Here in Texas, there are plenty of remnants of mining and railroad towns from centuries past. (To read about the ghost town of Terlingua, click here.) The ghost town of Lobo in West Texas is a lesser-known abandoned community named after Mexican wolves that used to roam the area. With a population of only 15 permanent residents, it doesn’t get much more empty or desolate than this. Check it out:
Lobo is located in Culberson County between the Van Horn and Wylie Mountains. It’s situated along Highway 90, 12 miles south of Van Horn and 24 miles west of Valentine.
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The town’s history began in the mid-1800s when an aquifer was discovered in the area. Given how dry West Texas is (this was the only water source within a 100-mile radius!), people flocked to Lobo from all over.
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In 1882, Lobo became a watering stop and depot for the Southern Pacific Railroad. It became an official town with a post office in 1907, and the population began increasing slowly until two earthquakes devastated the community in 1929 and 1931.
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Cotton was the town’s saving grace. A gin was set up, and nearly 100 people lived in Lobo by the mid-1960s. Soon after, the water table dropped and the town was abandoned because the cost of operating the irrigation pumps went through the roof.
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A man named Bill Christ provided hope when he purchased Lobo and built a gas station and general store. Business was booming again, but when a fire destroyed the store, Christ decided the effort to save the town wasn’t worth it and placed Lobo on the market. He had no takers, so he fled the area and let it decay into the ghost town it is today.
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In 2001, three people from Germany actually bought Lobo with plans to restore it and hold art and music festivals. The Desert Dust Cinema Festival took place in 2011, 2012, and 2016, and it’s set to happen again this year — the perfect opportunity to visit a modern-day ghost town!
Flickr/thomashawk
For more information about Lobo and the Cinema Festival, click here.
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Would you or have you already experienced this ghost town? Share your thoughts and/or experiences with us!
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