This Texas Ghost Town is Hard to Visit Because it’s at the Bottom of a Lake

Texas has a plethora of ghost towns that are ripe for exploring. Just remember to do your research before you do as some could be privately owned and you could be charged with trespassing. Other ghost towns could be have been taken back by Mother Nature making it dangerous to explore. Having said that, there is an abandoned town just north of Waco where the access to it is very restricted. Why? Because it's at the bottom of a lake.

The story of Towash, Texas

Towash, Texas began around 1854 when folks started moving to the area to work at a wheat and corn mill there. That mill was run by two brothers, Simpson Cash and James Harrison Dyer. The brothers got permission to build a dam on the Brazos river so the flow of water could be directed to run the mill.

The mill brought in settlers to work but also became a place for social gatherings. This was due to the amount of people that would us the mill. The wait times for use could be up to two days. To pass the time, those people would socialize around the mill. The mill was also used during the Civil War to have wool carded to weave clothes and blankets.

This little town thrived because of the Dyer brother's mill. A post office was established along with a church, a few stores, a blacksmith, a cotton gin and more.

What happened to the town?

In short, the railroad. In the 1880's, the railroad was built in Whitney, about 25 miles from Towash. Throughout the following years, residents moved from Towash into Whitney. The deserted town stood until 1951 when the Whitney Dam was built. The dam created Lake Whitney which engulfed Towash.

Several of Towash's buildings still remain at the bottom of Lake Whitney about 110 feet down according to many scuba divers. When lake levels are low, you can see some of the town's foundations. If you put in the coordinates 31.922234,-97.343275 in Google Maps and scroll in real close, you can see some of those foundations.

There are several parks and a state park around Lake Whitney now. It could be a fun road trip to check out the lake and maybe throw in a scuba diving adventure while you're there. It would certainly make for some cool pictures or video.

Find out even more at heartoftexastales.com and lakewhitneyhub.com.

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