In this lesson, you will use your textbook, Boom Towns & Relic Hunters of Northeastern Washington to research information on Ghost Towns and history of Northeastern Washington State and then write a report on your results.
Boom Towns generally sprang up in places where gold, silver, coal, and other precious minerals were discovered. They usually started as a small mining camp and turned into a Boom Town. Often, after all the gold, silver, or other precious minerals had been mined or depleted the town was abandoned leaving a “ghost of a town”.
Choose Your Town
You can begin with reading about ghost towns and the history of Northeastern Washington in your textbook or another book about these counties. You may want to see if more information is available at your local library.
Take a Trip
(If you decide to take a weekend trip to a ghost town, this would be your parents’ decision so be sure to check with them first). Check out our family Premier Guided Ghost Town Tour packages with Boom Towns & Relic Hunters.
To research and write your report you might want to go on an adventure and explore one of these Ghost Towns in person. Choose your historic town, describe how you are going to travel, and arrive there. You may want to consider getting maps, that way you won't get lost driving there. Check your library or the Internet for a map that you can use to find your way to your historic ghost town site.
It may help to know about the history of the area that you plan to visit so check with the local Chamber of Commerce in that area and they can mail you some information brochures. Remember not to trespass on private property without permission from the owner.
You may need maps so you won't get lost. Here are some maps that you can use to find your ghost town.
It may help to know a little about the history of the area - Some History on Northeastern Washington.
Remember not to trespass on private property without permission.
The History of Your Town
Using your textbook, this website and other resoruces you can find, write a report containing the following:
- Where is the town today? Where was it located when it was a Boom Town?
- List information about how to reach the town by automobile.
- How did the town get its name?
- What was the reason the town had been built where it was?
- Were their important people mentioned in the history or development of the town? If so, write about that person(s).
- Describe the buildings and surrounding area now.
- Draw a picture of a building that you think might have existed in this town.
- DDescribe how you think the town would have looked back in its Boom Town days.
- What kind of social activities or gatherings would there have been?
- When, and why, did it become a Ghost Town?
Reference Books
Get your textbook by ordering here.
Books about Ghost Towns of Northeastern Washington Click here for a book list
Send a completed copy of you’re A+ Social Studies Ghost Town Report to Boom Towns & Relic Hunters and we will post it on our web site for the world to see.
