Dock Closed; Visitors Deboard via Beach Landing", a 5 to 10 minute walk on soft sand, sometimes through water.
  6. Wikipedia, "Henry River Mill Village, North Carolina", read October 28, 2026: laid out in 1904, the mill closed (late 1960s or 1971; the article gives both) and burned in 1977, about 35 cottages built and 20 left, the 2012 film, private property, coordinates. Henry River Mill Village, read October 28, 2026: hours, $18 adult admission, address. NC Tripping, "Henry River Mill Village", updated August 11, 2026: the 2017 purchase and tour types.
  7. Wikipedia, "Lost Cove, North Carolina", read October 28, 2026: about 100 residents, the last family gone in 1957, fires in 2007, coordinates. USDA Forest Service, "Flat Top Mountain Area", updated September 30, 2025: structures and a cemetery reached from the Lost Cove and Devil's Creek trails, no potable water.
  8. Wikipedia, "Proctor, North Carolina", read October 28, 2026: Moses Proctor, Fontana Lake in 1944, one house and the mill remains, cemeteries reached only by trails, Judson also under the lake, coordinates. Friends of the Smokies, "Hike and Adventure on the Lakeshore Trail: July 2025 Hike Recap", July 29, 2025: hikers ferried by boat from Cable Cove to Proctor, where they walked around the town site and the Calhoun House.
  9. Wikipedia, "Mortimer, North Carolina", read October 28, 2026: Ritter Lumber Company, 1904, about 800 people, the 1916 fire and flood, the CCC camp, the 1940 flood, the remains, coordinates. USDA Forest Service, Grandfather Ranger District, updated May 13, 2026: Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River area open. Carolina Canoe Club, "Wilson Creek Re-opens", February 17, 2026: most areas reopened, Harper Creek Trail closed.
  10. N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 70, Article 2, Archaeological Resources Protection Act, read in the Internet Archive copy of March 6, 2026: permits for archaeological work on state lands. NC Historic Sites, FAQ, read October 28, 2026: no metal detecting at state historic sites. 16 U.S.C. 470ee: no excavating or removing archaeological resources on federal land without a permit.
  11. Site index: ghosttowns.com North Carolina lists and Wikipedia, October 2026. County outlines: US Census via us-atlas (public domain).

Photo credits

  1. Brunswick Town: BTFA1726, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. Portsmouth: Jarek Tuszyński, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
  3. Henry River Mill Village: Upstateherd, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
  4. Lost Cove: Whweller, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
  5. Proctor: Brian Stansberry, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
  6. Cape Lookout Village Historic District: Jarek Tuszyński, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0