These 3 Louisiana Ghost Towns are Just a Road Trip Away
Ghost towns are full of wonder. Why not check out what Louisiana has to offer?
I am fascinated by ghost towns. Aside from the obvious question of why is this place abandoned, I like to try to imagine what life was like when that town was booming. Was this the place to be on a Friday night? What did this town dream for itself back in the day? Maybe this stems from the fact that I'm from a tiny mining town in California that is rich in Gold Rush history.
Ghost towns can be really fun to visit.
There are quite a few ghost towns in the state of Louisiana. Wikipedia lists 17 different ones. You could easily to travel to any of them, if you're willing to commit to it. There are a few places that are not much longer than a trip to Dallas from here.
Torras, Louisiana - 3 hours
Torras is in the northeast corner of Pointe Coupee Parish. The town was situated on either side of the juncture between Texas & Pacific Railroad and Lower Old River, which puts in between the Mississippi River and the juncture of the Red and Atchafalaya Rivers. The town was founded in 1902 by Joseph Torras, an immigrant from Barcelona. He purchased the Bennet Barton Simmes plantation and opened up the M&J Torras firm. Because of the access Torras had to essentially three different rivers and the railroad, it was expected to become a hot spot for shipping. However, the great Mississippi River flood in 1912 quickly destroyed those dreams. Although the town was rebuilt and survived another flood in 1927 the railroad relocated sealing Torras' fate.
East Krotz Springs, Louisiana - 3 hours
East Krotz Springs (not to be confused with Krotz Springs, which is unabandoned) is located west of Livonia on the east bank of the Atchafalaya River. It was originally known as Latania and was known for it's lumbering operations back in the early 1900s. The area flooded twice, both in 1912 and 1913, when the river's levee broke. It continues to flood, becoming completely submerged, anytime the floodgates are opened at the Morganza Spillway.
Alma, Louisiana - 3 hours, 30 minutes
Alma is located east of Lakeland. The land was owned by philanthropist Julien Poydras of Pointe Coupee. In 1789 the original Alma Plantation House was built along the False River. It's no longer open to the public, but the sugar mill that was constructed on it, as well as the country store is. The sugar mill is one of only 11 still in operation in Louisiana, producing raw sugar and blackstrap molasses.