Old gas/service stations in Glenrio along the western stretches of Texas's Route 66 remind travelers of the town's purpose along America's Highway.

Remember when your mom used to tell you to do something productive with your time? She probably didn't have Ghost Town Hunting in mind. Or maybe she did! I heard she's pretty cool.

The Red River Valley of the Southwest is full of towns and villages that history has long passed by. Discovering them is not only a great way to spend the day, but it's also an ideal wy to appreciate this area of the world. 

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The ever-changing economies and populations has created a plethora of places that were born quickly, and died just as quickly. And, there is no fast-and-steady rule as to what a ghost town is. Some still have people; others have only dead people inside cemeteries. Some even have post offices. But for me, the key to a ghost town is the lack of a public school. In the U.S. west of the Mississippi River, American towns didn't center themselves around churches but rather, around their schools. Whole communities were invested in the success of their children, even if some residents didn't have children of their own. Once the school closed, the town's lifeline vanished, too.

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Enjoy the remaining sights of these ghosts on the prairies.